The VAR Guy

When Yahoo acquired Zimbra in September 2007, some Zimbra backers worried Yahoo would mismanage the open source email asset. Fast forward to the present, and some Zimbra proponents have gone from concern to outright panic over Microsoft’s bid to acquire Yahoo (and, by attachment, Zimbra).

Microsoft has confirmed that it’s seeking to acquire Yahoo! Some folks — you know, the open source crowd — will likely bash a proposed Microsoft-Yahoo combo. The VAR Guy, however, is willing to give Microsoft a chance to explain the proposed business combo. Here’s why.

The VAR Guy had mixed emotions today when he heard Yahoo acquired Zimbra, a provider of open source email and collaboration software. Over the past year, Zimbra has been on The VAR Guy’s radar multiple times. Some service providers and universities have aggressively embraced Zimbra as a reliable, cost-effective alternative to Microsoft Exchange in recent years.