
Why Microsoft Bought LinkedIn - dbattaglia
https://backchannel.com/now-we-know-why-microsoft-bought-linkedin-dad742b3dd87#.7gqqs0z9y
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secfirstmd
I read this article and still have no real idea why Microsoft forked out so
much money for LinkedIn.

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jasondemeuse
Interesting article about Hoffman, but the title is extremely misleading.
There are so many reasons why Microsoft bought LinkedIn that are more
important than just getting Hoffman's expertise and a board member.

It's easy for people in tech to ignore how gigantic the CRM market is, but
Microsoft has a lot invested in Dynamics and has a huge incumbent competitor
in Salesforce, there's no way they could compete if they just started from
scratch. However, seamless LinkedIn integration and millions of pre-filled and
verified records is a huge boost and an immediate selling point. IMO it's a
Hail Mary at competing with Salesforce and if they wanted Dynamics to be
viable any time soon it was really their only shot.

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marssaxman
If "it's gotta be cool", then getting in bed with an organization as shady as
LinkedIn was... maybe not the most productive way to go about it. "Reputations
are stubbornly difficult to dislodge," indeed - but acquiring LinkedIn only
strengthens the old, bad, monopolistic-bully reputation Microsoft is
supposedly trying to shed.

