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Technology Stocks : MSFT Internet Explorer vs. NSCP Navigator -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Alan Buckley who wrote (15912)	1/8/1998 5:19:00 PM
From: nommedeguerre	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 24154

Alan, >[I believe the key word is "better" not "build". In reality, it is more like "Market a mouse-trap better than you can build one and the world will beat a path to your windows."] >>Yes, "better"s important also. The discussion was whether MSFT deserves credit for innovation for delivering a product that wins reviews over it's competitors. "Free" is a quality that usually overcomes "better" in the mind of the consumer. But there is no such thing as a "free lunch". Microsoft is subsidizing its IE effort with funds generated elsewhere. Eventually, those funds are expected to be returned. If someone gave me a dozen cats to get rid of some mice then I would not buy the "better" mouse-trap. But when the cats catch all the mice and want to be fed, that's when the "hidden cost" of "free" becomes apparent. If feeding or getting rid of the cats cost more than the "better" mouse-trap then how have I gained? Surely, Microsoft will need to be fed someday. You must be naive to think free-browsers will not cost you in the end. >>Apparently you're arguing that "better" is not innovative but is key. I can go along with that. How did you sift that out of the mouse-trap quote? Must be using that AI wizard to do your thinking again... >>To me, marketing is not a dirty word. Marketing just presents product in such a way that customers see value. If NSCP feels they're being hurt on marketing, they should improve their own, not whine about MSFTs. A minor correction - Marketing is the act of selling the customer on "perceived value"; real value stands on its own and sells itself. Yeah, how about that NSCP marketing, they have the majority share but refuse to give it away free and lose money; what a way to run a business. It would be interesting to see Office97's new marketing strategy if Lotus SmartSuite97 was bundled "free" with each new PC. Doesn't this explain why Microsoft is having trouble competing with the Pirates of Penyang? If Joe Chang gives me WindowsNT for $5, why pay MSFT $299? Sounds like those retailers understand the IE pricing concept. If the pirates are making money then so can MSFT. Its all in the marketing... MSFT just needs to use its dominance in the US market to subsidize free software in the Chinese market until it gains market-share; its so simple. Cheers, Norm

To: Alan Buckley who wrote (15912)	1/8/1998 10:27:00 PM
From: Keith Hankin	Respond to of 24154

If NSCP feels they're being hurt on marketing, they should improve their own, not whine about MSFTs. I don't think it's a case of better marketing but more marketing, with which NSCP cannot possibly compete, unless if they can find someone willing to give them a low-interest-rate long-term loan hundreds of millions (possibly billions) of dollars.

To: Alan Buckley who wrote (15912)	1/9/1998 4:54:00 PM
From: Charles Hughes	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 24154

>>>Regarding "market a mouse-trap", if that's true then it's the customer who's screwed up and I don't believe that. People are very good at sniffing out what is and is not valuable to them.<<< Modern tech consumer markets are not about rational choices. As has been the subject of much discussion lately, modern markets are more like out of control positive feedback loops. The entrant in a market that is first and/or has the most money has the oportunity via the media and distribution channels (both of which love momentum) to create such a feedback loop and drive out all other competition regardless of merit. The nature of media formats, which the consumer is aware of, reinforces this. Nobody wants to be the guy who tells you endlessly how his betamax is superior to your vhs, even if it is. Thus we have truly found a field where 'the bad drives out the good', as the old saw has it. This lasts in each sub-area of exploration until the bad kills it's vertical market off entirely, and new opportunities for innovators arise. Chaz