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Technology Stocks : Will SUNW bring down MSFT? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Normandi who wrote (805)	11/5/1997 8:15:00 PM
From: Dylan	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 878

I disagree with you when you say the better product survives. Microsoft has made it inconvenient to use other products, many of which are better until they die because they get bullied by MS. MS has made many good decisions in its past which has placed it in a position where it doesn't have to offer a better product initially. In fact, they would rather release a poor product for little money which can gain market share, then sell numerous updates (where they make most of their money) with features they steal or copy from their suffering competitors who try to release the best product they can because it is there only hope of surviving. The key for them is to force their way into a market and force people to use their product. And after 5 years, their product catches up to what was already available. In fact, most people forget what was once available and actually believe MS is providing an original, good product. Well, I think this plan that MS has is a great way to make a lot of money and if they can continue to do so in this country then they will always have lots of money unless all of the average cows in the herd resist the urge to follow the moos leading them to give Bill Gates their money. And this will never happen, IMO. -Dylan P.S. I don't believe anyone has to agree with me on this one. I'm having a lot of fun with this stuff.

To: Normandi who wrote (805)	11/6/1997 2:45:00 AM
From: Dan Guinan	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 878

I suggest we all vote with our dollars and buy the best products for us as indiviuals. Norm, I think you are missing the point a bit. My, how did you put it.. ahh yes, superior intellect tells me that Microsoft is counting on the "vote with your dollars" mindset to expand it's monopoly. Obviously, if you vote with your dollars between Netscape (price tag) and IE (free), the decision is made for you even before you examine the products. The use of an existing monopoly (Windows) to fund the extermination of competition in a diferent market segment (browsers/internet platforms) is exactly what the Justice Department was instituted to prevent. It is a subtle, but very real manipulation taking place. Unhindered, this manipulation will result in lack of competition. The inevitable lack of competition will result in lack of innovation and the eventual attempt by the monopoly player to recoup the losses during the competition extermination phase (e.g. Microsoft will start selling IE or some adaptation, enhancement to IE). Currently, Microsoft is using it's substantial monopoly power to capture the Internet choke points. If they succeed (and they have too much money and power over the distribution channels to fail unhindered, not to mention strong-arm tactics), the inevitable result will be Microsoft everywhere -- on your TV (WebTV), on your PC (Windows, IE), on your small devices (Windows CE), your Servers (Windows NT), creating content (MSNBC, MSN, Cabletron, etc..) and generally, in your face. There will be no chance for innovative technology companies to introduce technology through those choke-points to consumers that has revolutionary characteristics, or in any way threatens a Microsoft position. Microsoft can not tolerate even the hint of competition, as we have all seen many times over. And (repeating myself), as the choke points are taken possession of (which is be done by the generous, "let's please the poor customers" Microsoft) and competitors are shuffled off to the meat grinders, those "free, for the customers" technologies all of a sudden become profit centers. To believe anything different is to disclaim your nievity to the world. Thinking in the short term is exactly what Bill wants you to do. It allows him to think in the long term and manipulate you to help him dismantle his competition and then extract what he wants from you. I understand that this may be difficult to comprehend, and I apologize for that. Many of the individuals posting on this thread have a tendency to abuse their, ahum.. superior intellects. I do not want the government to be involved in restricking, limiting, in affect rewarding the companies who do the most crying and boo hooing. Suits like this one should be viewed on Jenny Jones or Sally where the topics are in better suited to the audiance. The world is not as simple as it should be, granted. There are times when the greater good demands a referee to call "foul". It's just an unfortunate fact of life. I, too, wish it didn't have to be like this, but with my ahum.. superior intellect, I have drawn the conclusion that it must be so. -Dan