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

To: johnd who wrote (17092)	3/1/1999 7:15:00 PM
From: t2	Respond to of 74651

If they don't make moves toward settlement--it may mean that MSFT is confident with the anti-trust suit. Maybe they are thinking that recent leaks (today) from DOJ about transparent pricing for Windows is the worst case scenario. I think it would serve the purpose of the DOJ in that PC companies won't be pressured by MSFT -ie load up other software with the fear of big bad Microsoft. DOJ is under political pressure as well--don't be regulating the industry. DOJ has to balance this also. If that is worst case, why not let it drag on the case anyways--for a long time with appeals if necessary. There is no harm. The witness phase is almost over so that the negative press is not going to be a problem anyways. IF i was the MSFT legal team, I might to be inclined to take the chance with Judge Jackson. The only reason to settle would be if DOJ acknowledges that MSFT does not have a windows monopoly (or that is is not proven). This way any private lawsuits have to prove monopoly and then harm. It would make it a bigger hurdle. Maybe this reason alone is sufficient to settle---maybe not!!! BTW--IMHO the DOJ and states are also under heavy pressure. No one wants to labelled as "big government" or even supporting "big government" I think Bill Gates and company got things under control. With all this hype about Linux----the pressure shifts a bit to the DOJ to work out a face saving deal (i know it sounds silly but imo, it is very logical)