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[News] [Rival] Microsoft's "Getting Them Addicted" Turns to "Crime" (Microsoft Needs $$$)

  • Subject: [News] [Rival] Microsoft's "Getting Them Addicted" Turns to "Crime" (Microsoft Needs $$$)
  • From: Roy Schestowitz <newsgroups@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Sat, 09 Feb 2008 02:21:21 +0000
  • Newsgroups: comp.os.linux.advocacy
  • Organization: Netscape / schestowitz.com
  • User-agent: KNode/0.10.4
Microsoft, police fight global battle against counterfeiters

,----[ Quote ]
| Soon, PCs in more than a dozen countries were running illegal copies of 
| Windows and Office, turning unwitting consumers into criminals and, Microsoft 
| says, exposing them to increased risk of malicious viruses and spyware.  
`----

http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/02/08/microsoft.piracy.ap/index.html?eref=rss_tech

Scare tactics there at the end. Also, propaganda words, "pirate" and "criminal"
are used despite the fact that Microsoft relies on this and even encourages
this in place. It must really need some cash now... also in the news:

Microsoft: Streaming Office 'infringes license'

,----[ Quote ]
| Microsoft has said that the Internet service provider Fasthosts, which has 
| started offering a hosted version of Microsoft Office 2007, is infringing on 
| the software giant's license regulations.  
`----

http://news.zdnet.com/2100-3513_22-6229776.html

Squeezing for cash in any possible way.


Days ago:

Investor worries hang over Microsoft bid

,----[ Quote ]
| The investor backlash during the past week has reduced Microsoft's market 
|                                                ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
| value by more than $40 billion, an amount roughly equal to the current value 
| ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
| of its bid for Yahoo.  
`----

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080208/ap_on_hi_te/microsoft_yahoo


Microsoft says to borrow money for Yahoo deal

,----[ Quote ]
| Microsoft Corp said on Monday it may borrow money for the first time in its 
|                                      ^^^^^^^^^^^^
| history to fund a portion of its $44.6 billion unsolicited offer for Yahoo 
| Inc.  
`----

http://www.reuters.com/article/companyNews/idUSN0455692920080205


Recent:

Was Vista a disaster for Microsoft?

,----[ Quote ]
| Recently Microsoft posted their profits for 2007. Despite Vista being one of 
| the worst disasters to hit the computer systems markets since Windows ME, 
| Microsoft seemed to come out way ahead... or did they?  
| 
| Profits don't always tell the full story about how a company performs, and 
| I'm not talking about Enron.
`----

http://zerias.blogspot.com/2008/01/was-vista-disaster-for-microsoft.html


Dueling Fools: Microsoft Bear

,----[ Quote ]
| You don't need to watch the 'I'm a Mac, I'm a PC' commercials to see that 
| Microsoft is taking a beating. You see it in the company's financials where 
| its online unit, incredibly, is operating at a loss; overheating Xbox 360 
| consoles find the company taking a huge warranty hit for a system losing 
| market share to the Wii; and the upgrade wave of its flagship operating 
| system has been more of a ripple than a tsunami. That last point is 
| important. This was supposed to be Microsoft's final feast, the major last 
| hurrah for its Windows Vista operating entry and its Office 2007 suite of 
| applications before the inevitable embrace of cheaper open source operating 
| systems and Web-based apps... In fact, even Microsoft will tell you that its 
| fortunes peaked several months ago.          
`----

http://www.fool.com/investing/value/2008/01/23/microsoft-bear-argument.aspx


A Dozen Stocks For '07

,----[ Quote ]
| Millen also thinks $36 billion in planned share buybacks
| will help the stock.
`----

http://www.forbes.com/2006/12/05/stocks-markets-investing-pf-ii-cz_ag_1205stockpicks.html?partner=yahootix
http://tinyurl.com/yjzfbo


Top 10 Stocks With Big Insider Buying, Buybacks

,----[ Quote ]
| One of the primary goals of Stockpickr.com is to allow everyday investors a 
| look at what the big guns are buying. Often, we see a big-name investor 
| loading up on a particular stock. This is usually a good sign, because you 
| know that person put a lot of time and due diligence into that process.   
| 
| But when that same company announces that an insider has purchased a large 
| chunk of stock or, even better, the board announces a new large share-buyback 
| program, that usually seals the bullish case for the stock.   
`----

http://www.thestreet.com/_yahoo/newsanalysis/stockpickr/10401207.html?cm_ven=YAHOO&amp;cm_cat=FREE&amp;cm_ite=NA


Microsoft counts on Vista to recharge stagnant stock

,----[ Quote ]
| There was a time in the 1990s when shares of Microsoft stock seemed to
| double every couple of years. 1996: college for the kids. 1998: a place
| on Whidbey. 1999: early retirement.
|
| Times have changed.
`---- 

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2003437957_vista19.html


Commentary: Microsoft needs more than just buybacks to lift its shares

,----[ Quote ]
| Microsoft shares, which have been dormant for the last few years,
| have been looking up over the last couple months. The Dow industrials
| component has gained about 20% since hitting a 4-year low of $21.46 o
| June 13.
|
| To help move things along, Microsoft not only launched a $40 billion
| stock repurchase program that lasts through 2011, the company also said
| its previously announced 4-year, $30 billion stock buyback program was
| completed in just 2 years.
`----

http://www.marketwatch.com/News/Story/Story.aspx?guid=%7B685EFB89%2D5791%2D4E8B%2DAD6A%2D9688F5B6012A%7D&source=blq%2Fyhoo&dist=yhoo&siteid=yhoo


Software Notebook: Microsoft's cash pile isn't what it used to be

,----[ Quote ]
| But Microsoft has taken a series of steps to reduce its cash
| balance. Specifically, by Microsoft's count, the company has
| paid out nearly $100 billion through dividends and repurchasing
| its own stock in the past five years.
`----

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/309852_software02.html


Microsoft Hides Its Mobile and Business Apps Divisions

,----[ Quote ]
| The company is folding its two worst-performing divisions -- Microsoft
| Business Solutions (its business applications unit) and its Mobile and
| Embedded units -- into the Microsoft Business Division and Microsoft Home
| and Entertainment units, respectively.
`---- 

http://www.microsoft-watch.com/article2/0,1995,1990243,00.asp?kc=MWRSS02129TX1K0000535


How Much is Too Much?

