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

To: Judith Williams who wrote (44885)	7/24/2001 9:15:16 PM
From: Mike Buckley	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 54805

Judith, I guess I should blame Paul Philp for calling my post a "challenge." I haven't had the opportunity to blame him for anything lately so that seems as good a reason as any. :) Seriously, my post wasn't intended as a challenge. Just the opposite, it was intended exactly in keeping with the gist of your post to me -- to encourage discussion. The reason I selected Thomas's points is because I've been aware of them for a long time and I don't think they have ever been addressed. Your report was a great presentation. He agreed but countered it with some opposing opinion. I think everyone -- especially me! -- would benefit from some rebuttal, not necessarily from you but from anyone so all of us can continue with the learning process. --Mike Buckley

To: Judith Williams who wrote (44885)	7/25/2001 12:34:54 AM
From: Thomas Mercer-Hursh	Respond to of 54805

I didn’t pay much attention to SUNW. iPlanet’s share in the app server market just didn’t seem ominous or to pose much threat. Let me be clear that I cited iPlanet in particular because it is an offering I am more familiar with others, but I am not actually suggesting that iPlanet is necessary the alternative which disproves the case for BEA. Many of my observations are about the market in general, challenges which BEA, IBM, iPlanet, et al have to face in their search for dominance. Most of the others are counter-examples, i.e., an exception that draws into question whether Coleman's claims are valid ones. Mind you, the iPlanet-Sun relationship is an interesting one, especially considering McNealy's "webtone" vision. It is hardly something that I would present as a gorilla candidate at this point, but if I were a competitor, I would be concerned. While we look for proof of gorilladom and a tornado, we have to be just as scrupulous about looking for clues that go the other way. Including, in this case, the very real possibility that there may be one whale of a tornado, but no gorilla. So my hat is off to you all. Many thanks. And mine to you in turn ... or would be if I ever wore one!