Lonnie (and Dwight), your views about MSFT browser might be 100% correct. But the issue I'm concerned about is the possible effect on tech stock prices, not whether the MSFT browser is being used as a political issue or whether you personally like/dislike IE 4.0 and want to buy your software separately instead of bundled.
My ideas could be completely wrong.
But what I believe, fairly strongly, is:
1. the general price level of the tech sector, up and down, is related to the fortunes of two major players--INTC and MSFT.
2. any delay for the Windows 98 launch (and possibly the next version of Windows NT) could seriously slow MSFT's revenue and earnings growth, which depend on new product launches.
3. what's bad for INTC and MSFT will, in a broad sense, be even worse for many other tech stocks.
Does this mean the tech sector will go crunch next week, next month, or two months from now? No, it doesn't.
Netscape rose about 12% today on no news except possibly the Justice Dept action against MSFT. Is this proof that the Justice Dept action will be significant? Not really. But the Justice Dept action could become very important.
Regards,
-LK |
