Microsoft buys Skype

Many people in the free software communities are venting their fear today afterwards the news that Microsoft will acquire Skype for more than $8 billion. The most pressing question - will Skype continued to be supported on non-Microsoft operating systems, particularly Linux - remains open to speculation. Hold that thought and let me argue why Microsoft killing non-Windows releases of Skype is the best thing that can happen to open source VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol).

Before I explain, let's consider why on Earth the world's largest software company would spend so much money on a debt-laden free VoIP software and services company.

Microsoft's not the first company to see the immense market possibility in Skype. Ebay bought Skype, nevertheless couldn't find a way to integrate it into its core business model. Microsoft, on the whole, has been investing in VoIP research for some years now.

Microsoft already has a consumer unified communications service in Windows Live Messenger and has an enterprise-grade software PABX product in Lync. So Microsoft is at any rate interested in UC and the Skype acquisition will form a natural extension to its consumer strategy.

For the business market it's only reasonable to suggest Microsoft will integrate Skype with its Lync server for UC across both products in future releases. During Skype has tried to crack into the enterprise in the past, it has nowhere nearly the muscle of Microsoft.

Strategic market

So from Microsoft's perspective it's a strategic market, which explains the high price tag it was prepared to pay. Microsoft wants to remain relevant on the desktop and integrating voice and video communication into the user experience has become standard.

I won't worry too much about the Apple and Google platforms as they have their own Skype alternatives should the contingency arise to their own mobile telephony operations, so they can easily convert people to a fully-supported Skype alternative.

Linux as a matter of fact has what is probably the strongest foothold in the IP telephony space than any other operating system, including the systems used to run Skype! Microsoft just bought the world's largest Linux-based telephone company, anyone?

The world's most popular software PABX

The world's most popular software PABX, Asterisk, is typically deployed on Linux, as is Kamailio for high-volume call routing used by VoIP service providers.

For years Linux users have complained about the lack of an easy-to-use VoIP client that makes calls at a click of a button. Sure, there are many customers available, like:

to name a few, nevertheless they are not Skype. Skype is VoIP client, contact management, client-server integration and IP telephony service all rolled into one and that's why so many people in the Linux community rely on it - it's just plain easy. During making an open source client work properly with a public SIP service can be a challenge.

The point about how Microsoft killing Skype

And that brings me back to the point about how Microsoft killing Skype would be the best thing for VoIP on the Linux desktop. The Linux and open source communities have not developed a Skype-like experience on the desktop because they haven't needed to. Developers just use Skype.