Facebook looking at buying Opera? I sure hope not!

pcuy999 · 26 May 2012, 01:41 AM

This is a rumor so far http://thenextweb.com/insider/2012/0...-what-we-know/ but I know if this indeed comes to fruition I will be moving my two paid email accounts to another provider. I simply do not trust Facebook.

541 · 26 May 2012, 01:55 AM

Same here. Unless they spin-off Fastmail, I would leave too. I don't have a FB, and do not want my email there.

David · 26 May 2012, 01:57 AM

I wonder if that is why Fastmail Beta is being developed, so shortly after the last new interface. It would be relatively easy to interface it with Facebook methinks

Thanks for the heads up!

ozar · 26 May 2012, 02:19 AM

Ouch! I just put some extra money in my FM account pool, but if Facebook should take over Opera, I'd abandon FM and the pool right away... it's just that simple.

NJSS · 26 May 2012, 02:22 AM

I regret that if Facebook buy Opera, and thus get control of Fastmail, then I shall, with great regret, leave FastMail after over 10 years of a paid account.

Happily I use POBox, so no change of email address is required, but where does one go for personalities, aliases, file storage, IMAP IDLE or push email and the like?

Sugestions please, RunBox?

NJSS

David · 26 May 2012, 02:28 AM

I notice that 'facebookmail.com' is owned by Facebook, Inc; perhaps they are planning to rename Fastmail, if the purchase goes ahead.....

David · 26 May 2012, 02:55 AM

I found another story (along the same lines) here.

ioneja · 26 May 2012, 03:07 AM

And another one:

http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/25/f...-to-buy-opera/

If FB were to acquire Opera and gain control over FM, there is no way I would keep any email account at FM.

However, the loss of a handful of people like us would be a drop in the bucket compared to what they could gain. Facebook has to compete with Google and Microsoft, after all. A browser makes sense.

Sadly, I think that even if the rumor is false, we have to be aware that Opera is a buy-out target. They make excellent software, but have a tiny market share... so from a product standpoint it's a great acquisition target if you can bring marketing muscle to the table. Makes complete sense that FB or similar companies would be looking at Opera. Just hope FM isn't part of that deal.

kijinbear · 26 May 2012, 04:57 AM

Damn, I'll be quitting too if Fastmail becomes part of the Facebook empire.

The really scary thing is that Facebook has the money, will, and organizational flexibility to pull off an acquisition like this literally overnight. Nobody thought they would buy Instagram in a weekend. But Zuckerberg owns 57% of the company, so he didn't even need to consult the board of directors. Opera's market cap is currently ~4 billion NOK, or 660 million USD. That's less than what Facebook paid for Instagram.

janusz · 26 May 2012, 05:10 AM

All three sources listed so far refer to a rumour by something called Pocket Lint (who he?). Why read the original announcements if all you want to know is that FB (this week's public enemy number one, overtaking Google) gets its grubby fingers into yet another business?

If you repeat something often enough, it becomes the truth.

drew · 26 May 2012, 06:10 AM

If the guys at Opera can not say anything about it
then it can be true but if none such negotiations
is going on. If it is without base then they could
tell us that truth could they not?

I would feel very bad about if it happen.
Both Fastmail and myopera.com is the two
email services that I use now and don't want
to hunt for other alternatives.

So can we ask somebody willing to confirm or deny?

kijinbear · 26 May 2012, 07:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drew

So can we ask somebody willing to confirm or deny?

No sane company will comment on a pending acquisition until all the documents have been signed. Just like what happened when Opera bought FM, or when Facebook bought Instagram.

I've seen some companies state publicly that they have no intention of being acquired. But only private companies can make such promises with a straight face. Opera is a publicly traded company. Even if it didn't want to be acquired, nobody can stop a rich company from buying enough Opera stock to decide where the company will go. Depending on how the stock is currently distributed, it might even be possible for Facebook to do a hostile takeover (although it won't be good for PR).

David · 26 May 2012, 08:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kijinbear

No sane company will comment on a pending acquisition until all the documents have been signed. Just like what happened when Opera bought FM, or when Facebook bought Instagram.
.

Let's hope that Opera don't reply (or do reply) and prove you right

ChinaLamb · 26 May 2012, 09:10 AM

The Engadget piece indicated that opera started that Facebook has indeed talked to them.

Remember what happened with the opera buyout, we were not informed until afterward.

Personally, I am backing up my mail, contacts and researching other providers. I do NOT trust Facebook. I want to stay with fast mail, but am NOT taking chances with Facebook.

Open to suggestions. Want Android friendly service.... Contact & calendar sync.

