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

To: Daniel Schuh who wrote (18863)	5/1/1998 11:53:00 PM
From: Daniel Schuh	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 24154

Trickle-down effect? www5.zdnet.com Expected government lawsuits against Microsoft Corp. could have a trickle-down effect that would impact vendors as well as users in the computer industry. The potential suits from a dozen states and the U.S. Department of Justice could expand beyond the issue of Windows 98's integration of Internet Explorer, possibly focusing on Microsoft's contracts and relationships with partners and its attempts to bundle additional applications and technologies into its operating systems. Well, one would hope so. The browser thing is just the most obvious example of standard Microsoft business practice, once you open that can of worms, where do you stop? Embrace and Demolish knows no bounds. The cases from both the states and the DOJ may expand far beyond Windows 98. Sources say that both the state attorneys general and the DOJ have continually requested information from Sun Microsystems Inc. about Microsoft's actions regarding Java. Always an interesting matter, I'd say. Also in the spotlight is how Microsoft's integration of features into its operating systems can cripple startups with similar products. Where, as a moderate aside, I'll again comment on Bill's favorite inevitable next "innovation" on the OS front, speech recognition. There are of course products on the market, from a variety of companies, but it doesn't much matter. Funny thing is, after all the much vaunted research effort by Mighty Microsoft, an old pattern seems to be repeating itself: Speech Technology Is Not Ready For Windows techweb.com When Microsoft does incorporate speech into the OS, it will use technology from Lernout & Hauspie, in Burlington, Mass. In September, Microsoft invested $45 million in L&H, and the two companies announced an alliance aimed at speeding the inclusion of speech technology in the Windows platform. Lernout & Hauspie stuff is supposed to be good, but they're not the most visible product. I imagine they got the proverbial offer you can't refuse. Microsoft could have done it in a week, no doubt, but they had other things on their mind. Cheers, Dan.