[dolanbaker]

Microsoft leapfrogs Exxon to become second largest firm (on paper!)

http://www.bbc.com/news/business-30059820
Energy giant Exxon has ceded its position as the world's second-largest public company to tech firm Microsoft, after concerns about the falling price of oil drove its shares down.

Exxon's shares traded at $94.90 midday on Friday, reducing the total value of all its shares, or market capitalisation, to $401.9bn (£256.7bn).

Shares in Microsoft - which have been rising after a strong October earnings report - hit $49.81.

That gives it a value of $410.5bn.

Overall, shares in oil companies have been hit in recent weeks, as oil prices have continued to plummet.

More production from US oil fields has led to an increased supply of oil just as some of the world's largest economies - most notably, China - have begun to slow down.

[dolanbaker]

On the hand, Exxon actually makes stuff. Not just icons.

True, that's why I added (on paper) to the comment, plus you can't put XP in your tank and expect to go anywhere.

[dolanbaker]

Getting Microsoft certified is child's play these days, easy PC

http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-30054140
A boy from Coventry has become the youngest computer specialist in the world.

Ayan Qureshi is now a Microsoft Certified Professional after passing the tech giant's exam when he was just five years old.

[GHung]

When Alibaba moves into India (probably swallowing Snapdeal whole) it'll likely 'leapfrog' all of these companies. It's basically nothing but an intermediary, connecting buyers and sellers. Of course, when the big reset kicks into high gear, all bets are off.

[Longtimber]

IRS computers run Vista. With each boot you must refile.

[dissident]

Those stock market valuations are anchored in reality as everyone knows. //sarc

[dinopello]

I used to work for a commercial SW company and developed a DOS app - finally got it to run again in the DOSBox app on an Android tablet.

Market caps are crazy - I usually use GOOG, GE, and FB as examples. They aren't that far off from each other (shown in decending order here). GE is smaller than google and almost the same size as facebook !

The stock market is not real most of the time but it sure is when you sell.