What do you make of MS's buyout of flash, a potential competitor of yours?
http://www.news.com/News/Item/0,4,19374,00.html
[oddly, I couldn't find anything at MS's virtual press room]
Microsoft (MSFT) has acquired Boston-based start-up
Flash Communications, which is developing software for
instant messaging networks and buddy lists.
They bought six employees, F.O.B. to redmond to embed it in Exchange and
NetMeeting. They have a three-year plan. This news article, at least, did
everything to pooh-pooh Netscape/AOL for not supporting MSIETF's RVP drafts --
and didn;'t mention any of the other instant-messagin entrants *at all*,
except to malign some shareware products. Sheesh. Activerse, at least, has
been a supporter of RVP.
As Masnick said in his newsletter, Up-to-date:
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Predictions:
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With MS buying a messaging/buddy system, I think soon folks will start
clamoring for more of a standard. ICQers will want to talk with the
Netscape/AOL system, or iChat. Eventually, I see this capability being
incorporated directly into the browser...
Jeff, you're coming to LA, right? I should organize a major FoRKcon at IETF...
RK