According to sources and analysts, the products were never a real source of revenue for Firefly, a company that proved to be better at creating technology and occupying the bully pulpit than selling software. As an early Web pioneer, Firefly commanded national attention that few 70-employee companies could imagine. When the Federal Trade Commission and the European Union rumbled about Internet privacy concerns, Firefly was the first to respond. One of Firefly's executives was even profiled in People Magazine. Negotiations with Microsoft didn't begin in earnest until four or five weeks ago, said Firefly Founder and CEO Nicholas Grouf.
Analysts call that a good deal.
Microsoft has the ability to deploy both simultaneously. Still, Firefly executives bristled at the notion that they needed Microsoft to bail them out. Firefly just had its two best quarters ever and landed some 40 new customers in that time, said Grouf.