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.

Politics : Idea Of The Day -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: IQBAL LATIF who wrote (31737)	6/6/2000 2:59:00 PM
From: IQBAL LATIF	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 50167

<<Microsoft Expects to Win Breakup Appeal Tuesday June 06 12:44 ET By Mark Thompson VIENNA (Reuters) - Software giant Microsoft Corp expects to win an appeal against a U.S. court ruling which could force the break-up of the company, Chief Executive Steve Ballmer said on Tuesday. Speaking during a visit to the Austrian capital, Ballmer also said he expected the company to complete its purchase of a stake in British cable services provider Telewest Communications from MediaOne Group Inc (UMG.N) "within months." District Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson ruled on April 3 that Microsoft, the world's largest software producer, broke U.S. antitrust law by abusing its dominant position in personal computer operating systems. The U.S. government, which was behind the accusations, wants the company to be split in two. On Monday it accepted only minor changes offered by Microsoft to its divestiture plan, which is supposed to prevent future antitrust violations. Jackson is expected to rule in the state's favor later this week after receiving the company's reply brief on Wednesday, but Ballmer said Microsoft expected the ruling to be set aside pending appeal to higher courts. "We remain convinced of the propriety of our legal position despite the negative ruling we will receive from the judge this week," Ballmer told reporters. "We fully expect to prevail on the most important points on appeal, which is that we remain an integrated company and that we retain our right to continue to respond to customers and integrate new capabilities into Windows." Ballmer rejected suggestions that the break-up of the giant could be positive for software users and the company itself. "I know that our company will be much less able to help customers and consumers with the next generation of things they want to do if we don't exist as an integrated company," he said. "My opinion is that the break up would be very bad for our shareholders and it would be even worse, much worse for our consumers." BALLMER UPBEAT ON TELEWEST The Microsoft CEO declined to comment on an investigation by EU competition authorities into whether its Windows 2000 operating system could give the U.S. company a stranglehold over server software and ultimately electronic e-commerce. But he was confident that Microsoft's planned acquisition of a 29.7 percent stake in Telewest would be completed within months despite EU concerns that it might reduce competition in various areas of the digital cable industry. Telewest and Dutch-based cable television operator United Pan-Europe Communications NV (UPC), in which Microsoft owns seven percent, are reported to be discussing an alliance. Asked whether the EU review of the planned Telewest acquisition could have an impact on Microsoft's relationship with UPC, Ballmer said: "We're going to have a great relationship with UPC and we will be able to accomplish the Telewest investment sometime over the next several months." The European Commission has expressed concern about the Telewest deal, which it fears may reduce competition in the provision of software for digital set-top boxes in Britain and limit consumer choice of cable services. Ballmer said the recent weakness of the euro would have some impact on Microsoft's dollar earnings, but the effect would be limited by currency hedging. "We do some hedging of the euro against the dollar so we recover some by our hedging programs, but certainly when the euro weakens against the dollar we see it in our dollar-denominated earnings.">> After the judge ruling we may see a dip however I would assume that we will see a move to 75 in a quicktime, it would be buy the news phenomenon and uncertainity would be over..