[Am-info] Sun Files Antitrust Lawsuit Against Microsoft

[John J. Urbaniak]

John Poltorak wrote:

> On Sat, Mar 09, 2002 at 06:41:56AM -0500, John J. Urbaniak wrote:
> >
> >
> > Erick Andrews wrote:
> >
> > > On Fri, 08 Mar 2002 15:39:16 -0500, John J. Urbaniak wrote:
> > >
> > > >I think IBM owes it to its stockholders to sue too.
> > > >
> > > >John
> > >
> > > I wonder if such issues are brought up at stockholders'
> > > meetings?  And if so, would only the stockholders be
> > > privy to the minutes?
> > >
> >
> > Any stockholder can file a motion.  That motion must be presented to all
> > stockholders for a vote, usually by the annual meeting.
> >
> > I would love to hear IBM exec's explanation why they shouldn't sue MS.
>
> I guess they should be persuaded to initiate a case soon because there
> might not be much left after everyone else has taken their share...
>

Just some rough calculations (please correct any errors I make):

1. Assume there are approx 1 billion computers out there.

2. Assume OS/2 could have achieved roughly 20% share of all PC OSes had
Microsoft not acted illegally against OS/2.

3. 20% of 1 billion is 200 million.

4. Assume revenue of $75 per OS sale.

5. 3 times 4 is, if I did my math correctly, is $15 BILLION revenue which MS
screwed IBM out of.

6.  I think there are about 3 billion shares of IBM outstanding.

7.  IBM would be justified in suing MS for 15 Billion, and if they win, that
figure would be tripled according to Antitrust law.  That's 45 billion.

8.  45 billion divided by 3 billion shares comes to $15 per share of IBM.  If
one has 100 shares of IBM, that's $1,500.

John