AOL-Microsoft? Not Likely, Just Logical

from the makes-sense dept

While the chances of it actually happening are incredibly slim, Business Week makes the case that it would help both companies tremendously if AOL-Time Warner sold AOL to Microsoft. It would help boost MSN, clearly, but also creates a bunch of other synergies. Microsoft definitely does a better job in handling email (both on the client side and via the web) and they could improve the user experience. Microsoft has also done more to get people signed up for broadband. More importantly, though, is that by taking control over AOL's customer list, Microsoft could be able to build up their new Xbox Online service much more quickly than planned. On the Time Warner side, it would let them get rid of AOL, which they still don't know what to do with anyway. Of course, the Department of Justice might not be so happy with the idea, but Microsoft has shown an ability to wear them down in the past... Of course, it would also give many geeks a single entity at which to direct their hate, instead of having to split their distaste between Redmond and Dulles.
Hide this

Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.

Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.

While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.

–The Techdirt Team


Reader Comments

Subscribe: RSS

View by: Time | Thread


  • identicon
    wonko, 30 Jan 2003 @ 12:24pm

    Ack!

    Well, crap. Now I'm sad I let msnaoltimewarner.com expire. I figured it just wasn't likely to happen. Oh well.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    dorpus, 30 Jan 2003 @ 4:32pm

    Incompatibilities

    AOL uses Netscape for its browsers, so that would present a major problem right there. You'll have countless other ego wars with their messenger software, msn.com vs. aol.com home pages.

    Plus, neither company is based in Silicon Valley, so they will each operate from their provincial perspectives. The physical distance between Dulles and Redmond is going to pose a problem too. At least AOLTW was based in DC/NY areas, which was just an hour's flight.

    link to this | view in chronology ]


Follow Techdirt
Essential Reading
Techdirt Deals
Report this ad  |  Hide Techdirt ads
Techdirt Insider Discord

The latest chatter on the Techdirt Insider Discord channel...

Loading...
Recent Stories

This site, like most other sites on the web, uses cookies. For more information, see our privacy policy. Got it
Close

Email This

This feature is only available to registered users. Register or sign in to use it.