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

To: Charles Tutt who wrote (41892)	4/12/2000 4:38:00 PM
From: Gerald Walls	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 74651

2. I don't know what you're talking about. What's an IM? Besides, users of Windows should be quite familiar with the procedures for reformatting their hard disks and reinstalling the OS, so no big deal. He's referring to the blatant anti-competitive blocking of AOL's Instant Messenger from any attempts to allow interoperability with other programs. AOL has changed their program and servers several times over a period of a few weeks late last year to thwart these attempts by Microsoft and others. AOL has a clear monopoly in the Instant Messaging field, owning both number 1 (AIM) and number 2 IM client (who's name escapes me right now) and is clearly engaged in anti-competitive behavior to maintain that monopoly. A second issue is the AOL 5.0 software. There have been several private class-action lawsuits filed in various states claiming that AOL has intentionally made it almost impossible to connect to a competing ISP even after uninstalling the software. An ISP has also filed a federal (I believe) antitrust suit and is fishing for other ISPs to join it. AOL has an arguably monopoly-sized share of the ISP market and, if the assertions are correct, they are taking clearly anti-competitive measures to maintain it. Thirdly, if AOL is deemed to have a monopoly position in the ISP market then it's trivial to show that they used that position to extend their monopoly into the Instant Messenger market. Heck, they even ship AIM on the same disk as the AOL software just like Big Bad Microsoft did with Windows and IE. You even have to take special steps if you don't want it installed with the AOL software. Finally, if reformatting and reinstalling an OS is no big deal, then what do you call merely downloading and installing a program like Netscape?

To: Charles Tutt who wrote (41892)	4/12/2000 4:50:00 PM
From: Michael Do	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 74651

>Message #41893 from Charles Tutt at Apr 12 2000 4:06PM 1. Sun doesn't have a monopoly in servers, and doesn't even make SPARC CPU's. Sun systems are competitive with Wintel. Solaris is cheaper than NT. 2. I don't know what you're talking about. What's an IM? Besides, users of Windows should be quite familiar with the procedures for reformatting their hard disks and reinstalling the OS, so no big deal.< Mr. Tutt, 1. What kind of hole have you been living all these days? Sun Solaris costed $2000+ per workstation compare Windows2000 pro $500+. Microsoft does not make CPU either so what is your point? 2. IM is Instant Messaging that AOL blocked Microsoft and Yahoo version from communicated with AOL users. I did not see any government goes after them. For Windows users used to format their hd, you know you are full of it. don't you? Mike