Dear Kevin Rose,
I know that we only met for about 1 minute last week, but I felt compelled to write you this letter out of desperation.
There seem to be some rumors floating today around about a possible Microsoft acquisition of Digg. Something about a $200+ million deal. Listen: I love money as much as the next guy. But, selling Digg to the creator of the Zune would be a complete disaster.
The Digg community (as far as I can see) is about as anti-Microsoft as possible. In fact, I don’t remember the last time I saw a positive MS article or a MS-related comment that didn’t get immediately buried. Diggers simply do not respect the path in which Microsoft has taken (ref. Vista). They do like Apple. They do like Linux. Not big, bad MS.
A sale to Microsoft would effectively mean an end to what has made Digg so great – a supportive, independent community focused on sharing the most breaking news with one another. Not a corporate-driven, mega-site with alterna-goals. Upon sale to Bill Gates, you will see a mass exodus to sites like Mixx and Propeller, as diggers begin to feel betrayed and generally let down by the site that they love so much.
The Digg community has been good to you. And, for the most part, the majority of diggers (as much as they may complain) remain extremely loyal to you. Other social voting sites have come and gone, but everyone seems to return to Digg. We love it, and we don’t want it to change (for the worse).
So please, whatever you do, don’t sell to Microsoft.
Your pal,
Ryan
This letter was written on Windows XP.
