Microsoft hits new ethical low point?

Ron Peterson ron.peterson at yellowbank.com
Fri Feb 16 13:39:27 EST 2001


Seth Gordon wrote:
>
> Also, the folks who say "doesn't Microsoft have enough money?"

that would be me ;-)

> are
> missing an important point: The people who invest money in Microsoft
> don't want it to have a certain quantity of money, they want it to
> *grow*, year after year.  If it's perceived that open-source
> competition is putting a ceiling on Microsoft's market share or profit
> margins, this will (further) drive down Microsoft's stock price, which
> will make Microsoft less able to attract employees by giving them
> stock options, which will force Microsoft to choose between paying
> workers more cash (depressing their profit margin further) or settling
> for a less talented work force, etc., etc.

Absolutely agreed, except for the "missing" part.

This reminds me of a quote (which I'll probably misquote) by Mark
Twain (I think): "Interpolation is just a fancy way of saying that if
you're standing on the south side of a cliff, you should keep walking
north, because the ground has been level so far."

If Allchin's actions constitute a jihad on behalf of misguided
shareholders, that in no way justifies those actions.

-Ron-

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