Microsoft buying Opera?

[Nybo]

Writes Varun Dubey in CoolTechZone [cooltechzone.com]. Anybody know anything about this?

[Receptional Andy]

I did read some similar speculation:
[investors.com...]

Would be a very good move for Microsoft were it to happen.

[kaled]

If it happens (at the right price) it could be very good for Microsoft. I wonder if it will hasten the demise of Internet Explorer or postpone it.

Kaled.

[encyclo]

Huh?! One "pundit" (John Dvorak) writes a piece saying that in his opinion it would be a good idea if MS bought Opera (despite the fact that such a move would clash with everything that MS is doing with IE, Avalon, XAML, etc., not even thinking about anti-monopoly concerns). Story is picked up by Slashdot, where even the most clueless of posters shoot down the very idea. Now there is an "insider report" saying it's a done deal!

Since when has anything resembling a fact ever entered into the equation?

[Nybo]

I have to admit that the categorical tone in Dubey's article made me nervous that this might actually be true so I wanted to hear if anybody knew anything really substantial, pointing one way or another.

[encyclo]

I'm quite prepared to be proved wrong, but it would be an incredible reversal on the part of MS. But for the moment it looks like this is nothing more than idle speculation on a slow-news week.

[Robin_reala]

Wouldn't there be issues with monopolistic behaviour if they did do this?

[drhowarddrfine]

It would make you wonder if this is just an attempt by MS to eliminate another competitor. otoh, you fear MS will just screw Opera up then give it to us to work with. But, like someone just said, you have to wonder how it would fit into the whole Windows programming equation.

I can't get through to any of the linked sites except the IBD one which I haven't read yet.

[Frequent]

One second...just let me get my fire suit on...

I think Firefox is a more likely partner for MS.

Hiding now...

Freq---

[drhowarddrfine]

Well, I had wondered about that, too, but it is an open source environment and I don't know that it would be possible for MS to do anything but drop IE and recommended other browsers with an emphasis on FF. It would be a smart thing to do considering IEs significant problems with no end in sight.

[drhowarddrfine]

Heh, it's good to see me quoted in IBD :)

The smart move for the company would be for Microsoft to discard the entire code base of Internet Explorer and buy the Opera browser (from Norway) outright and use it instead.

[drhowarddrfine]

Opera denies rumor of buyout. [news.zdnet.co.uk]

[mattglet]

Give me a break. Opera is just now getting a solid foundation in the mobile market. They know how much money is out there, waiting to be taken. I can't easily believe that they would sell out now.

[brakthepoet]

Wasn't it just a few days ago that rumors were flying about Google buying Opera [webmasterworld.com]? Any ideas as to the next rumor? Maybe Wal-Mart buys Opera? :)

[JAB Creations]

Really such a waste of time; this Varun should seriously go help out at a soup-kitchen and feed the poor or something meaningful instead of feeding rumors on the internet. I don't feel there is such a thing as a "slow newsweek" as major (general) news outlets fail to cover the overwhelming amount of news that for some reason they do not run. I enjoy Google News, ZDNet, and of course our local fav here! If they didn't post it, then I'll keep my nose stuck in notepad. ;)

[Robin_reala]

Opera buys Opera [blakeross.com]

OSLO, NORWAY– Amidst mounting speculation of an all-out bidding war between Microsoft, Google and the Korean bakery down on 3rd, Opera Software announced today that it inadvertently purchased itself in a $0 million recursive merger set to complete on Monday.

“I’m as surprised as everyone else,” said Opera CEO Jon von Tetzchner. “I read the news on [geocities.com...] when I woke up this morning.”

“Buying Opera is very Web 2.0,” said Milton, who was studying for a social studies test and could only comment briefly. “It’s like tagging. More companies should try it.”

Analysts value the deal at 42 liters of hot air, the estimated net worth of the blogosphere’s journalistic abilities.

[MatthewHSE]

Thanks for that Robin. I haven't read something that funny for a long time - you made my day! :)

[Solution1]

Wonder if it's Opera's marketing department that's spreading those rumours. Free publicity is free advertising.