What I find interesting is that in a fairly short time Skype, MySQL, Trolltech and many other Scandinavian Open (or less) Source companies have been sold. Perhaps the reason is that the owners have reach an age, about 45 to 55, where it feels quite OK to make a change.

I would have done the same, if possible (grief) but it was not possible. (nothing to sell).

It is also possible that those companies reached a size where going forward was difficult. Anyway they reached a position where their know-how was known to other bigger companies.

I like to think that this Scandinavian marriage is good. Nokia is a long time Linux user, very set and forced to extend the bussines beyond cellphones. With a 40% market share there is not much intelligence in trying to extend that. A 50% market share would be a indication of something gone awfully wrong. (just look at MS).

In a way I am positively surprised to find that Nokia was aware of the value of Trolltech. I very much hope they can build something clever out of it.