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

To: techguerrilla who wrote (41007)	4/4/2000 5:36:00 AM
From: The Duke of URL©	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 74651

<Microsoft will be divested in the name of freedom.> A bit of the old hyperbole aren't we? <The post-AT&T breakup years have brought tremendous competition and freedom to the marketplace> The post breakup years of AT&T did nothing but quadruple the cost of telephones, delay the implementation of digital transmission for at least 10 years, and created Seven government protected fiefdoms that have spent their government protected sinecure inventing new area codes for the same geographical area because the government imposed regulations allow them to raise the rates from one area code to another. <Microsoft's abuses are the most aggregious in American history> I think you mean "egregious" don't you? <. Its divesture is merited > divestiture??? You said that you used to be with the Anti-Trust Division, didn't you? And the Telephone Deregulation Act is proving itself to be every bit as effective as the 1985 Gramm Rudman Hollings Act (aka, the balanced budget amendment)

To: techguerrilla who wrote (41007)	4/4/2000 11:28:00 AM
From: Frederick Smart	Respond to of 74651

ENERGY...... >>This is not a liberal vs. conservative/Democrat vs. Republican issue. There is no electorate stampede for overhauling the antitrust laws. Their gradual pullback in the last 20 years has been carefully constructed. The abuses of Microsoft would be seen as abuses regardless of the nature of the administration in power. Microsoft's abuses are the most aggregious in American history.>> Just ask yourself ONE thing: a. Is Microsoft an open fission reaction which creates energy? b. Or is it an abusive, black hole which has taken energy? The facts are plain for all to see. b. is the only answer. I may have a lot of other issues with Reno and the Clinton Justice Dept., but if they REALLY intend to play this to the letter and spirit of our Constitution, FREEDOM is the central issue here. Our country was built on the risks daring individuals took to advance the cause of freedom by settling here to more freely express themselves. A few of these same individuals started the Revolution on the back of one tiny idea which led to a grassroots revolt against an abusive force: England. Look at Microsoft's record. There are more abusive stains on their record, but YES they did successfully consolidate an fragmented new industry. It's how they acted once they got this power that did them in. Nobody should get a pass in this day and age. If there is any concession or pass, then it will represent an collaborative caving in between government and an abusive monopoly. If this happens, we'll have a lot more to be worried about. Gates was recalcitrant yesterday. His ego and pride will do Microsoft much more damage from here on out. Peace. GO!!

To: techguerrilla who wrote (41007)	4/8/2000 2:19:00 AM
From: Thunder	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 74651

A wakeup call to the electorate? That's precisely what I said and hope for. In what respect? Blatant abuse of monopoly power is to be respected? Surely your reference is to the monopoly held by our gradual expansionist liberals in play which have abused our interest. This gradual and slow decline that we have been experiencing in our freedom, liberty & justice IMO, is what desensitizes a large part of our electorate thereby suffering the consequences. Perhaps you may recall one of James Madison's letters that was written to Thomas Jefferson stating: "I believe there are more instances of abridgment of freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations...." Maybe you and I differ on the "those in power" part. This is not a liberal vs. conservative/Democrat vs. Republican issue. I couldn't disagree more. The liberal vs. conservative battle is in great part, at the heart of the case. The abuses of Microsoft would be seen as abuses regardless of the nature of the administration in power. Microsoft's abuses are the most aggregious in American history. Are you suggesting also, that under a conservative (ie. business friendly/ consumer friendly) executive branch such as Reagan, Bush that they would allow a DOJ AG to prosecute (help the hands of competition) MSFT? Just hypothesize for a moment that if there were no government interference in the marketplace, how much more competitive the landscape would probably be forced to become. This "legal card" is only a easy way out for MSFT's competitors and holds captive a truely free marketplace. Thankfully (and unfortunately in some ways), MSFT has recently become aware of this being one of their "greater" threats and has/will launch a political offensive upon the true authors of this law suit. They will rue the day that this Pandora's box was unleashed. For that matter we all will.