Microsoft Buys Office.com

[PeteB]

Looks like MS will use this as the basis for the next version of Office with it's Office Web Apps.

On Tuesday, Microsoft acquired the domain Office.com. Microsoft likely paid a pretty penny for the valuable domain name. Some may find it surprising that the software giant didn't already own it, but it's true: it previously belonged to a US resident and was operated by ContactOffice, a Belgian startup that markets virtual office solutions under a revenue-share agreement. The transfer, however, isn't yet complete.

Source: http://arstechnica.com/microsoft/news/2009/08/microsoft-buys-officecom-domain.ars

 

[ct2k7]

I am glad that this will happen

 

[r.j.s]

Why didn't they buy this years ago? It would just make sense for Office.com to redirect to MS Office.

 

[PeteB]

Why didn't they buy this years ago? It would just make sense for Office.com to redirect to MS Office.

Good old early 90's cyber-squatting, I guess...

 

[jzuena]

Good old early 90's cyber-squatting, I guess...

No, it looks like it was run as a real business, and has moved here. Microsoft was probably able to offer them as much as they make in an entire year or multiple years to simply move to a new domain. I don't know if "find a company with deep pockets to pay us to move to a new domain once per year" is a sustainable business plan, though.