Mark Evans

Where's Microsoft?

Picking up a tidbit of an idea tossed there yesteday by John Battelle about Microsoft's lack of M&A activity, you have to wonder what Team Gates in Redmond is thinking these days about Web 2.0. I'm not talking about Windows Live, which is clearly a big strategic and business/sales shift, but Microsoft's need and /or willingness to pull the little pieces needed to keep itself and MSN vibrant and with it. Part of what Yahoo and Google do when they make acquisitions is pursue top-notch talent. When Google, for example, bought Android, they got interesting wireless technology but also the skills of co-founder Andy Rubin. The same goes for Yahoo's purchase of del.icio.us, which also got it founder Joshua Schachter. By no means, am I suggesting Microsoft's out of the Web 2.0 loop, I'm just curious about where acquistions fit into the scheme of things these days. Perhaps with a multi-billion dollar R&D budget, Microsoft doesn't need to do much M&A but it you have the financial muscle, it makes sense to use it once in awhile.