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.

Strategies & Market Trends : Gorilla and King Portfolio Candidates -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Thomas Mercer-Hursh who wrote (44870)	7/24/2001 3:26:14 PM
From: Don Mosher	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 54805

Thomas, thank you. I now understand most of your argument and believe it is a powerful one. I agree that you need to compare BEA to its competitors, and I have not yet done that. If you are correct that they are catching up technologically, and I assume that you are correct, then iPlanet has the technological edge. Just to educate myself, I will read the suggestion and give you my e-mail address by private message. That way I can learn more of what I need to learn. Moore says that we learn only from our mistakes. I believe he is correct; I hope I now learn to study the competition before investing or writing a Hunt report. I will read your suggested references to discover if I can understand them and how they shift my opinion. Can I assume that you have done direct comparisons between BEA and iPlanet? If so, what did you discover? That is, I really would like to know if you have done the homework that I did not do. You agreed that there is a conceptual distinction between "standards" and "products," by saying, "Agreed, and are we not looking for a "proprietary open standard?" I am not sure if you are citing a Freudian mistake that I made, or exactly what you mean here. Do you believe we are looking for a "proprietary open standard," because I do not. The gorilla game looks for a proprietary open architecture that may become a defacto standard. Moore say that outcome often depends on timing or chance, not necessarily on technological superiority. But that standard(df) is not the same as standard(J2EE). Which one of us in confused here? In your summary, concerning point 1, I believe that the standards are open, but the company's products are proprietary. We may still be missing each other's point here. Concerning point 2, my understanding is that some Java vendors unfortunately include some sliver of proprietary advantage in how they institute Java. You are saying, and I cannot dispute you, that Sun's iPlanet does not, and this is good. If so, I agree. Point 3 depends on how accurately one of us is in reading the market. If the market is early and small, I agree that it might be possible to catch up.. If BEA has already reached critical mass in customers, then I believe its network effects will carry the day. And, I believe that this is Moore's opinion too. I have no reason so far to believe that iPlanet can catch the market-share leader, BEA, even with "superior technology." That is, I understand your logic and agree with it, but I am less sure of your factual premises. How do you know? As for point 4, I have already acknowledged that I cannot speak to technological superiority because I have made no direct comparison, and I may not have the competency to do so. Your post helped me. Also, I responded to your subsequent post before I read this one. In it I asked you to explain LDAP. I am still interesting in your response, but would be less pushy and more diplomatic about it now. This post is exactly the sort of thing that I was looking for and believe to be educational both to me and the board. I hope that you will feel free to continue to educate us when we need it. Your post helped me. Thank you. Don