MS acquisitions (was Gates as God)

Ernest N. Prabhakar (ernest@alumni.caltech.edu)
Tue, 2 Sep 1997 14:34:54 -0700 (PDT)


Aha! Support for my thesis. Moments after my last post, I happened across
this gem:

MICROSOFT BIDS $2.1 BILLION FOR MILTON BERLE JOKE FILE
REDMOND, WA--Continuing its massive content-acquisition drive, Microsoft paid $2.1 billion Monday for Milton
Berle's Joke File, the world's most vaunted collection of insults, gags and one-liners. "We aim to build the greatest
archive in human history," Microsoft spokesperson Samantha Franks said, "and, as such, we needed to acquire the
world's greatest jokes." Culled from the legendary comedian's six decades in show business--spanning Vaudeville, radio
and television--the Milton Berle Joke File is believed to be the largest collection of zingers in existence, covering subjects
ranging from mothers-in-law to schwartzes. Microsoft is also rumored to be interested in acquiring Rich Hall's extensive
"Sniglets" lexicon.

http://www.theonion.com/onion3203/index3203.html

Need I say more?

-- Ernie P.