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To: Tom Kearney who wrote (8165)	8/5/2001 6:59:21 PM
From: Glenn D. Rudolph	Respond to of 57684

So, did Amazon, seeing that I was willing to buy a new book, cut me off from the used book? They have been known to offer different prices to people, based on their past buying record. Tom, You know they are not my favorite but I really doubt this occurred. I listened to their last conference call and managment was emphatic about how they do as well with the used sellings as the new. It was never clear to me how they do make as much but that is besides the point. I am clueless as to what happened to those books at the hour but it has to be something else. But, here's the punchline - talking w/ Glenn about eBay, I checked and found those books available there, too. And I won both auctions. I doubt I had anything to do with it. There is a business issue here that I believe Ebay is winning. Amazon has touted how quickly their handling of used items has taken off. It seemed during the conference call the analyst's questioned management a lot about how the used sales would canabalize (sp) new sales. Management's respons was they were indifferent if new or used was sold but I can't recall them explaining how they make as much on a used sale. What I am driving at is Ebay is not moving into Amazon's turf in many categories. The fixed price stores is a simillar concept to buying new on Amazon and half.com is competing directly with the Amazon used sales. The auctions do the same. The interesting part is I believe Ebay has the upper hand. The only reason for this is Ebay never has to handle the physical goods in any of their divisions. Ebay has never publicly stated they wer going after Amazon's market but it sure seems they are in various ways. Amazon does have the product reviews. The Ebay sell often knows their products well too. I never expected these two firms to compete. In 1998-99 it never crossed my mind.

To: Tom Kearney who wrote (8165)	8/5/2001 11:34:55 PM
From: Mark Fowler	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 57684

After two days of meetings with EMC (NYSE:EMC) execs, analysts left Boston feeling better about the data storage giant's longterm prospects but frustrated with the lack near-term guidance on growth, margins and pricing. In a note to investors, Golman Sachs (GS) said it is "comfortable" with the company's leadership position in the sector, "maybe even a bit more so than before." However, GS added that the "lack of complete clarification on immediate concerns is going to act as an an overhang on the stock." Like other hardware manufacturers, the Hopkinton, Mass., company, has seen revenue and earnings slide as customers cut capital budgets. EMC's stock is hovering around 20, well off a high of 104 in September. Denied specifics, GS and other analysts speculated that demand in the current quarter would be similar to its June quarter, one of its worst. GS did applaud several EMC initiatives intended to help spur growth and improve the bottom line. They include: a greater focus on software and services (which has better profit margins) from 36 percent of revneues to 50 percent by 2003; the introduction of new 181GB hard drives; a new approach to sales, whereby staffers are more responsive and has some pricing flexibility. While the sales force may be kinder, and gentler, execs were downright nasty in speaking about their competitors. Frank Hauck, the company's sales chief, was quoted as saying "Look at NetApps. Now stick a fork in 'em. They're done." CEO Joe Tucci went after other rival such as IBM (NYSE:IBM), saying the company was giving away its Shark data storage products like the toys in McDonalds Happy Meals. While brash, the company also regularly added the caveat that its optimism was based on the belief that the economy would pick up. Tucci said he has a "Plan B" to further cut costs if it doesn't, however he would not offer any specifics. In May, the company laid off 1,100.