Live data from Hacker News

Microsoft to acquire LinkedIn for $26B

news.microsoft.com

161–170 of 859 posts

Re: Microsoft to acquire LinkedIn for $26B

#161
post #80
post #11

Oh, I can just imagine how the process went at MS: * Exec A: Social things are Good (coming to the conclusion about 10 years too late) * Exec B: Shall we create our own Google+? * Exec C: No, that didn't turn out that well for Google. Let's buy something existing. * Exec B: Ok, I've Googled a list of top 10 social networking sites for sale, and ordered them by list price, but really we'll need to come up with a strat…

I imagine it was more like: - Microsoft has the money - LinkedIn is the biggest thing in recruiting (I don't especially like it either, but it is). I wouldn't personally hire someone via recruiters or LinkedIn, but I would hire someone via a recomendation from a contact I maintain on LinkedIn. - Microsoft makes business tools - There's a bunch of interesting opportunities for intrgating Dynamics, Yammer, and other MS…

I feel like I keep up with tech stuff pretty good but I had to look up what Dynamics was when Satya mentioned it in his internal email.

Re: Microsoft to acquire LinkedIn for $26B

#162
post #129

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But large numbers of people not liking it does make it a poor business strategy - not immediately, but it's the sort of thing people will remember.

Large numbers of people in the tech community . Most people aren't us.

I would think that non-techies would be even more confused and annoyed by their computer suddenly drastically changing out from underneath them without their permission.

Re: Microsoft to acquire LinkedIn for $26B

#163

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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'm still confused. If someone is shopping for a job on LinkedIn, do they want their employer to know that? Isn't there some risk of trust violation? Why would I want to take my online resume and hand it out around work? I just don't get the synergy plays here. They all feel like a very expensive moonshot.

If you are looking for a job you just send a private message to a bunch of recruiters or key decision makers e.g. managers. Your employer would never know.

It's not a moonshot at all. LinkedIn is a pretty well understood business.

Re: Microsoft to acquire LinkedIn for $26B

#166
post #129

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But large numbers of people not liking it does make it a poor business strategy - not immediately, but it's the sort of thing people will remember.

Large numbers of people in the tech community . Most people aren't us.

Forced Windows 10 upgrade became a meme on 9gag ("Went to the toilets and saw this", etc). I learnt about the story over there before it was on HN. I'm not saying 9gag is representative, but I counter the "no-one noticed the forced upgrades". Even my parents did. Everyone noticed.

Re: Microsoft to acquire LinkedIn for $26B

#168
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.

I think this one makes sense though. I don't know if it's worth the money, but it complements their business approach.
Post reply on HN