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Technology Stocks : C-Cube -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: DiViT who wrote (32922)	5/4/1998 8:31:00 PM
From: Scotsman	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 50808

Off topic kinda I have been on vacation and have been reviewing the posts. Great stuff all. But I am still concerned with the Microsoft issue and the DOJ. Over the weekend I got out the Prize, which I referred to in comparing Gates and MSFT to Rockefeller and Standard. ( By the way, its by Daniel Yergen. Sorry about the misspelled author in my earlier posts.) After reading the book ( highly recommended) and watching the PBS special I checked out of the library based on the book, I am more convinced that the DOJ is going to fill Sherman Anti Trust against them. OK, I'm crazy. But during the Standard suit, when it went to the Supreme Court, the deciding issue was not if Standard was a monopoly, but rather did it inhibit others from competing and innovating. I think there is a lot of evidence that would support that Microsoft has inhibited innovation as anyone that wished to innovate had to do it effectively by MSFT's leave as they had to make any system they created for the PC fit Window's. There was and still is little option. Unfortunately this is the same thing Standard did to the oil industry, and since the Supreme Court found against them, I have to assume they will do the same now. I guess we will find out by May 15. If the DOJ is going to do anything, they will do it before MSFT ships Windows 98. But one indication of how scared MSFT is of this possibility is the conference next Monday with all the big guns on MSFT's side appearing, such as Dell. I don't think MSFT would be doing this very public conference that is actually going to address the monopoly issue on TV supossedly if they were not really worried. However, I think that the announcment they made today that " any delay in the release of Windows 98 will have very negative affects on the entire computer industry." made by MSFT's CFO, was a mistake. It was a veiled threat to the DOJ, effectively saying " Hey, if you guy's want to keep the market up and hence stay in power keep your paws off." Another stupid move as most people in government resent this attitude from the private sector, have no love of large companies, and will probably be more inspired than ever to bring down this arrogant company. Anyway, I'm staying out of the market until after the 15th. Not that this will have any long term effect on Cube, but for those that were counting on Window's 98 pushing up the time table, it could be negative. JMHO One last note before I go. I have also somewhat changed my views on the question of should MSFT be broken up. Prior to this weekend I was all in favor of it. But when I review the "Prize" I found that Standard oil was already losing market share and weakening when they were broken up, so perhaps market forces do work and competition brings these things down on its own. I guess I have mixed feelings.