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Technology Stocks : All About Sun Microsystems -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: tiquer who wrote (8002)	3/4/1998 12:39:00 AM
From: Sonki	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 64865

Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) Late yesterday, MICROSOFT CORP CEO Bill Gates said the company was "on track" to release Windows 98, an updated version of its computer operating system, in the middle of the year. "That product is on track to be shipped around the middle of the year, and we're very excited about it," Gates told reporters at a news conference he held in the offices of Sen. Slade Gorton, a Republican from Washington state, where Microsoft is headquartered. (Reuters 07:01 PM ET 03/02/98) For the full text story, see full story Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) MICROSOFT CORP Chairman Bill Gates had harsh words for the Justice Department and the Senate committee investigating his company's business practices in an interview in Tuesday's Washington Post. Gates warned that the Justice Department's efforts to block the software giant from adding new features to its Windows software could topple the company if it succeeds. The department, backed by 27 states, is in litigation against Microsoft, charging it is in violation of a 1995 consent decree -- sometimes called a "final judgment" -- aimed at increasing competition in the software industry. (Reuters 12:23 AM ET 03/03/98) For the full text story, see full story Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) Attorneys general from 27 states argued late Monday that the public was well served by a ruling barring MICROSOFT CORP from forcing its Internet browser on computer manufacturers. The attorneys general, in a brief filed in federal appeals in Washington, said U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Jackson acted correctly in issuing the Dec. 11 preliminary injunction, which is being appealed by Microsoft. The friend-of-the-court filing was the broadest action to date taken by states acting alongside the U.S. Department of Justice to curtail possibly anti-competitive practices by the software giant. (Reuters 09:26 PM ET 03/02/98) For the full text story, see full story Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) Sun Microsystems Inc. (SUNW) MICROSOFT CORP CEO Bill Gates said his company holds no monopoly on computer operating systems and has no intention of making the Internet a toll road from which it could exact royalties. "Microsoft does not have monopoly power in the business of developing and licensing computer operating systems," Gates said in testimony prepared for delivery to a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing. "As you know, a monopolist, by definition, is a company that has the ability to restrict entry by new firms and unilaterally control price. Microsoft can do neither," Gates said. (Reuters 12:28 PM ET 03/03/98) For the full text story, see full story and full story Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) Sun Microsystems Inc. (SUNW) NETSCAPE COMMUNICATIONS CORP President Jim Barksdale said in prepared testimony that MICROSOFT CORP has abused its monopoly power. "I and many others have become increasingly concerned that Microsoft's abuse of its monopoly power, unless addressed through enforcement of our anti-trust laws, will adversely affect the course of American commerce and communications in the information age," Barksdale said in testimony prepared for delivery to a Senate Judiciary Hearing. Also in prepared testimony, SUN MICROSYSTEMS INC CEO Scott McNealy countered arguments made by Microsoft chief Bill Gates that Microsoft has less dominance in the computer market than IBM once had. (Reuters 10:10 AM ET 03/03/98) For the full text story, see full story Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) It was unclear if a single software firm had the ability to exploit its market power and stifle innovators before they even started to compete, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch said. "Whether we have yet approached such a situation is far from clear, but that we should be examining the issue is absolutely certain," Hatch said in his opening statement at a hearing into competition in the software industry. Appearing before the committee were MICROSOFT CORP CEO Bill Gates and senior executives from four other firms. Hatch has been a frequent critic of Microsoft but he took pains in his opening statement to recognise the company's contribution to the U.S. economy. (Reuters 01:58 PM ET 03/03/98) For the full text story, see full story Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) Sun Microsystems Inc. (SUNW) SUN MICROSYSTEMS INC said it was exploring the possibility of a civil antitrust claim against MICROSOFT CORP but NETSCAPE COMMUNICATIONS CORP said it could not afford to take such action. "We are investigating that opportunity," Sun chief executive Scott McNealy told a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing into software industry competition. "We've been looking for right kind of case to build if that so presents itself but we do not have a case to bring right now," McNealy said during questions from the panel. Sun has complained that it licensed its Java software to Microsoft who then altered it so not all Java programs would run on Microsoft platforms. (Reuters 11:49 AM ET 03/03/98) For the full text story, see full story Oracle Corporation (ORCL) SoundView Financial Group said it raised its short-term rating on shares of ORACLE CORP to buy from hold while keeping its long-term hold rating on the stock. Raised fiscal 1998 earnings estimate to $0.92 per share from $0.88 per share and 1999 estimate to $1.10 per share from $1.08 per share. Analyst Jim Mendelson set six-month $32 a share target. (Reuters 10:41 AM ET 03/03/98) Sun Microsystems Inc. (SUNW) IBM said it reached an agreement to license chip design technology from SUN MICROSYSTEMS INC that will allow IBM to code Java-based software into its own custom chips. Java is Sun's "write once, run anywhere" programming language, so-called because it was designed to allow programs to be written one time for use on all kinds of computer systems, operating systems and devices. IBM said the agreement relates to Sun's picoJava I processor core, a chip design that can be used to embed Java software instructions directly onto chips used in consumer electronics like cellular phones or television set-top boxes. (Reuters 07:04 AM ET 03/03/98) For the full text story, see full story