Marty, all,
This article is on IBM's deal with Acer: cbs.marketwatch.com
As we know, this is the third such long term, multi-billion dollar deal that IBM has made with computer companies, each of them prominently featuring IBM selling drives to Dell, EMC and now Acer in return for IBM buying something from the other company. I've read the disclaimers that it somehow changes nothing, that they were going to buy from IBM anyway, that it doesn't affect current programs, etc. Yes, well, but "current programs" are just that, current, and if we know anything in this business, no "current program" remains that way for more than a few months.
So the question I pose to the thread is: to what extent does IBM's apparently new way of doing business with these companies affect the independent drive vendors? It obviously helps HTCH, as I'm sure Z will be quick to say, but it hurts everyone else, and eventually may even hurt HTCH if it hurts their other customers enough, as they may grow to be too dependent on IBM revenues to negotiate good terms for their suspensions. It has to hurt SEG, as EMC has long been their largest and most dependable customer, and, last I knew at any rate, Acer was also a good sized customer of theirs (that may well be out of date). I read on the MXTR thread after the Dell deal was done that it wouldn't hurt MXTR, but the stock has continued to flounder since that time, and the people who loudly claimed that it wouldn't hurt have all disappeared from the thread.
Anyone have any thoughts on this? |
