Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Technology Stocks : Enterprise Informatics -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: bob zagorin who wrote (3694)	5/19/1999 3:13:00 AM
From: Michael Watkins	Respond to of 13797

Bob, IMHO, Mike's perspective is welcome but sould be tempered by our knowledge that he has been selling against Altris for years in the field just as anyone else should take our perspecive with a grain of salt because we are long the stock. I'm glad you finished your statement as you did. Very nice balance in your thinking and I appreciate it. Perhaps I'm reacting still to Jack's comment, but I would like to also comment on your suggestion that I've been selling against Altris for years. Again, I've never, ever, once, been in competition with them. I have nothing to gain from posting anything positive or negative against Altris. In fact, I have more to lose (sleep, which I should be doing instead of typing this!) than gain. The only competition I consider are OTEX, FILE, DOCS, DCTM, and MSFT and Lotus. Occasionally a little private company called Netright. And that's it. There are a number of smaller DM companies, a smattering of workflow companies, and a handfull of KM companies out there. Most of them, I believe, will remain small niche players or be out of business within 3 years. Either through M+A activity or the coming commoditization of much of the technology thanks to MSFT and OTEX. Some high end solutions will persist but those companies will look more like super-VARS or application specific players. Like ALTS could focus on engineering and drop everything else(I've suggested this a few times over the past year or so). FILE could focus on Finance. DCTM on Drugs and Derivatives or whatever the heck they are up to. Why, then, do I post - given that I have no intent at all to invest in ALTS? I was going to say I don't know, but frankly I just enjoy the intellectual and strategic side of investing. Since this is my area of business I follow all the players. I hope that as I put forward thoughts in print that my own thinking will coalese and be refined as both good and bad ideas come out. Hopefully dialog that I am engaged in with others will contribute to my thinking, and all of this result in supporting my own business plans and potential investment decisions whether in this industry or not. Regards Michael