A flurry of deals: Net firms go shopping

A day of deals sees Amazon buy three companies, eBay purchase a prestigious auction house, Microsoft move in on Web-based scheduling, and the United Kingdom's GEC scoop up Fore Systems to bolster its networking business.

Amazon makes Net triple play The Net retailer buys Exchange.com, Accept.com, and Alexa Internet in an effort to expand both its volume of titles and its range of technology. eBay buys Butterfield & Butterfield The popular online auction site says it is acquiring Butterfield & Butterfield, one of the world's largest and most prestigious auction houses. Microsoft jumps into online scheduling The software giant announces its plans to acquire Jump Networks, maker of a technology that lets users access their email, address books, and calendars from any Internet-connected computer. GEC buys Fore in $4.5 billion deal U.K.-based General Electric Company buys networking equipment maker Fore Systems to beef up its IP networking and telecommunications business.