It was mainly purchased for the ICQ instant messaging patents rather than userbase: http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/business/u-s-awards-icq-founders-patent

It was mainly purchased for the ICQ instant messaging patents rather than userbase: http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/business/u-s-awards-icq-founders-patent-for-instant-messenger-software-1.25222 http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/business/u-s-awards-icq... AOL still owns that patent, HTTPS/SSL from Netscape and the cookie from netscape as well. They loaded up on patent nukes in '98: http://news.cnet.com/2100-1023-218360.html http://news.cnet.com/2100-1023-218360.html