HAL must die!

[Chad Perrin]

On Thu, Mar 17, 2011 at 10:46:50AM -0700, Chip Camden wrote:
> Quoth David Brodbeck on Thursday, 17 March 2011:
> > On Wed, Mar 16, 2011 at 5:59 PM, Da Rock
> > <freebsd-questions at herveybayaustralia.com.au> wrote:
> > >
> > > Except a private company.
> > 
> > Yeah, but  most private software companies are trying to get bought
> > out by one of the big guys, in which case a good patent portfolio is
> > helpful.  I remember hearing about one company in the 90s that
> > actually had "be acquired by Microsoft" as part of their long-term
> > business plan.
> 
> Nowadays it's "be acquired by Google."  Requires less of a patent
> portfolio, and more creative energy.

That's probably because Google wants to acquire the talent behind the
startup, while Microsoft mostly just wants to, as simply as possible, do
one of two things:

1. Diversify its business interests by buying something in a niche where
Microsoft is not yet dominant.

2. Kill an up-and-coming competitor.

-- 
Chad Perrin [ original content licensed OWL: http://owl.apotheon.org ]
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