So it turns out that Microsoft has bought Skype for $8.5 billion. This happened more than one week ago, so I should really be embarassed about finding out just now, but I’m too pissed off to feel any sort of embarrassment. Having observed the behaviour of Microsoft for some decades, being an MS customer is not an option for me.

Skype’s CEO, Tony Bates, posted this blog post which starts like this:

Microsoft will acquire Skype

I’m excited to announce that Skype and Microsoft have entered into a definitive agreement whereby Microsoft will acquire Skype for $8.5 billion US. It is an exciting day for all of us at Skype – we’ve taken a significant step towards realising our vision of making the world a better, more connected place.

Such a positive and happy tone in that message, you’d almost think it’s good news. So I feel almost sorry for him when reading the user feedback; around 95% of the comments are either sceptical or downright negative to this deal. It’s true, I counted.

So I had to do my part:

Doubleplusungood. Skype, I used to think you were awesome, but I hate Microsoft even more. Everything MS touches turns into fecal matter and will at some point only be available for that platform.

They’re pure evil; have a look at the Halloween Documents as an example of the true nature of MS.

MS is better at making money than making software; even though my Linux system is stable and secure, my mailbox is still filled up by spam sent by hijacked windoze computers.

It’s bloody impossible to buy a laptop in Norway without the damned OS pre-installed. How is that even legal? The only way to not be forced to buy a crappy OS that I haven’t used privately since 1995, is to not accept the EULA, buying it secondhand or from abroad. And that’s how I do it. MS won’t get a cent from me. Ever.

Writing this comment without loads of cursing and swearing was immensely hard. You bet I wanted to use some more suitable words, but if I really could speak my mind about this, this comment would’ve been eradicated several times, and I’d probably be arrested.

In short: No more money from me, and no more PR for Skype. I’ve turned at least fifteen of my friends and relatives into Skype users, and I really repent that now.

Oh well. Life goes on with some other VoIP service.

From a former user since February 2005,
sunny256

Let’s see if it passes the moderation filter. In fact I doubt that, the most recent comment is eight days old. Maybe the Skype moderators got tired of letting only bad news through?