Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Technology Stocks : The New Qualcomm - a S&P500 company -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Art Bechhoefer who wrote (3021)	11/7/1999 5:04:00 PM
From: cfoe	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 13582

I agree with most everything you said. Especially the part about the difference between MSFT and QCOM. The latter is clearly committed to win-win solutions, as the ERICY settlement showed. The problem with applying the antitrust laws in technology cases like this is the marketplace is changing so fast. A lot seems to depend (to my amateur eye) on how you frame the issue. In this case, what the relevant market is. Anyway, it seems to me that just like the IBM case, the marketplace will decide MSFT's fate a lot quicker than any legal action will. My hope is that MSFT does not settle; that they fight it out to the SC and let's see who's interpretation of the law prevails.

To: Art Bechhoefer who wrote (3021)	11/7/1999 10:11:00 PM
From: JGoren	Read Replies (3) \| Respond to of 13582

There are some important things to remember about the softie decision. It is based largely on actions taken by softie starting in 1995 when Netscape presented a potentially disruptive technology, that is, the web, which softie had not appreciated previously. In other words, the central problem was that a so-called Gorilla was attempting to deal with a disruptive technology that threatened it. I am not saying that softie didn't go to far in attempting to deal with Netscape. What I am saying is that this was not your typical, traditional anti-trust situation. The long-term implications are to restrict the actions of Gorillas and perhaps even to cripple them from ever reaching Gorilla status.