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Microsoft to acquire LinkedIn for $26B

news.microsoft.com

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Re: Microsoft to acquire LinkedIn for $26B

#651

Post by alex_c »

blowski wrote: post #204
oblio wrote: post #150

The comments here are hilarious, they really reveal the IT bubble. The only real complaint about this purchase would be that LinkedIn was overvalued. And I wouldn't bet on that since Microsoft surely sent a big team of their brightest cookies to make a valuation of the company. But other than that, LinkedIn fits: it is a corporate social network, if you will. I know that "corporate social network" is almost an oxymor…

> And I wouldn't bet on that since Microsoft surely sent a big team of their brightest cookies to make a valuation of the company. The same people who valued Nokia ($7.6 billion writedown) and aQuantive ($6 billion writedown)?

It's easy (and fun!) to criticize in hindsight, but there was a strong strategic case to be made for the Nokia acquisition back then. Obviously it didn't work out, but given Microsoft's cash reserves at the time it wasn't even a particularly large gamble.

Re: Microsoft to acquire LinkedIn for $26B

#652

Post by hackaflocka »

kbenson wrote: post #625

I think it's telling of the times, my increased opinion of Microsoft, and my horrible impression of LinkedIn, that I expect this to result in better LinkedIn behavior than previously. Microsoft still has its own problems, but in my opinion they are far better than the skeezy feeling I get from LinkedIn's marketing and promotion to "linked" email accounts (that is, addresses they've associated to you and send notices…

Facebook does something similarly sleazy. I have multiple email accounts. Facebook hasn't made the connection that I'm the same person. On each email account I regularly get emails saying that my profile has already been set-up and all I have to do is log-in for the first time by clicking on this link (and yes, I have a Facebook account linked to a different email address).

Re: Microsoft to acquire LinkedIn for $26B

#654

Post by giancarlostoro »

threeseed wrote: post #195
ravivyas wrote: post #118

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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

Actually there hasn't been enough talk about the companies LinkedIn acquired. Connectifier - recruiting intelligence Lynda - online learning FlipTop - predictive marketing RunHop - personalised content Refresh.io - relationship content surfacing These could be huge additions to Azure, Office 365, Bing, Cortana etc.

I had no idea LinkedIn owned these sites / services. Especially Lynda... Microsoft could do quite a bit with Lynda they could train programmers through that, maybe even make it more interactive? There's of course other things they could do to those other sites. I really hope they don't just pull the plug on some of them though.

Re: Microsoft to acquire LinkedIn for $26B

#656

Post by giancarlostoro »

MildlySerious wrote: post #589
threeseed wrote: post #195

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Actually there hasn't been enough talk about the companies LinkedIn acquired. Connectifier - recruiting intelligence Lynda - online learning FlipTop - predictive marketing RunHop - personalised content Refresh.io - relationship content surfacing These could be huge additions to Azure, Office 365, Bing, Cortana etc.

> Refresh.io - relationship content surfacing First time I heard that. Wanted to check it out. Redirects to LinkedIn now. Acquisitions killing off the acquired products is a trend I do not enjoy.

Could of been LinkedIn who did it, they might of wanted to integrate the service into LinkedIn possibly?

Re: Microsoft to acquire LinkedIn for $26B

#657

Post by maerF0x0 »

novaRom wrote: post #441
_yosefk wrote: post #237

Earlier quoted context omitted.

MS could, erm, look up those org charts on linkedin.com for $0 (indeed very useful at times.) What value is added by buying LinkedIn for $26G? How owning LinkedIn is going to add $1-1.5B/year (assuming eventually you want a P/E between, I dunno, 15 and 25), to MS's revenue? (I'm sure someone at MS has an answer to this, it's just that they haven't been tremendously successful in the past with their big acquisitions;…

> What value is added by buying LinkedIn for $26G? 1. Integrate Skype into LinkedIn 2. Add a shared chat screen (video group chat) This will allow many Human Resources to perform interviews more efficiently (in return to subscription). I can imagine many other new attractive features MS could easily add (e.g. syntax highlighting in group chat).

And can get rid of horrible Webex calls.

Re: Microsoft to acquire LinkedIn for $26B

#658

Post by grandalf »

The biggest thing hampering LinkedIn's growth has been such a strong tech market. This is also why many HN readers are not familiar with it. When the market is strong, those with technology skills can find work in a few hours without using any platform.

But if the market dips, things like LinkedIn's recommendations will become useful and relevant. Less so for technology workers than for those with softer skills, but far more relevant than they are today.

LinkedIn is pretty big in the NYC startup scene because overall people are more ambitious in a career ambition way... Silicon Valley has more ambition to build cool things and so having a LinkedIn profile feels like wearing a suit and having one's teeth professionally whitened and going around formally shaking hands with people.

LinkedIn is also one of the few innovators in dark pattern UI research. Each week I get an invitation email accidentally sent by someone over 60 who signed up for LinkedIn and spammed his/her entire Gmail address book with invites.

I hope the acquisition isn't being driven by LinkedIn's lead-gen functionality, since that has been the main reason I've considered deleting my profile. Most of the people who attempt to connect are selling something, which reduces the platform's usefulness as a social network.

The best thing about the acquisition is that lots of that money will flow back into the startup ecosystem.

Re: Microsoft to acquire LinkedIn for $26B

#660

Post by kbenson »

hackaflocka wrote: post #652
kbenson wrote: post #625

I think it's telling of the times, my increased opinion of Microsoft, and my horrible impression of LinkedIn, that I expect this to result in better LinkedIn behavior than previously. Microsoft still has its own problems, but in my opinion they are far better than the skeezy feeling I get from LinkedIn's marketing and promotion to "linked" email accounts (that is, addresses they've associated to you and send notices…

Facebook does something similarly sleazy. I have multiple email accounts. Facebook hasn't made the connection that I'm the same person. On each email account I regularly get emails saying that my profile has already been set-up and all I have to do is log-in for the first time by clicking on this link (and yes, I have a Facebook account linked to a different email address).

I'm not sure how this isn't considered spam. Unless you've expressly told them that the other account is yours, there's no way to ensure they aren't sending unsolicited email,as "we thought they would want to know" is not a valid defense against the laws that exist.
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