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Technology Stocks : Compaq -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Night Writer who wrote (86366)	11/3/2000 9:03:42 AM
From: Elwood P. Dowd	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 97611

NW...... found the following at The Zoo. It's a beautiful sunny Fall day here and I'm headed for the links. Catch ya late this afternoon. El Compaq people react to Dell interview by: TADC_98 11/3/00 8:49 am Msg: 194634 of 194634 Here's what CPQ employees had to say about Mikey's interview in "Upside Today". You tell me, does this sound like a group of people who will just lay down and let him have his way??? I think NOT!!! Brilliant man, good company, good competition. I look forward to putting him out of business." "Yes, Michael Dell built an empire based on a marketing structure that allowed him to undersell all competition. Consider that one of the most important components of the Dell marketing machine, reducing the cost of doing business, is 'just-in-time inventory.' Now consider the fact it runs on Compaq Himalaya servers. If his machines were so great, wouldn't he be running such an important piece of the business on Dell machines? Go figure." – "Provided all his claims are important and true (debatable), he could have never done it without Compaq Himalaya systems on his production line." "Dell is at an 'arrogant' stage of their business. As we have seen the past two quarters, Compaq's resurgence is having an impact on Dell. They are not hitting their goals. I encounter many Dell competitive situations and all revolve around efficiency and pricing. Very seldom is technology or product excellence mentioned as a factor. "Dell waits for other OEMs to invent, develop and implement new technologies, then they copy it and sell it for less. Dell only spends 1.6 percent on R&D and it shows in their products. If you put a Dell box next to a Compaq box, open it up and let the customer compare, I would almost guarantee the customer would select the Compaq box every time." "Michael Dell has always tried to emulate Compaq and then try to do better. If he did not, then why does he try to hire so many Compaq people? "Michael Dell has always been both Compaq's best and worst critic. Sometimes he gets it right and sometimes he doesn't. However, looking forward, Dell does not appear to be very well-positioned for either the Internet environment or the enterprise/services area. This should set us apart and allow for more profitable growth for Compaq." "The article was a bit lengthy, not many answers in his answers; purposely twisted, and almost never got to the point. Perhaps that's why he does all the talking. "My impression of him is one of arrogance. He is like the little kid down the street who wants to be big like you, so he talks big. He stretches the facts … You just laugh and say, 'sure kid, whatever!'" "Wasn't it just last year or so that Michael Dell was at an expo saying that one of the top computer companies will fold and he was refering to Compaq? Well I guess Capellas has changed the course of that, huh?" "It doesn't matter whether his statements are true or not. He got free press – again – and used it to promote his company to the max. "When is Compaq going to promote itself with the same intensity? We don't lack for talent and offerings. We lack a presence in people's (and investors') mind share. "Let's make the world know who and what Compaq is. Let all of us self-promote Compaq at every opportunity. "The truth hurts! Even more when it comes from Michael Dell. Although, I think his statements add fuel to our momentum. Superman would be just a regular Joe without a few bad guys around!"