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.

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

To: Daniel Schuh who wrote (18350)	4/6/1998 4:46:00 PM
From: philip	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 24154

Can anyone comment on this Freedows OS, and whether it is in any way a threat to msft. I refer to their FAQ page, an exerpt of which follows... calgary.shaw.wave.ca Q1: What is Freedows? A: Freedows is a new operating system being developed by programmers from around the world. It will, among other things, be the first ever FREE, full-scale OS to provide integrated support for 16/32 Bit Windows Applications. Additionally, through a fairly new concept in OS Kernel technology, called the Cache Kernel, Freedows will be able to provide "on-the-fly OS plug-in support." What this means, is that any system, be it an OS, or a complete architecture, will have the ability to be fully compatable with Freedows, without having to rewrite the entire Kernel, etc. For example, through the use of these Application Kernels, as they are called, Freedows will be able to run applications created from systems such as the Apple Macintosh, or for Linux. And, because Freedows will be Released under the GNU Public License, all source code will be made freely available, allowing for users to modify the OS for their own specific purposes. Also, this will aid in development of Freedows specific applications, as developers will actually be able to SEE how API calls are implemented in an actual working OS. The educational and speed benefits of such a system can definitely be easily seen. As of this time, Freedows is very early in its development -- ie, a few members of the team are working on code, and some parts of the system are still having their designs finalized, while still more designs will be created as parts of the system develop.

To: Daniel Schuh who wrote (18350)	4/7/1998 10:20:00 AM
From: Daniel Schuh	Respond to of 24154

Proposals Made to Shrink Power of Microsoft nytimes.com This on the issue of remedies. Good coverage from the NYT, as usual. Concerned computer-industry executives have approached the Justice Department with a wide-ranging set of 10 proposed remedies that they believe would help rein in the monopoly power of Microsoft Corp. But but but. . . that would be so unfair! "This is a wish list from Microsoft competitors with no basis in the facts of this industry or the laws of this country," said Mark Murray, a Microsoft spokesman. There are plenty of legal "experts" here to second that opinion. Mercifully, their opinions are just that. The Microsoftese definition of "TRUTH" hasn't yet taken hold among the legal community. The Justice Department now believes that it has collected enough evidence to bring a new antitrust case, according to several people close to the inquiry, and government lawyers were raising the threat of an expanded case as they prepared to confront Microsoft at the bargaining table. An antitrust expert who is acting as a consultant to Microsoft said it would be surprising if the Justice Department filed a new suit in the next month, given the state of negotiations with the software publisher. "The timing is in the hands of the Department," said Charles Rule, a lawyer with the Washington firm of Covington & Burling who headed the Justice Department's antitrust division in the Reagan administration and is now a legal consultant to Microsoft. "But given the pace of normal investigations and based on the available information, it doesn't appear that anything is imminent." I had to quote that just to show the NYT's proper attribution for my old pal Charles "Rick" Rule. One crucial issue that reached beyond the so-called "browser wars" was Microsoft's control of the appearance of the user's desktop. Computer makers have continued to express to Justice Department officials their frustration about Microsoft's total control over the computer's "boot-up" sequence -- that is, what appears on the screen when the computer is started. Current licensing agreements forbid computer makers to add their own logos or other content during boot-up, industry executives said. "Its a violation of the Sherman Act to condition the sale of Windows on the control of the user's desktop," Wasch said. "Justice has to demonstrate that Microsoft is controlling the screen display. They have that evidence; they have the contracts from the computer makers." The Sherman Act vs. the integrity and uniformity of the Windows experience. Which will rule? Some find the former odious, others find the latter a source of endless bemusement, if not downright oxymoronic. The legal standing of the latter is about as dubious as the technical interpretation, I'd say. Cheers, Dan.

To: Daniel Schuh who wrote (18350)	4/8/1998 12:20:00 AM
From: Eugene Goodman	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 24154

Dan I have followed this thread for years but I still can not get upset about Microsoft. How can I? I bought it three years ago at the after split cost of 13. My basis for INTC is about the same. At about the same time I bought NSCP and SUMW. I sold NSCP about a year ago. I still have SUNW, but it is now dead money: up 50 %. All of you guys may be right from an emotional standpoint, but this web site is supposed to about investing. I do not think that this expansion of the PC market to small $ 500 computers will substantially change INTC's future profitability. The size of the market will increase and the people that bought the small, performance limited computers will want to trade up to a bigger one is a couple of years. While this is happening the is a real big world out there with relatively little PC penetration. In addition. Andy Grove is doing the strategic planning at Intel. I read some time ago that the only sure indication that we have that the earth has been visited by aliens form outer space is the genius shown by so many Hungarians. Gene