11. On December 31st, 1997, Microsoft bought Hotmail — one of the very first browser-based e-mail services — for an estimated $400 million. Hotmail stuck around until 2012 or so, when Microsoft started transitioning users to its newer Outlook.com.
10. In 2008, Microsoft paid around $500 million for Danger, makers of the pioneering Danger Hiptop smartphone, also known as the T-Mobile Sidekick. Danger had a pedigree, having been cofounded by Android co-creator Andy Rubin Still, the deal didn't end well.
In 2010, the former Danger team turned out the Microsoft Kin, a tiny smartphone intended for social networking. 48 days later, the Kin was discontinued, with Verizon returning the unsold phones to Microsoft.
Meanwhile, Danger hemorrhaged talent, with Rubin luring former execs like Matias Duarte over to work on Android at Google. Duarte would go on to create Android's signature "Material Design" look.
9. In 2000, Microsoft paid a hefty $1.1 billion for Great Plains Software, developers of the Dynamics accounting software. Today, Microsoft Dynamics GP (for "Great Plains") is a cornerstone of the company's Office suite for business.
8. Feeling some Google envy, Microsoft paid $1.2 billion in 2008 for Fast, a Norway-based business search company.
But that deal ended up casting a dark cloud. Not long after the Microsoft acquisition, Norway authorities opened an investigation into Fast's accounting practices, ending with a police raid on its headquarters. Fast's CEO, slated to lead Microsoft's enterprise search efforts, ended up resigning in disgrace.
7. In 2012, Microsoft bought Yammer, a social network for the workplace, for $1.2 billion. While Yammer isn't a smash hit on its own, it's still an important part of Microsoft Office 365. Meanwhile, Yammer cofounder David Sacks would go on to become CEO of hot HR startup Zenefits.
6. In 2002, Microsoft bought Danish company Navision for $1.3 billion. It would form the core of Microsoft Dynamics NAV (for "Navision"), which helps companies track stuff like their supply chain or manufacturing flow.
5. In 2000, Microsoft made what would stand for several years as its biggest purchase ever: $1.5 billion for Visio, the popular diagramming software. Visio is still around as part of Microsoft Office.
4. In 2014, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella made his first mega-acquisition, paying $2.5 billion Mojang, makers of the smash-hit block-building game "Minecraft."
It's still going strong, with Microsoft bringing "Minecraft" to classrooms, virtual reality, and its futuristic HoloLens hologram goggles.
3. Microsoft's 2007 purchase of advertising tech and online marketing company aQuantive for $6.3 billion was one of former CEO Steve Ballmer's bigger disasters.
The company ended up taking a writedown for $6.2 billion in 2012 after aQuantive couldn't turn Microsoft into a Google-level player in online advertising.
2. In 2013 came an even bigger disaster when Microsoft bought Nokia's mobile phone business for $7.2 billion to try and make Windows smartphones a serious market contender.
It didn't work out. Today, Windows smartphones hold a global market share of less than 3%, not for lack of trying. Under Nadella, Microsoft took a $7.6 billion writedown and slashed thousands of jobs in the summer of 2015.
1. In 2011, Microsoft paid $8.5 billion for Skype, its biggest acquisition ever until this year's LinkedIn buy. Since then, Skype has hit the iPhone and Android, and gotten new features like real-time translation. Now, Microsoft is betting on Skype to infiltrate the workplace and beat hot startups like Slack.
Which brings us to the $26.2 billion purchase of LinkedIn, just a few weeks ago. It's still very much a question mark, but Nadella has promised that this won't turn out like Nokia or aQuantive — if nothing else, Microsoft is letting LinkedIn operate as an independent subsidiary.
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Indian stock markets closed today for Eid-al-Adha; MCX to Open for Evening Session