,----[ Summary ]
| Microsoft says it will stick with Xbox. But with years of heavy losses
| behind it, the pressure's on for the gaming division to make good
`----

http://www.businessweek.com/innovate/content/oct2006/id20061013_283856.htm?campaign_id=rss_topStories
http://tinyurl.com/yxdr4j


Microsoft stoic despite massive losses

,----[ Quote ]
| If you were to judge by the PR rhetoric, you'd think the 360 was
| an unstoppable commercial juggernaut. As usual though, PR lies.
`----

http://www.gamerscan.com/articles/06/10/09/microsofts.massive.losses/


Loot: Redmond, We Have a Problem, Or, What's Wrong With the Xbox 360

,----[ Quote ]
| At this point, Former becomes impassioned. That's not fair, he says;
| we always saw this as a long-term venture. To which we reply that we
| were talking about the original Xbox, and while other divisions of
| the company throw off more profits in a single quarter than the
| entire $5 billion or so lost in the home and entertainment division
|        ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
| to date, the fact remains that, as we take-our-word-for-it predicted,
| the Xbox group has been spectacularly unprofitable for Microsoft.
| Hence, our heretofore unpublished Vietnam analogy. The rest of the
| night is a blur, but we digress.
| 
| [...]
| 
| The worst case scenario for Microsoft, then, is one in which the Xbox
| 360's bid for the mass market is blocked by the Wii for the next two to
| three years, at which point the aging and underpowered Wii gives way
| to a cheaper-than-it-is-now PS3 with a selection of AAA titles that's
| far wider than what the PS3 has at the moment; new installments of
| Playstation's own popular and casual-leaning games; and a slew of
| new franchises from Sony's much-larger studio operation.
`----

http://ncroal.talk.newsweek.com/default.asp?item=533168


The Secret Failures of Microsoft

,----[ Quote ]
| There is no choice involved; even most Linux users are forced to pay for a
| Microsoft license in order to obtain a brand name PC.
|
| [...]
|
| They are bound to an oath to swear allegiance to Windows XP Professional,
| and must never mention Linux and Windows in the same breath. If they step
| out of line in any way, Microsoft dramatically raises their OEM licensing
| fees and sends them to indoctrination camp, where they face chairs being
| hurled at them by angry monkeys.
|
| [...]
|
| Why do Windows enthusiasts exibit much hostility to an obvious fact?
| Because if they admit that 80% of the company's revenues come entirely
| from an OEM tax, and not from any choice on the part of consumers...
|
| [...]
|
| Microsoft's decade of investments in WinCE and Windows Mobile
| Smartphones have only barely matched the market share of Palm, which
| itself is a run down company out of ideas. Microsoft couldn't
| out-maneuver the incompetent Palm within a decade of trying; now both
| are ineffectually fighting over the dying PDA industry while Linux and
| Symbian slaughter them in the smartphone arena:
|  
| Symbian 75%; Linux 14%; Microsoft 5%; Palm 5%.
|
| [...]
|
| (many more failures listed)
`----

http://www.roughlydrafted.com/RD/Q4.06/2E6D9BB2-FE1B-4556-8389-67BD581FBCCC.html


Wis. Bill to Require Tax Loophole Data

,----[ Quote ]
| Wisconsin Bill Would Require More Reporting on Tax Loopholes
| 
| [...]
| 
| A message left with Microsoft was not immediately returned.
`----

http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/071219/wi_corporate_taxes.html?.v=4


Ecuador Tax Agency Closes Microsoft Branch Offices For 7 Days

,----[ Quote ]
| "We have twice requested balances, payment reports and complete tax 
| information, but the company hasn't given it to us, so in accordance with our 
| laws we have proceeded with the closure," the SRI official in charge of the 
| proceeding said.   
`----

http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/djf500/200710041610DOWJONESDJONLINE000810_FORTUNE5.htm


Microsoft Office raid in Hungary

,----[ Quote ]
| "Such behavior could lead to the exclusion of competitive products from 
| the market and violate European Union rules, according to the authority 
| known as the GVH."
`----

http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2007/07/26/ap3957835.html


Microsoft's past stock options practice poses questions

,----[ Quote ]
| Microsoft in 1999 announced that it would end a policy of awarding
| options at monthly lows and said it would take a $217 million charge,
| though many details of that discontinued practice haven't been widely
| known, The Wall Street Journal said Friday.
|
| Those details raise questions about how Microsoft began the practice,
| what prompted the company to end it and whether the way the options
| were dated--at 30-day lows the month after they were
| granted--influenced other companies, it said.
`----

http://news.zdnet.com/2100-3513_22-6084617.html


Microsoft's Bach sold more stock before Xbox news

,----[ Quote ]
| Microsoft Corp. executive Robbie Bach sold $3 million more in company stock 
| during the period leading up to an announcement about a costly flaw in its 
| Xbox video game console than previously reported, according to a filing 
| Monday with the Securities and Exchange Commission.   
`----

http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/microsofts-bach-sold-additional-stock/story.aspx?guid=%7BBECA3A50-EF33-4161-A111-A43BDC8B0462%7D&siteid=yhoof

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