c9 | (no subject)

(no subject)

Today's Contest: Predict the next place Microsoft will drop over $1B.

Previous instances: just one -- today's announcement of a settlement between Microsoft and Sun over various lawsuits of the past decade. Now they're going to get along [ha! -ed] and share technology [double ha! -ed] and stop suing each other. Microsoft has agreed to give Sun almost two billion dollars. Cash. Sun has agreed to pay Microsoft someday if it ever starts using Microsoft technology in their server products.

Microsoft has over $40B in the bank. I guess with the EU judgement down against them, it's time to start spending it a bit?

Best prediction wins a cookie.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Prediction: Bill Gates kicks in $1B to Dubya's re-election bid, and suddenly all Micrsoft opponents become evil-doer-terrorists.

However, the EU refuses to reverse their decision, so the US invades. This will happen in about a year.

I probably should have specified "best prediction that actually resembles reality."

In that case: Symantec.

Maybe if it were 1998. I don't see Microsoft and Symantec as being enemies right now -- Symantec seems to have carved themselves a niche in the "high-maintenance" software corner. MS far prefers the low-maintenance high-profit arena. Hence Xbox.

I wonder though. Did MS and Quicken ever kiss and make up?

Microsoft will drop $1b to Canada. Canada will go after MS for their anti-competitive practices and win. The $1b will, if the Liberals remain in power, end up in the hands of Quebec PR firms. If the Conservative Party wins, the $1b will go towards farmers in the west and a make-over for Stephen Harper. If the NDP are in power, the $1b will either go towards one big party or anti-depressants for all Canadians.

Anti-depressants... We'll need them if the NDP comes to power.

Oh, don't worry, they'll give those out with the lollipops.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only