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To: Sun Tzu who wrote (8255)	10/15/1998 5:16:00 PM
From: Mitchell Ryan	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 16960

<<P.S. Sun Micro just missed the estimates big time. It should be interesting tomorrow.>> SUNW earnings were $0.50 actual vs. $0.49 estimated. How do you interpret this as missing big time?

To: Sun Tzu who wrote (8255)	10/15/1998 5:24:00 PM
From: Michael G. Potter	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 16960

Inventory still seems very high (on Days of Sales basis), but the guidance given in the CC may change my view. Margins may be much lower this month because the inventory charges probably went to COGS (that's the "normal" place to put them). Michael

To: Sun Tzu who wrote (8255)	10/15/1998 6:01:00 PM
From: Daniel P. Dwyer	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 16960

Got your response and called five people to ask them what number came to mind when I said "several." Answer: seven, as in seven brides for seven brothers, seven story mountain, seventh heaven, lucky seven, etc. Certainly, not 3 to 5 and I agree not 9. You better check your book. It may have some pages missing. Dan Dwyer

To: Sun Tzu who wrote (8255)	10/15/1998 6:15:00 PM
From: Simon Cardinale	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 16960

"Several" is subject to interpretation. I think "a few" is generally accepted to be 3, possibly four. For many people "several" translates as "seven" (largely for alliterative reasons I think). As I recall you were estimating a loss of about .50, so even though you claim several means 3~5 for you, clearly it didn't confuse you. I think Ballard didn't give a precise number because he couldn't. The quarter was back-loaded toward the holiday season and he didn't know how bad it would be. He was vague because projections were vague. I accept that, though not happily. My worry is, why did Ballard say he was "comfortable" with estimates as they were revised at the time of the warning? Were those estimates substantially different from the estimates that made it into the First Call consensus? Simon