1. MSFT an Internet Play; 2. Real Money
I completely agree that MSFT is an Internet play in the biggest way. Take a look at
wired.com
which is a pretty good Wired article about "the televisionspace race." The cover graphic is Bill Gates playing cards with Malone (TCI) and AT&T and a bunch of other big players. The game is to get into every American home at high bandwidth, and to unite the PC, TV, and telephone. Look at WebTV, ATHM, ATT/ TCI merger, other cable companies (MSFT has a big investment in them). The 'net suprised Bill a few years ago, but it won't happen again. And more than money, outright technology, and other tangible factors, the biggest thing that MSFT has going for it in the "televisionspace race" is creativity, leadership, and just plain big balls. Yeah, MSFT is an Internet stock. Plus MSFT is on the net in tons of solid, useful ways: expedia (I just bought some tickets), sidewalk, now mortgages, right?
As for big money, well I just bought 25 (now 50) shares of MSFT in Feb. They are up 56% in value as of this morning. I'll take it. But I have also bought similar dollar amounts of HD, CSCO, ATI, GE, FNM, TRV, CD, AMGN, AIG, MTC and smaller amounts, more recently, of GSTRF, QWST, AOL, YHOO, FDX, DELL, LU, INCY, BRKB... and almost all of these stocks are up, some considerably. And, in contrast to my quick flip strategy of past years, I intend to hold these stocks for quite a while. I don't know what counts for "big money" around here; I think that is a pretty individual factor, but, as a grad student looking to earn more on my investments than the interest rate on my student loans, I am pretty happy... anyway, that is my two cents. |
