Microsoft buys another ad network

In the ongoing struggle for online advertising dominance, Microsoft has picked up AdECN, an online advertising exchange. No word on how much Gates and company paid for the company, but the move comes just two months after Microsoft paid $6 billion for advertiser aQuantive.

So let's see if we can keep this straight now:

• Microsoft has aQuantive and AdECN
• Google has DoubleClick
• Yahoo! has RightMedia
• AOL is purchasing TACODA

Are we leaving anybody out? And doesn't it give you a warm fuzzy feeling to be reminded periodically that the biggest players in online media companies are more interested in selling you things than providing useful services.

Tags: adecn, advertising, aquantive, news