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Technology Stocks : CheckFree Holdings Corp. (CKFR), the next Dell, Intel? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: tktom who wrote (13922)	2/18/2000 6:54:00 PM
From: Rob C.	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 20297

Interesting... At least on the surface, it appears that Microsoft has spent so much time protecting the desktop that a myriad of other opportunities passed it by. This is illustrated by its failed battle with startup eDocs. About two years ago, Charles River Ventures funded eDocs, which makes software that allows consumers to view bills online. The VC took the risk even though the company was worried that Microsoft was building a similar application. Microsoft had started a joint venture called Transpoint with First Data Corporation (NYSE: FDC) to compete with eDocs partner Checkfree (Nasdaq: CKFR). It turned out eDocs's fears were unfounded. "In two years, Microsoft was not successful in producing an enterprise software application [to compete with eDocs], and it was not successful in building a third-party service company like Checkfree," Mr. Guerster says. His statement was punctuated by Checkfree's announcement Wednesday that it would acquire Transpoint. "Back in 1993, it would have been wildly different," he says.