SpamZero · 26 May 2012, 10:10 AM

I see the writing on the wall. At this point, POBox.com appears to be the only alternative, but an overpriced one. Suggestions?

26 May 2012, 01:41 AM	#1
pcuy999 Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 21	Facebook looking at buying Opera? I sure hope not! This is a rumor so far http://thenextweb.com/insider/2012/0...-what-we-know/ but I know if this indeed comes to fruition I will be moving my two paid email accounts to another provider. I simply do not trust Facebook.

26 May 2012, 01:55 AM	#2
541 Essential Contributor Join Date: Aug 2001 Posts: 277	Same here. Unless they spin-off Fastmail, I would leave too. I don't have a FB, and do not want my email there.

26 May 2012, 01:57 AM	#3
David Ultimate Contributor Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Canada. Posts: 10,355	I wonder if that is why Fastmail Beta is being developed, so shortly after the last new interface. It would be relatively easy to interface it with Facebook methinks Thanks for the heads up!

26 May 2012, 02:19 AM	#4
ozar Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 133	Ouch! I just put some extra money in my FM account pool, but if Facebook should take over Opera, I'd abandon FM and the pool right away... it's just that simple.

26 May 2012, 02:22 AM	#5
NJSS Master of the @ Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Hampshire, UK Posts: 1,238	I regret that if Facebook buy Opera, and thus get control of Fastmail, then I shall, with great regret, leave FastMail after over 10 years of a paid account. Happily I use POBox, so no change of email address is required, but where does one go for personalities, aliases, file storage, IMAP IDLE or push email and the like? Sugestions please, RunBox? NJSS

26 May 2012, 02:28 AM	#6
David Ultimate Contributor Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Canada. Posts: 10,355	I notice that 'facebookmail.com' is owned by Facebook, Inc; perhaps they are planning to rename Fastmail, if the purchase goes ahead.....

26 May 2012, 02:55 AM	#7
David Ultimate Contributor Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Canada. Posts: 10,355	I found another story (along the same lines) here.

26 May 2012, 03:07 AM	#8
ioneja Cornerstone of the Community Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 713	And another one: http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/25/f...-to-buy-opera/ If FB were to acquire Opera and gain control over FM, there is no way I would keep any email account at FM. However, the loss of a handful of people like us would be a drop in the bucket compared to what they could gain. Facebook has to compete with Google and Microsoft, after all. A browser makes sense. Sadly, I think that even if the rumor is false, we have to be aware that Opera is a buy-out target. They make excellent software, but have a tiny market share... so from a product standpoint it's a great acquisition target if you can bring marketing muscle to the table. Makes complete sense that FB or similar companies would be looking at Opera. Just hope FM isn't part of that deal.

26 May 2012, 04:57 AM	#9
kijinbear Cornerstone of the Community Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: ~$ Posts: 652	Damn, I'll be quitting too if Fastmail becomes part of the Facebook empire. The really scary thing is that Facebook has the money, will, and organizational flexibility to pull off an acquisition like this literally overnight. Nobody thought they would buy Instagram in a weekend. But Zuckerberg owns 57% of the company, so he didn't even need to consult the board of directors. Opera's market cap is currently ~4 billion NOK, or 660 million USD. That's less than what Facebook paid for Instagram.

26 May 2012, 05:10 AM	#10
janusz The "e" in e-mail Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: EU Posts: 4,944	All three sources listed so far refer to a rumour by something called Pocket Lint (who he?). Why read the original announcements if all you want to know is that FB (this week's public enemy number one, overtaking Google) gets its grubby fingers into yet another business? If you repeat something often enough, it becomes the truth.

26 May 2012, 06:10 AM	#11
drew The "e" in e-mail Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 2,626	If the guys at Opera can not say anything about it then it can be true but if none such negotiations is going on. If it is without base then they could tell us that truth could they not? I would feel very bad about if it happen. Both Fastmail and myopera.com is the two email services that I use now and don't want to hunt for other alternatives. So can we ask somebody willing to confirm or deny?

26 May 2012, 09:10 AM	#14
ChinaLamb The "e" in e-mail Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: a virtually impossible but finitely improbable position Posts: 2,320	The Engadget piece indicated that opera started that Facebook has indeed talked to them. Remember what happened with the opera buyout, we were not informed until afterward. Personally, I am backing up my mail, contacts and researching other providers. I do NOT trust Facebook. I want to stay with fast mail, but am NOT taking chances with Facebook. Open to suggestions. Want Android friendly service.... Contact & calendar sync.

26 May 2012, 10:10 AM	#15
SpamZero Junior Member Join Date: May 2012 Posts: 14	I see the writing on the wall. At this point, POBox.com appears to be the only alternative, but an overpriced one. Suggestions?