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Technology Stocks : How high will Microsoft fly? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: RTev who wrote (33939)	11/14/1999 5:36:00 PM
From: Art Bechhoefer	Respond to of 74651

Thanks for your insights, which explain how complex and ingrained the problem has become. This kind of corporate focus is not unusual, but rarely has it been taken as far as it has been here.

To: RTev who wrote (33939)	11/14/1999 7:35:00 PM
From: ed	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 74651

It is very difficult for the DOJ to break up Microsoft at this moment, because Microsoft built up a standard in the PC industry. If you break up the company horizontally, i.e a lot of Baby MSFTs , compete in the same market, which also means all kinds of OSs, and which will not compatible with each other , and it will cause lots of headaches for the application program developers, uncertainty, and confusion to consumers, indirectly it will not only hurt the whole Hi Tech industry , but the consumers, i.e confusion, high price and inconvenience. If you break Microsoft vertically, then what is the point ? Window will still hold the majority of the market shares, because of its standard and convenience for consumers, and the application program developers will continue develop programs based on Window OS , because, you write once and port to the OS which is used by 90% of the PCs, and consumers will continue to buy WINDOW OS, because that is the OS used by 90% of the current PC users, and there are many many application programs available on that platform. If you force Microsoft to release its Window source code, then it will not only violate the copy right law , but the major problem is who can understand that source codes with more than 3 million of statements ? Once you understand the codes, Microsoft is already hundred miles ahead of you, and who will like to take that financial risk ? If Microsoft did not settle at this point , then some top talent will leave the company, as you know Microsoft's value is built on its talent. So, to settle early is better than late, to settle the case is better than not settle, settlement is not just good for Microsoft , but also good for DOJ, Microsoft will win the battle if settled , and the DOJ will win the battle politically. If not settle, then DOJ will lose , and Microsoft will win the battle but lose the war, you win the case in the court but lose the war in the real war. Top talent will leave, and then what is left then , even you win the battle !!!! Just look at what happen to MO !!!!!