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Technology Stocks : Lam Research (LRCX, NASDAQ): To the Insiders -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: FJB who wrote (3745)	12/17/1999 1:36:00 PM
From: Duker	Respond to of 5867

RG, I would not mind unbridled, irrational exuberance in the sector prior to the next bear market. I share you feelings here ... as long as we are sellers before the music stops. --Duker

To: FJB who wrote (3745)	12/17/1999 4:45:00 PM
From: FJB	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 5867

Trying to control the uncontrollable... eet.com "Music downloading from MP3 sites that ignore the copyright of artists and record companies" has been rampant this year, said a spokesman for Sony Music. "We took the lead in the record industry in launching network audio distribution because we want to expel such illegal distribution. We want to establish a rule based on copyrights." A site has been established in Japan on which 44 recent releases are available for download. Sony Music intends to add further titles to the site on the same day the selections are released as CD singles. "For the time being, since the number of users and titles will be limited, we anticipate the business won't bring a profit," the spokesman said. Sony Music will only release titles for which it holds producer's rights, and for now the titles will be largely limited to Japanese artists. Sony Music also intends to limit the distribution area by means of user domains and fare correction systems. Sony Music will accept payment only via credit cards issued by Japanese institutions or via Smash or WebMoney. (Smash is a settlement system; WebMoney is a prepaid card. Both are available only in Japan.) Tokyo market research firm Seed Planning Inc. has projected three possible scenarios for the growth of the digital music distribution market over a five-year period from 1998 to 2003: the A pattern, which predicts growth to 100 billion yen (about $1 billion), the B pattern, at 60 billion yen (about $600 million), and the C pattern, at 40 billion yen (about $400 million) "The B pattern is most probable. In that projection, the total music market will grow by 6 percent, from 690 billion yen in 1998 to 730 billion yen in 2003," said senior analyst Kenji Hara. CDs' share of sales would remain flat, while the record rental market is seen shrinking from 90 billion yen to 50 billion yen. Digital distribution, meanwhile, would grow from zero to 60 billion yen, and music kiosks (for downloading music at retail sites) would grow to 20 billion yen. "Sony Music Entertainment's launch has an impact on the industry . . . Record companies will enter the market quickly," Hara said.