Bummer!  Skype was so easy to install and use on my desktop.  Now, I
have to refire my enthusiasm for going through the learning curve to set
up a working home pbx with asterisknow, I guess.  Anyone have a working
1.6 asterisk?  I have the book, and lots of beginner questions.  No
money to hire consultant, though.  :)
Tom

On Tue, 2011-05-10 at 08:13 -0500, Thomas Rieff wrote:
> TCLUG,
> It was in the news today, see article below, that Microsoft has
> purchased Skype.
> Being that Skype has gone to the Dark Side :-), Is there another video
> conferencing alternative to Skype that could be used??? Linux based.
> Server Based???
> Tom
> 
> Reuters
> 
> 
> This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. To order
> presentation-ready copies for distribution to colleagues, clients or
> customers, use the Reprints tool at the top of any article or visit:
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> 
> 
> Microsoft inks $8.5 billion Skype buy in Web shift
> Photo
> 8:55am EDT
> By Nadia Damouni and Bill Rigby
> 
> NEW YORK (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp plans to buy Internet phone
> service Skype for $8.5 billion, a rich price as it seeks to regain
> ground on growing rivals such as Google Inc.
> 
> Microsoft's interest in the money-losing but popular service
> highlights a need to gain new customers for its Windows and Office
> software. Skype has 145 million users on average each month and has
> gained favor among small business users.
> 
> Skype delayed plans for an initial public offering expected to raise
> $1 billion. It has been looking at other options, including tie-ups
> with Facebook and Google. Such a deal was seen as valuing Skype at $3
> billion to $4 billion.
> 
> The Luxembourg-based company, which allows people to make calls at no
> charge but has also developed premium services, would give Microsoft a
> foothold in the potentially lucrative video-conferencing market as
> businesses shift to lower-cost ways of communicating.
> 
> Skype could be combined with Microsoft software such as Outlook to
> appeal to corporate users, while the voice and video communications
> could link to Microsoft's Xbox live gaming.
> 
> Longer-term, Skype would offer Microsoft another route to develop its
> mobile presence, an area it has already put more energy and resources
> into as PC usage comes under threat.
> 
> Skype is set to become a new business division within Microsoft with
> Skype Chief Executive Tony Bates in charge and reporting directly to
> Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, Microsoft said.
> 
> "It's a strategic asset and a defensive move," said BGC Financial
> analyst Colin Gillis. "If they can put it on Windows 8, it gives them
> an advantage. It helps them in the tablet market."
> 
> The Skype deal is the biggest in the 36-year history of the world's
> largest software company. It was first reported late on Monday by tech
> blog GigaOM.
> 
> The $8.5 billion price tag was a surprise. Although the sum would not
> stretch cash-rich Microsoft, some said it was high for a company whose
> ownership has changed several times during its relatively short life.
> 
> "In this atmosphere of Internet Bubble 2.0, picking up an unprofitable
> online company for roughly 10 times sales probably seems downright
> cheap,"" Shanghai-based Michael Clendenin, managing director of
> consulting firm RedTech Advisors, said.
> 
> "But if you consider (it) was just valued at about $2.5 billion 18
> months ago when a chunk was sold off, then $8.5 billion seems generous
> and means Microsoft has a high wall to climb to prove to investors
> that Skype is a necessary linchpin for the company's online and mobile
> strategy," he added.
> 
> Skype, which was formed in 2003, was bought by eBay Inc in 2005 for
> $3.1 billion. Last year it had in $860 million in revenue but posted a
> net loss of $7 million, according to data in its initial public
> offering filing.
> 
> In 2009, eBay sold a majority stake in Skype to an investor group
> including Silver Lake, the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board and
> Andreessen Horowitz for $1.9 billion in cash and a $125 million note.
> EBay retained about a third.
> 
> (Additional reporting by Megan Davies, Bill Rigby and Sinead Carew,
> Sakthi Prasad in Bangalore, Clare Jim in Taipei and Melanie Lee in
> Singapore; Tarmo Virki in Helsinki and Nicola Leske in Frankfurt;
> Writing by Alexander Smith; Editing by Louise Heavens and Derek Caney)
> 
> 
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> This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. To order
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> 
> 
> DCSIMG
> 
> 
> Thomas Rieff 
> GreenCare 
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