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

To: John Donahoe who wrote (16449)	1/20/1998 6:14:00 PM
From: Bill Ulrich	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 24154

John, re: &#147the answer is&#133&#148 No, those are not the correct parameters for measuring the right or wrong value assigned to the breakup of a monopoly. IE is free, so to make a Microsoft breakup 'right' according to your statement, some company will have to go into the business of paying people to use a browser&#151that's the only way it would get cheaper. Product quality isn't an issue&#151it is a by-product of such decisions. Even if IE and NN were roughly the same quality-wise and stayed that way, it would still be right to stop a monolith from using gestapo business tactics. The fact that quality levels often go up when competition exists is true yet irrelevant. The two basic issues are that: 1. Compaq has the right to put any browser they please on their 'puters without being strong-armed by Micromafia hitmen. 2. Netscape has a right to be in the market. This right gets stepped on when a company who can afford to absorb losses gives away the same widget. You may argue that Microsoft can give away anything they want. But the clear intent is to push NN out of business&#151not competitive co-existence in the same market and that's just plain wrong. Microsoft doesn't want to be the dominant source; they want to be the only source. -MrB&#153

To: John Donahoe who wrote (16449)	1/20/1998 6:59:00 PM
From: Pink Minion	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 24154

RE: "Was the government correct in breaking up AT&T? Standard Oil?" Great question. The answer is.....If prices dropped and service and product quality went up as a direct result of these actions then the answer is yes. Otherwise the answer is no. Gee, that kind of makes it a hard determination. If they are wrong, do they give the monopoly back? What about innovations? How do you determine if prices drop? Do you include inflation? Do you compare it against the industry? Now I know your buddy in that article doesn't think a monopoly is bad. I'm sure his portfolio has nothing to do with his beliefs or definition of words. work.ucsd.edu:5141/cgi-bin/http_webster?monopoly Mr. B