 divergence...
I think that there will be common drivers and needs for Yahoo and Zimbra but I doubt medium to long term these will be the same or close to those of the current user and current partner organisations. VCs will likely have had a major input into this deal, and I know VCs have virtually no interest in the company, product, staff or customers beyond the point they get their ROI realised. As this is looking like a cash deal they will be happy to be in and out so quickly with such amazing multiples.
The restrictive OSS license means much of the value of the product doesn't rest in the community and removing an OSS solution from the fray must have considerable value to Yahoo!, even if all it does is prevent other players using the technology. That doesn't mean they will remove/knobble/diminsh it but I would be very surprised if they didn't use every trick in the book to maximise revenue from anything they can having stomped a reasonable $350m for the company.
There was a phrase in the ISP/Hosting license that I still have concerns over relating to advertising revenue sharing. Combine that with this deal and I don't see that concern vanishing.
However, congratulations to all the people working on Zimbra, it must feel good to be validated/vindicated in this financial way. Good luck for the future, wherever that leads for you ;-)
We will be looking for ways to re-use our investment in Zimbra both time, effort and capital - just in case the well founded and reasoned fears are manifest.
Cant help feeling this is all a little bit sad.
K  |