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

To: E_K_S who wrote (40979)	2/1/2001 3:23:16 PM
From: JDN	Respond to of 64865

Dear Eric: Yep a good one. Wont make EMC happy though!! JDN

To: E_K_S who wrote (40979)	2/8/2001 12:40:22 PM
From: E_K_S	Respond to of 64865

It was rumored on the Raging Bull (GE) thread that GE has been buying large chunks of SUNW at these current levels. Here is an interesting announcement by GE today: (BSNS WIRE) There's More than Meets the Eye with GE's New Web-Enabled Refri There's More than Meets the Eye with GE's New Web-Enabled Refrigerator; Appliance Connectivity with ''No-New-Wires'' Business & Lifestyle Editors/Technology Writers LOUISVILLE, Ky.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 8, 2001--GE Appliances (NYSE: GE) is developing a web-enabled refrigerator that connects to the Internet by simply plugging the electrical cord into an everyday household electrical outlet. The new Internet-ready model, which will be shown at the NAHB International Builders Show in Atlanta, will demonstrate how any appliance can be internet-ready without special network wiring by communicating over power lines to a home gateway. After conducting extensive consumer research with a web-enabled refrigerator previously shown at the Builder's Show in 2000, GE's 2001 demonstration better reflects what consumers want today. "As part of our rigorous Six Sigma quality processes, we determined that while technology can provide many features like a web pad on the refrigerator door or a scanner to build a grocery list, consumers do not necessarily want all that technology now," explained Paul Raymont, vice president-Technology for GE Appliances. "We found that connectivity was a stumbling block for consumers so we made it simple." The NAHB demonstration will allow consumers to check the refrigerator performance by accessing their personal web-site from a PC. In addition to checking overall temperature in the freezer and fresh food compartments, special pan settings and door status, consumers can access warranty, service, parts and use and care information. General Electric (NYSE: GE) has been bringing good things to life for more than a century, and sells products under the Monogram(R), Profile(TM), GE(R), Hotpoint(R), and SmartWater(TM) brands. For more information about GE appliances, consumers can call the GE Answer Center(R) at 800.626.2000 or visit the company's web site at geappliances.com. During the NAHB Show in Atlanta February 8 - 11, contact Kim Freeman at 502/741-3269 (cell). Her office phone is 502/452-7819. --30--LR/na* CONTACT: GE Appliances, Louisville Kim Freeman, 502/741-3269 (cell) or 502/452-7819 (office) KEYWORD: KENTUCKY GEORGIA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: UTILITIES COMPUTERS/ELECTRONICS INTERNET CONSUMER/HOUSEHOLD RETAIL PRODUCT =========================================================== I wonder if SUNW is working on a low cost home server appliance that will monitor andcontrol these GE appliances. Perhaps it could be something built into that new set-top box. EKS

To: E_K_S who wrote (40979)	2/8/2001 12:51:26 PM
From: E_K_S	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 64865

Sun To Channel: We Messed Up (02/08/01, 10:59 a.m. ET) By Elizabeth Montalbano, CRN (http://www.techweb.com/wire/story/TWB20010208S0004) SANTA CLARA, Calif.—Sun Microsystems Inc. is reinforcing its commitment to the channel with new incentives, after admitting competitive practices in the past year, sources say. At the iForce System Providers Leadership Forum here Tuesday, Sun (stock: SUNW) met with 60 of its top iForce integrators and told them that its move to embrace nontraditional partners created a climate in which its salespeople were competing with the channel. "[Sun executive vice president of global sales] Moshood Jabbar basically got up there and said, 'I've been on the job for six, eight months, and we've been screwing the channel the whole time,'" said Bill Ames, president of Sun integrator partner GoBosh, who attended the meeting. Sun also said it "incentivized" sales representatives when it began engaging new types of partners, such as ISVs, ASPs, and Web integrators last summer, Ames said. "[Sun] basically said, 'We messed up and we're going to get it fixed,'" Ames said. Joe Womack, vice president of Americas eSun partner sales at Sun, has said that Sun's shift in strategy to embrace less traditional partners last year stemmed from new sales models and the dot-com phenomenon. According to Sun documents, "to ensure that customers have access to a full range of professional services, Sun has augmented its professional service offerings by structuring close working relationships with other professional services suppliers." The documents also state that Sun will "deliver new and enhanced [solution provider] offerings in the next 90 days" and that "our end users do not fully understand the Sun/[solution provider] business proposition." At the meeting, Ames said Sun outlined what it called "two big rules" when it comes to the channel: First, no special discounts to favor Sun salespeople over the channel; Second, all Sun programs must be channel-friendly. Sun also is offering its integrators better percentages for marketing-development funds (MDFs) for all products until June 27,retroactive Jan. 1, Ames said. Sun raised the MDFs rate to 4 percent on all hardware products from 2.36 percent on some computer hardware products. It also raised the rate to 10 percent from 2.36 percent on storage products . "I think it was a great presentation in how they are embracing the channel," Ames said. =========================================================== I wonder if this move will impact bottom line earnings? EKS