Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Technology Stocks : All About Sun Microsystems -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: sandeep who wrote (30491)	4/11/2000 3:26:00 PM
From: QwikSand	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 64865

I think that the microsoft-justice problem is weighing on the tech market. It's a fantasy. The justice department hasn't shown any signs of going after people that don't break the law or harm consumers (e.g., by poisoning them). Sandeep: what was your opinion about Y2K? Did you think it was going to affect the stock market? --QS

To: sandeep who wrote (30491)	4/11/2000 5:49:00 PM
From: cheryl williamson	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 64865

sandeep, re: dominance Nonsense. M$FT is not being prosecuted because it is dominant but because it uses illegal or questionable business practices. One point that is getting lost in this case is that M$FT is an unusual business formation: a very LARGE software company. Most software companies don't get this big, and never have. M$FT really doesn't have any other way of making money, other than to sell computer programs. The software business is a new business and it has always been governed by cowboys because there is no IP protection by the legal system, other than to guard against outright piracy. It's a free-for-all and Gates has learned to ply his trade in that kind of an environment. He finally got to the top of the heap, but along the way had to steal lots and lots of code. Thievery is part of the trade, though we don't like to characterize success that way, it is nevertheless true. That's one reason M$FT is amazed that anyone is complaining about the way they do business. They keep saying that "everybody does business this way, why single us out??" You know, it's really expensive to steal and copy hardware. It's also easy to detect the theft. Try and you'll get your butt kicked royally. But in the software business, companies get into business relationships where code is shared under non-disclosure, then one side decides they like the code better than they like their business partner so they steal the code. When the case comes to court, (if that even happens), there's a huge debate about the code and what constitutes copyright infringement. This kind of b.s. has really screwed up the software business and we are finally seeing the legal system attempt to deal with it, using M$FT as the guinea pig. It wouldn't be right, in my mind, for the US government to regulate the software industry, but something has to be done to protect the inventor and developer of software intellectual property.