Category: technology

Categories
mergers and acquisitions technology

Microsoft Battles Back

DealBook: Microsoft: Tight-Fisted No More? Microsoft had about $28 billion in cash and short-term investment on March 31, an amount the CIA World Factbook tells us is more than twice the gross domestic product of Iceland. But despite its riches, the software giant has shied away from large acquisitions, especially in the past five years or so.

Well, Microsoft could afford to sit on the sidelines for all those years because the only credible threat they faced was all the antitrust litigation. But now, with Google dominating the search industry and offering free online applications, the world has changed. Oh, Google’s purchase of DoubleClick may have played a role in that decision too. You think?

I’ve posted the Microsoft-aQuantive Merger Agreement. Other aQuantive Inc. contracts online as well.

Categories
licensing agreement technology

Retro Contracts from the Dot.Com Era

Earlier this week, the SEC revoked the registration of FinancialWeb.com, Inc. for failing to file required periodic reports with the Commission. When did FinancialWeb.com last file a quarterly or annual report? That would be Fall 2000. Almost seven years ago. No rush to judgment here.

I added FinancialWeb.com contracts to the website. All the contracts are old I know. Additionally, the year 2000 was a different era for Internet companies and stocks. You will find all the classic contracts that dot.com companies signed, such as a domain purchase agreement, a “novelty” web site purchase agreement (how else do you describe SlugFest.com?), and all the various content licensing agreements to fill out a new website.

Categories
technology

Microsoft Hearts Novell

On November 2, 2006, Novell, Inc. (“Novell”) and Microsoft Corporation (“Microsoft”) announced that they had entered into a Business Collaboration Agreement, a Technical Collaboration Agreement, and a Patent Cooperation Agreement. This set of broad business and technical collaboration agreements is designed to build, market and support a series of new solutions to make Novell and Microsoft products work better together for customers.

You can find a summary of the three agreement in Novell’s 8-K. The actual agreements aren’t on EDGAR just yet. I have added Novell Inc. contracts to the website though. You can also read the earlier Settlement Agreemenet Between Microsoft and Novell.