[IP] Brock realism more on query on eBay to Acquire Skype
Begin forwarded message:
From: Patrizia <patrizia@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: September 13, 2005 3:09:56 AM EDT
To: dave@xxxxxxxxxx
Subject: RE: [IP] Brock realism more on query on eBay to Acquire Skype
The bad thing of VoIP is that people do not know and do not understand
enough of it.
The good thing is that it is very easy to change from one supplier to
the
other.
And that is why it was a good business for SKYPE and a bad bargain
for eBay.
Because open standard will win, being it h323 or SIP.
There will soon be interconneting platforms.
You will be able to belong to a SIP platform and be able to
communicate with
a H323 platform.
But Skype will still be a propietary island (with a downward number),
relying (as they shout) on other people's nodes.
With Vonage for example you pay for a Service, for Skype you pay for a
software.
Patrizia
-----Original Message-----
From: David Farber [mailto:dave@xxxxxxxxxx]
Sent: 13 September 2005 02:07
To: Ip Ip
Subject: [IP] Brock realism more on query on eBay to Acquire Skype
Begin forwarded message:
From: Brock Meeks <Brock.Meeks@xxxxxxxxx>
Date: September 12, 2005 6:57:06 PM EDT
To: dave@xxxxxxxxxx
Subject: RE: [IP] more on query on eBay to Acquire Skype
Marc says it's a "shame" Skype couldn't "resist" temptation.
Good grief, with a nearly $5 billion carrot (if all financial
incentives are
met) dangling in front of them, the Skype folks would have been
IDIOTS not
to take eBay's dumb money.
The stench of Internet arrogance a la Steve Case of AOL buying Time
Warner
is again in the air. One can only hope this ludicrous paring comes
back to
bite Meg Whitman in the ass.
Shame on HER for wasting that kind of money on a speculative deal
that won't
be accretive until Christ returns in the clouds. That money could
have been
returned to shareholders, or spent on humanitarian efforts or...
whatever.
But let's cut the crap about knocking Skype for "selling out." In this
deal, they are the only smart ones.
I say cash the check, sell the eBay stock as soon as you can and invent
something else wild and wonderful that we all can't live without.
--Brock
-----Original Message-----
From: David Farber [mailto:dave@xxxxxxxxxx]
Sent: Monday, September 12, 2005 06:10
To: Ip Ip
Subject: [IP] more on query on eBay to Acquire Skype
Begin forwarded message:
From: Marc <marcaniballi@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: September 12, 2005 4:23:22 PM EDT
To: dave@xxxxxxxxxx
Subject: RE: [IP] more on query on eBay to Acquire Skype
Thank you Gregory;
You have confirmed my suspicions. Although Lauren's call for
disclosure is a
worthy effort in some respects, to me it seems rather late for that now.
Regardless of the disclosure of Skype's crypto implementation, the fact
remains that should eBay decide, or the US Government mandate, that
Skype
have a backdoor, then the next version of Skype will likely have just
that.
Given the overall maturity of the technology base, I suspect a more
"private" competitor will emerge at this point, and Skype will become
just
another IP Softphone. While there are currently no guarantees that
Skype is
secure, under the eBay umbrella, which makes them subject to US law,
there
is now a guarantee that it will be insecure (open to prying law
enforcement
and skilled hacking ears).
It's a shame that they couldn't resist the temptation - I really
can't see
that they actually NEEDED eBay.
Marc
-----Original Message-----
From: David Farber [mailto:dave@xxxxxxxxxx]
Sent: Monday, September 12, 2005 3:53 PM
To: Ip Ip
Subject: [IP] more on query on eBay to Acquire Skype
Begin forwarded message:
From: Gregory Hicks <ghicks@xxxxxxxx>
Date: September 12, 2005 1:58:02 PM EDT
To: ip@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx, dave@xxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [IP] query on eBay to Acquire Skype
Reply-To: Gregory Hicks <ghicks@xxxxxxxx>
From: David Farber <dave@xxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [IP] query on eBay to Acquire Skype
Date: Mon, 12 Sep 2005 12:47:07 -0400
To: Ip Ip <ip@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Begin forwarded message:
From: Marc <marcaniballi@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: September 12, 2005 12:24:05 PM EDT
To: dave@xxxxxxxxxx
Subject: RE: [IP] eBay to Acquire Skype
Dave;
Can anyone on IP project what sort of US regulatory exposure this will
place upon Skype? I have my suspicions, but I would prefer the
opinions of those more immersed in the field.
Well... Based on eBay's stated "privacy" policy, this will open up pen
tracing to LEOs with just a phone call at the least.
At the worst, Skype users will soon be getting new software that
allows LEOs
to backdoor skype crypto and get free access to those phone calls (also
based on eBay's stated "privacy policy"...
Marc
-----Original Message-----
From: David Farber [mailto:dave@xxxxxxxxxx]
Sent: Monday, September 12, 2005 10:44 AM
To: Ip Ip
Subject: [IP] eBay to Acquire Skype
Begin forwarded message:
From: Monty Solomon <monty@xxxxxxxxxx>
Date: September 12, 2005 7:50:46 AM EDT
To: undisclosed-recipient:;
Subject: eBay to Acquire Skype
eBay to Acquire Skype
- Sep 12, 2005 06:00 AM (BusinessWire)
LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 12, 2005--eBay Inc.
(Nasdaq:EBAY)(
www.ebay.com
) has agreed to acquire Luxembourg-based Skype Technologies SA, the
global Internet communications company, for approximately $2.6 billion
in up-front cash and eBay stock, plus potential performance-based
consideration. The acquisition will strengthen eBay's global
marketplace and payments platform, while opening several new lines of
business and creating significant new monetization opportunities for
the company. The deal also represents a major opportunity for Skype to
advance its leadership in Internet voice communications and offer
people worldwide new ways to communicate in a global online era.
Skype, eBay and PayPal will create an unparalleled ecommerce and
communications engine for buyers and sellers around the world.
..
- http://finance.lycos.com/home/news/story.asp?story=51709287
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Gregory Hicks | Principal Systems Engineer
Cadence Design Systems | Direct: 408.576.3609
555 River Oaks Pkwy M/S 6B1 | Fax: 408.894.3400
San Jose, CA 95134 | Internet: ghicks@xxxxxxxxxxx
I am perfectly capable of learning from my mistakes. I will surely
learn a
great deal today.
"A democracy is a sheep and two wolves deciding on what to have for
lunch.
Freedom is a well armed sheep contesting the results of the decision." -
Benjamin Franklin
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properly armed." --Alexander Hamilton
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