A little selective on the quotations there Eugene. As I've said, I've heard remarkably similar manic ravings from friends of Bill here, but that was in a different context. I remember some good ones from Bill too, one you'd like is "We don't care about the stock price" or words to that effect.
I used to ritualistically say nice things about Microsoft from time to time. It's been awhile, mostly I post random opinions from other people with sardonic commentary. I've never said Microsoft is evil, though I have said Windows95 is pretty lame. I don't think Bill is evil either, I just get annoyed with his public pronouncements. Smart businessman to be sure, the best of his time. Ok, I used to say he was the man of wealth and taste, but that was a joke. As for stock options and the Microsoft millionaires, good for them. There's a bit of a problem lurking in the background there, but I don't want to get into it. Stock buybacks that aren't stock buybacks and all that.
The antitrust argument is about leveraging an existing monopoly to dominate new areas. Browser share isn't the determining factor. There is this little problem about setting the market price for something to zero, which might be considered predatory pricing.
So, the savvy investors who know a good monopoly when they see one have to agree to the final judgement? I missed that part in my Shirley Temple idealistic naive civic virtues education. Got a citation for that?
Cheers, Dan. |
