Live data from Hacker News

Microsoft to acquire LinkedIn for $26B

news.microsoft.com

111–120 of 859 posts

Re: Microsoft to acquire LinkedIn for $26B

#111

I'm not sure what Microsoft is getting with LinkedIn for $26bn. I know it is a little crazy, but I think they would have been better off buying Redhat for $15bn or Canonical (Ubuntu linux) for even cheaper.

Buying Canonical would be very unwise. I'm pretty sure user rates would drop like hell on the day of the announcement. I know I would change my distro.

Re: Microsoft to acquire LinkedIn for $26B

#113
post #72
post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Unlike Snapchat or Instagram, which could very likely turn into MySpace 2.0 or 3.0, Linkedin is actually very entrenched in its market.

This just isn't true. There's nothing about LinkedIn that makes it any more indispensable than those sites or Monster.com or any other site popular with recruiters in the past. This is going to go down in history as one of the most overpriced, worst acquisitions of all time. LinkedIn has already become more associated with being spammy than with any positive connotations.

This can only be my impression, however, given the amount of "LinkedIn trainers" people and given the amount of people that are willing to pay a LinkedIn trainer to enhance their profiles, I would not be that sure that there's nothing indispensable in LinkedIn.

Re: Microsoft to acquire LinkedIn for $26B

#115
post #7

I hope this will usher in an era of less unethical behaviour from the company under new leadership. Congratulations to shareholders. Anyone know why they'd negotiate an all cash settlement?

I'm not so hopeful. Given that Microsoft pulled out every dark pattern in the book for Windows 10, I can only think things will get worse.

Just because one team on Windows 10 made a huge mistake doesn't mean the entirety of Microsoft is full of people looking to fill the world with dark patterns. They employ about 50,000 engineers last time I checked...

Re: Microsoft to acquire LinkedIn for $26B

#117

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Does anyone have a reference to even some wild speculation as to what Microsoft gets out of for their own business? Or is this just somewhere to park some cash? I am honestly confused.

More connections to enterprise, potential for some cloud HR play, a ready-established pseudo social network to compete with Facebook for Work (maybe as part of a Yammer, Office365, Skype for Business play), s t-tonne of user data, SlideShare...

I feel that over-focus on the interplay undermines core product. Power Point, RDP, Office. Outlook has significantly dropped in usability with introduction of 365. Overforced Win10 with Metro sandboxing undermines usability in many regards, dur to inability to link an action directly, but rather having to open a classic window. Microsoft forgets just how many their core products are used just because of RDP

Re: Microsoft to acquire LinkedIn for $26B

#118

I'm surprised by the amount of negativity about the deal here on HN. It seems like an excellent match. I could see LinkedIn as an asset for Microsoft anywhere in the realms of work collaboration and HR. No other social network besides LinkedIn comes close to complimenting MicroSoft's wheelhouse of enterprise utility.

I agree, plus Slideshare can be a massive boost to Powerpoint.

Re: Microsoft to acquire LinkedIn for $26B

#119
post #3

Skype, Nokia, Minecraft, LinkedIn. Also Yahoo, almost, at one point. Best of luck to Microsoft with its latest acquisition. It doesn't look that sensible though.

Skype is one of the more regrettable acquisitions. Linux support has been deplorable ever since.
Post reply on HN