Lawrence, I don't live under a rock. You're banging. I've lived daily with each of the developments you mentioned, and they all have other angles and implications. AOL is old news. AT&T, Hong Kong Telecom, Pac Bell, ALL the European telcos, to name a few, package Navigator. Review the chronology of Netscape deals on the press page on the Netscape home site.
Right now the bond and stock markets are very hostile and likely to get worse still. There's plenty that's unclear in the Internet space. Time will tell whether the market adopts and endorses another Microsoft hegemony. You must realize that it's getting much tougher for Microsoft, too.
You're splitting hairs on this JIT stuff. It's way too early in the game. To give the future to Microsoft is way too easy a call. While I have no doubt that Bill will be worth literally a hundred billion dollars someday, I'm not ready to crown him Emperior of the Internet. If Microsoft couldn't subsidize their Internet effort and had to actually sell their internet software for real money independent of platform, like Netscape does so well, they'd be dead in the water.
Microsoft is leveraging everything they have in order to kill Netscape. They just may, but kindly explain what good that does. If Netscape survives, a highly likely scenario, it will probably prove to be a better investment from here that mighty Microsoft. The Internet is huge.
The NY Times piece is one more in a long history of Netscape-bashing articles they've written. It sells papers. Have you seen the price chart of NYT.A lately? It's warmed-over old news.
I deal with Morgan Stanley, Netscape's lead banker. If you go back in my posts you'll find Netscape numbers. Most likely they predate your arrival here.
Finally, read "Inside the Tornado". If you're a student of technology marketing, it's a must. It will be a real eye-opener, and will serve you well as an investor. |
