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To: MileHigh who wrote (20197)	5/13/1999 1:02:00 AM
From: pompsander	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 93625

it just staggers the mind to realize what any company, let alone Microsoft, can do VERY QUICKLY when it has 14 billion dollars in cash to spread around.

To: MileHigh who wrote (20197)	5/13/1999 1:15:00 AM
From: Dave B	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 93625

MileHigh, Interesting article, but it seems to conflict itself... Just last week, MSFT made a $5 billion investment in AT&T to make sure that AT&T would use its Windows CE software and, earlier this week, the company plopped down $600 million in order to secure favorable terms with Nextel Communications NXTL 38 1/8 +1) so that the wireless operator would use the Microsoft Network. versus.. While this strategy does not speak well for the confidence the company may have on its ongoing business, Mr. Gates is being realistic and prudent in guarding his franchise value by leveraging what he already has with what the world is likely to look like in the future. While no one will ever call MSFT a "has been" company, recent investment patterns suggest that MSFT is looking for greener pastures as users move away from the once dominant operating system that MSFT created. It seems to be saying that Microsoft is investing all this money to make sure that it's current products are used in these new environments/situations then turns around and claims that this is somehow a negative ("no confidence in it's on-going business") and that users are moving away from its once dominant operating system (WHAT!!!! Let's check the sales figures on that one. I'm pretty sure they're UP!). Would the author have said that Microsoft's entry into the office applications market showed a lack of confidence in its operating system business? How about Microsoft's entry into games? On the contrary, it's simply taking advantage of new opportunities. It seems to me that the first part of the article is saying that Microsoft is simply investing to ensure that its products continue to be the dominant platform in the new, interconnected world. There doesn't seem to be anything wrong with that! Sounds like business as usual, and definitely doesn't support the author's conclusion. But I could be wrong. Maybe Bill Gates is figuring out right now how to lay everybody off in the OS division to save money and provide a war chest for attacking the internet market. <G> Where was this article from? Who wrote it? Dave