In one of the largest technology-industry deals on record, Microsoft Corp is acquiring LinkedIn Corp for $26.2bn! Microsoft largely missed out on the consumer Web boom to the likes of Google and Facebook; the deal is a way of acquiring the social tools to make their mark and put itself at the centre of people’s business lives. Microsoft has a vision of placing a person’s LinkedIn profile at the centre of their work life, ultimately becoming a big competitor for Salesforce. LinkedIn shares surged 47% to $12.21 in New York, their biggest advantage since 2011!