Finally a smart idea about a buyer for Twitter

Yesterday more words were being wasted on the idea of Apple buying Twitter than it ever deserved, but that doesn’t mean that someone buying Twitter isn’t a good idea. An idea that should be done sooner rather than later. The longer Twitter has to firm up whatever business plans it might have to make real money the more expensive it is going to become.

The idea of Apple buying Twitter is nothing more than linkbaiting bullshit. Nothing in Apple`s DNA gives any indication that they are even interested in the web past selling MP3 to feed the crack iPod habit and fancy laptops to javascript warriors. On the flipside there is one idea being floated by Nicholas Carson at Silicon Valley Insider about the perfect buyer of Twitter being – Microsoft.

Now before you scoff at the idea, like I did on first read of Nicholas` post, stop and think for a minute. First off rumor has it that the old dance between Microsoft and Yahoo may actually have them back in bed together. However that really is only part of the solution to Microsoft`s need to carve deep into Google territory and do it with any feeling. As Nicholas points out in his post, Twitter has done something unusual in this day and age of Web 2.0 copycats. It has brought something totally new to the table.

Twitter is also the new Web cool and if there is one thing Microsoft could use right now during its turn around is a good shot of Web cool. On top of that Twitter would bring to Microsoft the one thing that Google doesn`t have and that is real-time search. It might be questionable as to what exactly that real-time search would be able to produce in terms of quality information but really at this point it just – doesn`t matter.

One of the arguments, as pointed out by Nicholas, is that there is no way to monetize Twitter traffic. Who cares? I mean really at this point with all the hot talk about the service and the world’s eyeballs on it does it really matter if Twitter makes money?

The only ones who really need to be concerned about Twitter making money is Twitter itself. As far as any other suitors are concerned – screw it. They are more interested in the traffic Twitter brings, the cool Web 2.0 cachet attached to it and most importantly the real-time search code. Money at this point is moot, the only question is – how much is Twitter going to cost and who are going to be the ones willing enough to sit down at this high stakes poker table.

At this point there are two serious contenders with the war chests big enough to deal themselves in and that is Google and Microsoft. Apple might throw a few chips in on the table if only to see the blood bath start between the two giants. Other than that it’s not the least bit interested in some silly web property that involves search, that’s too much of a headache.

The thing is if Microsoft decides to sit down at the table it had better be prepared to dig deep because chances are Google won’t give up without a fight. It is a fight though that Microsoft, given the possibilities of Twitter search allows them, can’t afford to lose. We may have scoffed at Google when it paid out $1.5 billion for YouTube, who still isn’t making any money, but that could pale in comparison to what we may see as the price tag for Twitter.

If Microsoft does sit down to play poker my bet is on them to walk away from the table owning Twitter but at a price that is going to shock a lot of people.

But then what do I know I’m just a cranky old fart in the land of igloos.