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FastMail Forum All posts relating to FastMail.FM should go here: suggestions, comments, requests for help, complaints, technical issues etc. |
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26 May 2012, 01:41 AM | #1 |
Junior Member
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 21
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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.
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26 May 2012, 01:55 AM | #2 |
Essential Contributor
Join Date: Aug 2001
Posts: 277
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Same here. Unless they spin-off Fastmail, I would leave too. I don't have a FB, and do not want my email there.
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26 May 2012, 01:57 AM | #3 |
Ultimate Contributor
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Canada.
Posts: 10,355
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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 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 133
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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.
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26 May 2012, 02:22 AM | #5 |
Master of the @
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Hampshire, UK
Posts: 1,238
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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 |
Ultimate Contributor
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Canada.
Posts: 10,355
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I notice that 'facebookmail.com' is owned by Facebook, Inc; perhaps they are planning to rename Fastmail, if the purchase goes ahead.....
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26 May 2012, 03:07 AM | #8 |
Cornerstone of the Community
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 713
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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 |
Cornerstone of the Community
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: ~$
Posts: 652
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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 |
The "e" in e-mail
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: EU
Posts: 4,945
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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 |
The "e" in e-mail
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 2,626
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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, 07:31 AM | #12 |
Cornerstone of the Community
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: ~$
Posts: 652
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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). |
26 May 2012, 08:12 AM | #13 |
Ultimate Contributor
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Canada.
Posts: 10,355
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26 May 2012, 09:10 AM | #14 |
The "e" in e-mail
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: a virtually impossible but finitely improbable position
Posts: 2,320
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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 |
Junior Member
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 14
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I see the writing on the wall. At this point, POBox.com appears to be the only alternative, but an overpriced one. Suggestions?
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