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Technology Stocks : How high will Microsoft fly? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Dwight E. Karlsen who wrote (6816)	5/10/1998 8:39:00 PM
From: J Krnjeu	Respond to of 74651

Mr. Dwight E. Karlsen, I agree 110% with you. Good post! Thank you JK

To: Dwight E. Karlsen who wrote (6816)	5/10/1998 10:18:00 PM
From: Moominoid	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 74651

> >> > from ww.globes.co.il (02/05/98) >> > >> > Livnat, Netanyahu Sell Out Israel to Bill Gates >> > >> > By Efi Landau >> > >> > The agreement signed by the State of >> > Israel and the State of Microsoft is >> > ridiculous. Microsoft, Bezeq and >> > NetVision, each of them a monopoly in its >> > field, are the big winners of the walk-over >> > war without struggle over the Israeli >> > Internet and accompanying software >> > market. Israel emerges as a banana >> > republic, whose real rulers are Bill Gates >> > and his emissary Steve Ballmer. >> > >> > Prime Minister's Office director general >> > Moshe Leon last week signed an >> > agreement with Microsoft associate >> > president Steve Ballmer, according to >> > which every telephone owner in Israel will >> > receive an e-mailbox from NetVision >> > (partner to the agreement), with a Bezeq >> > number (partner to the agreement) >> > instead of a user name, which he will be >> > able to use gratis one hour per month, a >> > considerable amount for personal e-mail >> > needs in Hebrew. All this is accomplished >> > with the aid of Microsoft's mail software. >> > This was the first sin. >> > >> > The second sin is the distribution to those >> > subscribers of Microsoft's >> > Hebrew-language browser Explorer 4.0 >> > (or a more updated version), through >> > which it will be possible to connect up to >> > the online project "available >> > administration", a favorite of Michael >> > Eitan - whereby services can be obtained >> > via the ministerial offices' Intranet >> > network. What has happened here? It is >> > painfully simple. Microsoft got away with >> > another of its monopolistic marketing >> > activities, only this time, it cast its spell on >> > an entire government and sold it >> > electronic mail for all. >> > >> > It is unclear who will foot the bill for the >> > deliveries, the printing of instructions for >> > use, customer service, or the several >> > dozen employees who will make their >> > living out of the deal. Probably the >> > Ministries of Communications and >> > Science. And if Microsoft finances the >> > above, the donation will be tax deductible. >> > It will not suffer any loss. Following mass >> > distribution, the whole of Israel will be in >> > the pockets of Bill Gates, Ruth Alon >> > (NetVision) and Ami Arel (Bezeq). >> > Nothing more will ever be heard of >> > Netscape's browser, for example. There >> > will be those who will claim that the >> > company deserves it, since it did not >> > bother to translate its Navigator into >> > Hebrew. >> > >> > It is astonishing that Israel, supposedly a >> > state upholding the rule of law, can sign >> > an agreement with a commercial foreign >> > company, whose wildest dream is to do >> > the same in every country in the world, >> > without issuing a public tender. What >> > about the Mandatory Tenders Law, >> > Moshe Leon? Who do you think it >> > obligates if not you? Have you heard of >> > the Israeli company NetManage that also >> > has e-mail software in Hebrew, called >> > Chameleon? Perhaps it is not as >> > sophisticated as Bill Gates's program, >> > but, were you to publish a list of >> > requirements for the tender, perhaps it >> > would have met the criteria. We are not >> > talking about multimedia, just electronic >> > mail. >> > >> > Why, for example should NetVision, an >> > Israeli Internet monopoly, be the electronic >> > mail box supplier, and not Internet Gold, >> > or any other Internet company? Just like >> > that, without a tender, a commercial >> > Internet company is given access to every >> > Israeli household? Who will ever hear of >> > Internet competitors after this? >> > >> > And as for Bezeq, it finally realized its >> > dream. Internet in every home, and with a >> > Bezeq number. What will Minister of >> > Communications Limor Livnat say to >> > potential Bezeq competitors in the >> > domestic market, which she would like to >> > open up in 1999? Perhaps she will tell >> > them she is sorry, she was simply >> > mesmerized by the name Bill Gates and >> > his billions. Make no mistake, the initial >> > condition for a good market is direct >> > access. Usually a commercial company >> > purchases direct access to customers, >> > through different methods, paying >> > considerably for it. Direct access to an >> > entire country is priceless. It simply does >> > not exist in any marketing theories. >> > Unless it is provided gratis, merely in >> > exchange for a handshake from Steve >> > Ballmer. >> > >> > Published by Israel's Business Arena >> > April 27, 1998 >