A discussion about the software industry and their coders

Yahoo! is struggling. In an omnious sign that the Portal Model is no longer relevant on the Web -- AOL has put itself for sale. The news though sad is a stark reminder of reality -- the technology cycle for web has moved a full cycle. Old models are crumbling. Web 2.0, Social Networks, and Search have changed the face of the Web.

A news update from NY Times on AOL points to the sure coming of the end -- battles, top executives fired or leaving, flatenning revenue, strategic confusion and...chaos at large:

On Tuesday, Jeffrey L. Bewkes, the chief executive of Time Warner, AOL’s parent company, acknowledged weakness in the business and said he was open to combining AOL with another company....Several recently departed executives contacted this week described the climate at AOL as acrimonious. They said there had been confrontational meetings of employees as well as screaming matches in offices...AOL still enjoys many advantages that most companies can only dream about, from a prestigious brand name to an enormous revenue stream ($5.2 billion in 2007, down 33 percent from 2006). AOL’s Web sites attract 112 million visitors a month, and 9.3 million Americans still pay the company for Internet services.

If folks at Yahoo! are reading the writing on the wall -- they will accept the Microsoft Offer. This may be their last chance to make any money at all for investors. Microsoft may not even up the $31 offer. If it does--go for the grab Yahoo! and end the misery. Joining Open Social won't cut it. Its far too late.