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Technology Stocks : How high will Microsoft fly? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: J. P. who wrote (5008)	2/5/1998 4:51:00 PM
From: X-Ray Man	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 74651

Yes, government can make the distinction. If you want to understand risk to your investment, you will want to understand why government would prosecute MSFT on this and not Novell. Two reasons: a) Justice concern re: anti-trust is predicated on near monopoly control of desktop OS by MSFT. Novell does not have same position in server market. b) Specific to the current suit, it is the violation of the agreement MSFT made with DOJ that is being prosecuted, not an anti-trust legal principle. Perhaps if MSFT had not agreed to the stipulation in the first place, DOJ would not have any case. You may not agree with the situation, but from your investment point of view, you should understand the way it is and why MSFT will remain a DOJ target in the forseeable future.

To: J. P. who wrote (5008)	2/5/1998 6:15:00 PM
From: LB11	Read Replies (3) \| Respond to of 74651

J.P. - Novell Netware operating system being sold bundled with Netscape Browser, without the buyers permission. Didn't the Justice Department forbid Microsoft from doing the same thing? Is our government qualified to make this distinction? Does the U.S. Government prefer Netscape? Correct me if Im Wrong, MSFT was forcing Computer manufacturers to put IE on the desktop and the machine. If they didn't do this or wanted to put Netscape on they were threatening them with discontinuing their Windows license......ILLEGAL Then MSFT started lying about how they couldn't remove/disable IE without causing the OS to NOT WORK. MSFT was slapped on the wrist for these same kind of stuff before and agreed not to do it again...but they did it again. Should they just be allowed do these things again and again and again? This is not the same as the Novell bundling situation you cited. Maybe the government isn't the best qualified to make the distinction, but who do you think is....MSFT?