How high will Microsoft fly? Message Board

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Technology Stocks : How high will Microsoft fly?

MSFT 472.22

-1.3%

Nov 21 9:30 AM EST

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To: Frank Ellis Morris who wrote (25576)	7/6/1999 8:31:00 PM
From: RTev	Read Replies (3) of 74651

AOL announced that it want's to bring in many more subscribers by giving away free computers without windows. This is an assault on Microsoft and sounds like loud drum beating to me. I see AOL's move more as a response by them to initiatives Microsoft has already taken. Since Microsoft is one of the more paranoid outfits north of the X-Files writer's offices, one rarely has to push them to respond to a competitive threat, but how much of a threat is this move by AOL? Does Microsoft need to do something different than what they're already doing? Not much, as far as I can see. The appeal of these AOL machines (assuming that they ever actually appear) will be to two groups: -- those who have no reason to use a computer other than to get email and occasionally look at a web page. -- those looking for a second machine to use exclusively as a network appliance. What does Microsoft have? An agreement to put machines running Microsoft software on at least half of the settop boxes sold by the country's biggest cable operator. They seem to be working hard at expanding to other systems as well. As I see it, AOL feels the need to respond to the potential threat from cable operators. The focus recently has been on cable modems with their high-speed and premium-priced connection. But the bigger threat to AOL's dreadful service would come from settop boxes that could be used to provide just the kind of limited internet service that the first group mentioned above would respond to. The second group -- those looking for a second machine -- might find the AOL box attractive, but I have to wonder if the techno-inept folks who respond best to AOL's service will not be scared off by the fact that this machine is so different than whatever it is they're used to.

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