Rubenerd

Since time began we've been told that Microsoft was considering buying Yahoo (or maybe it just seems like it!). We all shrugged it off time and time again and laughed about it. Now it seems for the first time that it might actually happen! From Microsoft:

Microsoft Proposes Acquisition of Yahoo! for $31 per Share

Transaction valued at approximately $44.6 billion in cash and stock; provides 62 percent premium to current trading price for Yahoo! shareholders; combined entity to create a more competitive company, providing superior value to shareholders, better choice and innovation for customers and partners

So the next step is to research alternatives and CLOSE ALL MY YAHOO ACCOUNTS!

del.icio.us is easily replaced by Ma.gnolia. If you use the backup/export feature in del.icio.us and import that file into Ma.gnolia all your bookmarks and their tags are preserved!

Flickr is more of a problem. It doesn't have an easy export function, and transferring images and their tags one by one could take a VERY long time! Zooomr is probably the closest equivalent, but the last time I tried to use it I ended up going back because of reliability problems… plus the thought of all the material I already had on Flickr kept me in my place!

Guess I'll be researching mass Flickr exporters or backing up tools. I have copies of all the photos, but thinking about all those tags and albums… I don't want to replace del.icio.us and Flickr, I really like using them and have so for a long time!

Let's just hope that Microsoft doesn't buy IAC Search and Media (aka Ask.com), I just couldn't bring myself to replace my Bloglines account!