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To: The Duke of URL© who wrote (73703)	12/13/1999 4:13:00 PM
From: Elwood P. Dowd	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 97611

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About AltaVista Free Access AltaVista combines its free access for Windows 95, 98 and NT users with the world's first microportal, a small desktop application that provides personalized, up-to-the-minute news and information and links to premier AltaVista Network services. The AltaVista Network includes AltaVista Live!, the Internet's first real-time personal megaportal; AltaVista Search, the industry's most powerful and comprehensive search engine; and the new AltaVista Shopping.com, a totally unbiased comparison-buying guide designed to help people shop smarter. AltaVista Free Access is powered by patent-pending technology from 1stUp.com Corporation, the leading provider of ad-supported Internet access solutions and a majority-owned operating company of CMGI, Inc. 1stUp.com was rated the best free access service available by CNET in an August 1999 review of bargain ISPs. A recent survey commissioned by AltaVista showed that AltaVista Free Access service rates very high in overall satisfaction, outranking other major ISPs, including MSN, Earthlink, AOL, NetZero, and Prodigy. AltaVista users cite the ease-of-installation, connection speed, dynamic start page, and functionality of the microportal mini-browser as the strengths of AltaVista Free Access. AltaVista Free Access users enjoy AltaVista Live! (www.live.av.com) as their permanent home page, delivering instant access to customizable content and services on the AltaVista Network. AltaVista's Free Access works with Netscape Navigator, Internet Explorer version 4.0 or higher, and most other browser applications. When users are online, the microportal can be docked to the top or bottom of the desktop or positioned anywhere on screen. The microportal takes up less than five percent of a user's screen space and contains a rotating advertisement within the window. 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By combining distinctive 'best of the Web' relationships with personalized service, the AltaVista Network at www.altavista.com creates the smartest Internet experience. AltaVista is building on its heritage of technology and innovative leadership, offering informative services including AltaVista Live!, AltaVista Search, AltaVista Shopping.com, AltaVista Local, and Free Access combined with the AltaVista microportal. AltaVista is a majority-owned operating company of CMGI, Inc. (Nasdaq:CMGI - news), Andover, MA. Compaq Computer Corporation holds the remaining minority stake in AltaVista. AltaVista is headquartered in Palo Alto, Calif. About 1stUp.com Corporation 1stUp.com, a majority-owned operating company of CMGI, Inc. (Nasdaq: CMGI - news), is the market leader in providing consumer-oriented businesses with ad-supported Internet access solutions. 1stUp.com provides patent-pending technology that enables its partners to brand, market and distribute leading edge, cost-effective Internet services to their customers. The 1stUp.com solution enables consumers to receive unlimited, free Internet access in exchange for keeping a small, sponsor-oriented navigation bar on their computer screen. Multiple leading ISPs support 1stUp.com's premium network, which delivers free, reliable Internet access to over 90 percent of the U.S. and Canada. Aggregating the end-user bases of AltaVista and additional partners, 1stup.com has the buying power of multiple brands and is able to pass along the benefits of optimal connectivity costs and advertising revenues to its partners. For more information, visit www.1stup.com.

To: The Duke of URL© who wrote (73703)	12/13/1999 5:38:00 PM
From: rudedog	Respond to of 97611

Duke - A neat theory - but a bit of the "grassy knoll" I'm afraid. NT5.0 (now known as Windows2000) is not even ready yet - I am using "release candidate 3" and it is pretty good but missing a few key features, like support for wireless networks. There is no way it would have been ready any earlier. I think the reality is the opposite of your scenario. CPQ wanted an early release of 64 bit NT for Alpha, betting that Merced would be late and CPQ would have an advantage in the market place. But MSFT couldn't get the base product together in time, let alone the 64 bit version. When Merced samples came in and looked pretty good, CPQ made the economic decision - too little market window to justify the expense of making 64 bit NT a product on Alpha. Since the only reason to have a 32 bit NT codeline was to support the 64 bit development, they also decided to drop that. MSFT does not do any more than they have to do for Intel, as far as I can see. And DELL is just a buyer of MSFT software, not a development or marketing partner. So the idea that MSFT would disadvantage CPQ to help DELL just doesn't hold water. BTW - I don't think the decision was really much of a surprise to MSFT - I had been hearing that CPQ was going to drop Alpha NT from MSFT people for at least 6 months ahead of the decision, and also heard this from MSFT in a customer presentation in April... so if everyone in the field knew, how much of a surprise could it have been to the product executives?

To: The Duke of URL© who wrote (73703)	12/15/1999 6:15:00 PM
From: axp	Respond to of 97611

>> That is why there are now two release dates for NT5, December 17th AND February 17th I love a good conspiricy but it's not that complicated. A big product launch like Windows 2000 launch requires lots of upfront planning and advance commitment to resources. They didn't know exactly when the dev team was going to pronounce the code ready to ship. The 2 month gap allows time for production to ramp up and gives the marketing dept. room for a small slip in addition to the normal holiday slowdown, exacerbated this year by Y2K problem prevention work.

To: The Duke of URL© who wrote (73703)	12/17/1999 8:52:00 PM
From: The Duke of URL©	Respond to of 97611

From PRN via Bridge: "Compaq (NYSE: CPQ) Will Be First to Ship Products and Provide Professional Services For Windows 2000, moved yesterday, we are advised by the company that the contact phone number for Grace Trent should read "281-518-9460" rather than "281-514-9460" as originally issued. Complete, corrected version follow..." ...With the broadest range of computers certified for compatibility on Windows 2000, Compaq has demonstrated its own belief in the reliability of Windows 2000 by deploying Windows 2000 on more than 13,000 PC's & 300 servers internally to date. [Gold This!] Designated as the only Microsoft Worldwide Prime Integrator, Compaq continues to have one of the strongest strategic partnerships with Microsoft in its introduction of Windows 2000. ... siliconinvestor.com I don't mean to sound like the Yuk Register here, but what is of course interesting is that I have read that a "ship date" of 12/17/99 was recently 'corrected' on one of the ms webpages. HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM. (emph. added)