GM, yes this scenario will be interesting, even
compelling to watch over the next several days...
As the text reads:
"Gordon Spivack, an antitrust lawyer with Coudert
Brothers in New York, said "Microsoft probably has an
interest in helping Apple be one of the competing systems."
Analysts said the investment might deflect criticism that
Microsoft has been unfairly dominating the computing industry."
The glass is half empty or half full? I've heard many comments
just like this from browsing the Apple, Macromedia, Pixar, and
Adobe threads (obviously I have too much time on my hands).
Pixar, btw, is the company of which Steve Jobs is currently
CEO. Anyway, from these threads, I heard that the move can
go either way. Either it would deflect anti-trust magnifying
glasses -- or really enhance their use...
In this scenario, imagine Microsoft moving in closer, and
investing in the particular pain in it's backside...does that
not raise some anti-trust suspicions as well? That is
the gist of the comments I've read. I absolutely do not know
enough about the legal situations to raise an opinion one
way or the other...but it seems logical to get "anti-trust"
suspicious of MSFT's investment.
On the other hand -- did you know that Microsoft's Mac
products generate about $300 mil in annual revenues? So this
token investment is 6 months of small change for them.
I was puzzled by your York statement:
"York has been described as a hard as nails financial type.
He was CFO at IBM. York is supposed to be somewhat lacking
social graces. I don't believe today's AAPL gain will hold."
Do you mean that because York is lacking in social graces,
or that York is a financial tuff guy, thus AAPL's gain will
not hold...or is AAPL's inability to hold this gain unrelated
to York?
Steve certainly doesn't have the best of social graces...nor
does Larry Ellison...should be real fun at the Board meetings!
Maybe a special 'Apple BOD Kook Patrol' is in order...my kind
o' guys!
Sometimes my social graces slip -- I wonder if I have a future
like York's? (g) (My message from the other night was likely
induced by far too much work, and too little rest. I'm better now.)
-MrB |
