[News] Google to buy DoubleClick

[rick752]

-
Google to buy DoubleClick for $3.1 billion

http://money.cnn.com/2007/04/13/technol ... topstories

Ouch! Not good for the ABP, Firefox and Google marriage is it?

[chewey]

Ouch indeed.

*doubleclick* probably was one of the very first filter rules I added
to my Adblock (at the time still non-Plus) list.

So obviously "Don't be evil" does not include "Don't be highly annoying".
What a shame.

[rick752]

Ouch indeed.

*doubleclick* probably was one of the very first filter rules I added
to my Adblock (at the time still non-Plus) list.

Same here.
It was always the one I used for explaining examples. It also has served some of the most annoying ads throughout web history. It certainly has had more of its share of topics on these forums.

I am very disappointed in Google for this move

[Adblock Plus Fan]

So does this mean any reason for concern?

I have always wondered how much influence google has over mozilla. Do you think they could go as far as bribing mozilla devs to develop firefox against ABP?

[rick752]

Well, lets just say this is a bit disappointing.

[rick752]

I have always wondered how much influence google has over mozilla. Do you think they could go as far as bribing mozilla devs to develop firefox against ABP?

I don't think that Google would actually ever do that. I think they still think of themselves (and so do I) as the 'lesser of all evils'. I wouldn't think that they would jeopardize that image.

They would still be making their billions and the people who hate and don't want to see ads will just be saving them unwanted terabytes of bandwidth.

It's kind of a win/win situation for everyone that I wished other advertisers would rethink.

[Wladimir Palant]

I read the news as well. I find it a very interesting development. Google is only interested in DoubleClick's business relations, they don't have to keep the way DoubleClick advertises at the moment. AdSense already shows that they don't want to be annoying so I wonder whether some of these ideas will be taken over by DoubleClick. Maybe in future *doubleclick* won't be the first filter you add but only the second

As to influence of Google on Mozilla - as I've written before, Mozilla does what is best for their users. Business is only possible if it doesn't violate this principle. Since Adblock Plus is certainly good for the users, I don't see Mozilla giving into pressure (not that I expect Google to try though Yahoo might).

[chewey]

As to influence of Google on Mozilla - as I've written before, Mozilla does what is best for their users. Business is only possible if it doesn't violate this principle.

I completely agree.
Although google buying DoubleClick may lure them a bit closer to what is the
dark side of the net, I don't see them use the force in that way any time soon.

Additionally, all the Mozilla developers I know would never jeopardise their
(or Mozilla's) integrity in such a way.

[rick752]

This gets worse .... not only is Google buying Doubleclick, but Yahoo is finalizing a buyout of Bright Cove and Microsoft is trying to acquire 24/7 Real Media.


The graphical "Ad Wars" is on among the top 3 search competitors. Filter restructuring is at hand.

[chewey]

The graphical "Ad Wars" is on among the top 3 search competitors. Filter restructuring is at hand.

Bah. As long as they don't mess with the domain names (something I don't
see to happen too easily, as it would mean changing code on thousands to
millions of websites out of immediate reach of the advertisers), we should
not be very afraid.

[rick752]

Well, I suppose this won't be a problem in the NEAR future ... I hope .... a lot of resources at work among those three.

Fortunately, it is a lot easier to destroy than to create. I certainly hope we don't get into one of those though ... wouldn't be good for us or them.

.... probably worse for them

[Wladimir Palant]

Looks like this deal made quite an impact. The article on Heise.de sums it up nicely, those who don't know German can read most of it here and here. Really, well done Google! DoubleClick was certainly worth the money paid. Now Microsoft and Yahoo will finally have to stand up from their lazy asses and match quality with quality. Microsoft forced to move in a market where it cannot use the time-tested strategy of locking in users - that's hilarious. Looking forward to some serious competition on the Internet.

[rick752]

MS has always been "reactionary" to the moves of others. I know that Google is scaring the even-loving sh_t out of MS ... no doubt.

The articles DO say one thing that I've ALWAYS known about MS ... that if it wasn't for Windows and Office, they would have been dead a long time ago!

MS has no direction ... they leave everything untouched until some else threatens them ... then they become re-active (never pro-active). Without any thought or direction, they will throw out a bazillion dollars trying to try to buy someone else's technology to compete. MS is a foolish company, period!

If the Windows platform ever fails, MS will be history .... Google on the other hand, seems to have always had a clear, proactive direction (smart company).

[chewey]

Surprise!

http://blogs.zdnet.com/microsoft/?p=450

Or rather: no surprise at all.

[IceDogg]

Yea, I was wondering what MS was going to do besides complain about Google being a monopoly.