Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : Ask Michael Burke -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Knighty Tin who wrote (26985)	3/25/1998 11:22:00 PM
From: Kerry Phineas	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 132070

MB, otoh if MSFT didn't have the ridiculous options scams they currently have, they really wouldn't have earnings that are all that impressive. (I think.) There are definite economies of scale in software, and huge companies can have advantages of course. Everyone goes on and on about MSFT, but although their market cap is the second largest in the US their sales are not that impressive compared to a lot of companies. Lets face it: they have the OS, they have the office suite, they have a lot of other software that is good and the distribution channel to push it out, but they have a lot of iffy products and services to go with those advantages. Eventually someone will come out with a product that circumvents the advantages they currently have, or the current Wintel strata will fail, or something, and it'll be a nonissue imo; MSFT can't keep adding a layer of complexity to each previous layer of complexity and have a competitive product that runs efficiently.

To: Knighty Tin who wrote (26985)	3/26/1998 10:08:00 AM
From: HB	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 132070

If you wonder how big a factor employee options may be in this market, here's a little data point. I called Dell to find about prices, lead times (5 days till ship, as of 2 weeks ago), etc... The (very well-spoken and friendly) woman I talked to was pressuring me lightly as to when I'd call back and order... when I found out she was there for 12 hours that day and commented on the long hours, she said that she liked it that way and the stock options were great! I haven't bought my box yet. Impressions from shopping around are that notebook prices are still crumbling fast. Probably old news by now, but read in a PC mag that there is a glut of 12.1" TFT (the good kind) laptop screens. Also, lots of margin seems to have come out of stuff like 19" monitors and Pentium II systems.... There was a funny article in PC World (I think) magazine about the under- $1000 boxes. The test scores showed only about a 30% slowdown over the high-end stuff, and the reviewer decided to try living with one for a few weeks. He was surprised how happy he was with it. I'll see if I can link it. Howard

To: Knighty Tin who wrote (26985)	3/26/1998 10:21:00 AM
From: Exacctnt	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 132070

Mike, I was caught by surprise by GZTC's announced completion of new equity financing. Their cash balance at the end of the year was on the low side and I figured they would need financing soon. I was watching for some type of filing for a registration, but didn't see one. biz.yahoo.com Do you still favor this stock? If so, September call options look fairly cheap. By the way, a week or two ago I commented on Ballard Power Systems stock price and wondered what you thought about the stock, then trading around $95. Since then the price shot up to $132.50. Today, the price came back down to $95. Does the phrase "what goes around, comes around" come to mind? <vbg> Regards, Bob