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To: Daniel Schuh who wrote (23580)	11/17/1999 4:10:00 PM
From: Gerald R. Lampton	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 24154

As the stock plunges, more delphic statements from Chairman Bill: Corrected: Gates Open to 'Any Resolution' of Suit dailynews.yahoo.com Gates was asked twice on ABC's ''Good Morning America'' whether he would be open to a break-up of the company. After an initial noncommittal answer, he was asked: ''I think (people) expect you to say, 'I am going to fight tooth and nail any attempt to break up the company.' Is that true?'' Replied Gates: ''I don't see how a lot of things that are being discussed would benefit consumers (and) that's what this all comes down to in the final analysis. We are very serious about any sort of resolution that could come along. We'll sit and be willing to discuss that. People who speculate about penalties are really off the mark at this point.'' That comment -- that he is serious about and willing to discuss any sort of resolution -- went further than his remarks published in Time Magazine earlier this week about how far the company would be willing to go to settle the case. There is nothing inconsistent between a breakup and preserving Microsoft's "freedom to innovate." The problem is that, as shown by Microsoft's actions, "freedom to innovate" is not their guiding principle. Preserving the corporate structure is. It will be interesting to see after the breakup if all the investment banker talk about how this is good for shareholders, the parts are worth more than the whole, etc., etc., will really turn out to be true.