Microsoft is RUMORED to have bought Opera!

[Nomad559]

After Google, Microsoft is RUMORED to have bought Opera!

It's probably not true.

Ok. This is getting a bit out of hand for us right now. We at TechWhack love to use Opera. And we have been following the development of the company since quite sometime. The people at Opera have always claimed to have a specific goal and that goal does not include getting acquired by a bigger company. Some days back the media was mocked for having spread the rumor around that Google had possibly acquired the Norway based Opera Software ASA and now the same rumors are back again but with Microsoft being named as the new owners of the company.

CoolTechZone.com, a tech magazine has this insider report claiming that the world’s largest software company Microsoft has acquired Opera Software. They also claim that both Google and Microsoft were bidding for this deal and in the end, Microsoft emerged the winner out of the two. The magazine also claims that the deal is almost through and both the companies are now talking about locations for the browser’s research and development centers throughout the world.

[mainegreen]

1. Um, so what about IE 7?

Or is opera going to be IE 8? Since microsoft can't seem to write a standards compliant browser, this might be a good move for them, but its a bad thing for the rest of us.

And seriously, what about all of microsofts software that relies on IE behind the scenes to display content? I doubt Opera is set up to be used the same way. They'll probably wreck opera trying to get it embeded in the OS.

:eyes:

[Nomad559]

2. Opera denies Microsoft takeover rumours

http://news.zdnet.co.uk/software/applications/0,39020384,39243639,00.htm

As the phones ring off the hook at Opera, the browser vendor insists rumours that Microsoft is buying it out are unfounded

Opera on Friday denied the latest takeover rumour spreading round the Internet, saying that it has not had any approaches from Microsoft or anyone else.

Rumours surfaced on Friday morning that Microsoft is close to completing a takeover offer for the Norwegian browser vendor, having outbid Google.

"Our phones have been ringing off the hook," said a spokesman for Opera. "But it's not true. We have not been bought, and we have not received any offers. It's just a rumour, like the Google rumour last week.

[charlie]

3. Somewhere, John Dvorak is giggling

He floated this half-baked idea a few days ago, delivered with his usual unwarranted authority and brio:

Is Opera in Microsoft's Future? (reg req'd - http://www.bugmenot.com)