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

To: Dwight E. Karlsen who wrote (8108)	5/28/1998 7:26:00 PM
From: FR1	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 74651

Dwight - Here is the same response from another perspective: 1) The primary duty of a OS is to allow the user to manipulate data on disk. 2) When a significant LAN (such as Novell, Win9x/NT, etc) becomes available it is the duty of the OS to make sure its core code is rewritten to accommodate the LAN. 3) We have a new LAN - it is called the Internet. 4) All that is happening is that MSFT is rewriting its OS so that users can manipulate files on all qualifying computer disks on the Internet. 5) The desktop interface that is seen by the user, by definition, is a internet browser. 6) DOJ can not demand the OS code be rewritten to DOJ specifications (beyond being ridiculous, you would have first demand the same of SUN, APPLE, IBM, SCO, DEC, etc). 7) DOJ can try to demand that Netscape be put on MSFT OS but this is senseless. Netscape will work as Netscape should on MSFT OS but all Netscape will do is browse - it will not interface with all the new OS code features that allows manipulation of files on the internet, etc. It is like putting a Rollys Royce hood ornament on a old car and calling it a Rollys Royce. It looks kinda ok but when you step on the gas you find that under the hood we got a problem (and MSFT will make sure you do have a problem). So using the Netscape browser instead of the MSFT OS interface is crazy! DOJ can't possibly know what they are talking about! 8) DOJ can not demand MSFT make source code available - it would have to demand the same from all OS OEMs on the market (Sun, Apple, IBM, DEC, SCO, etc). Talk to them first. The bottom line is that the Internet has to become a part of any modern day OS. MSFT simply happens to be the first to do it because they have the money. Apple, Sun and all the others will have to rewrite their OS to do the same sometime soon (and they will not use Netscape to replace their desktop user interface unless they buy Netscape). DOJ can, and will, slap MSFT's hands for being a bully. No big deal. Write "I promise not to be a bad boy again." 100 times on the blackboard. - aahhh.....ok! A big fine against MSFT does no good. All the DOJ will be doing is raising the price of software for the consumer and putting that money in the pockets of lawyers or pork-barrel politicians (which are all screaming for the money right now). Declare MSFT a monopoly and regulate the price of software? Gimme a break!!! What's your favorite number DOJ? My accountants can create cost reports faster than your accountants can interpret them. And the beat goes on.