Conference 7.286::digital

    Perhaps the answer lies in a WSJ article on H-P's 1st quarter earnings,
    which were "stellar", to say the least.
    
    Some quotes:
    
    "H-P is also benefiting from trends that have bolstered rivals as well,
    he said.  "The demand picture for computer-systems companies in the
    last six to nine months has been the best environment in years."
    
    "A broad range of computer and software companies have topped analysts'
    expectations recently."
    
    "Among many others with net income at the high end of, or exceeding,
    Wall Street estimates: Microsoft Corp., International Business Mahines
    Corp., and Digital Equipment Corp."
    
    "Technology companies are benefiting from increased capital spending in
    the U.S. that has accompanied the economic recovery and from reviving
    demand from overseas markets.  Moreever, corporations are increasing
    purchases of all types of computer equipment and software as they move
    to tie desl-top computers into databases and networks, said analyst
    Steven Milunovich of Morgan Stanley."
    
    A RISING TIDE LIFTS ALL BOATS!
    

    
    	Word is not good. Won't go into numbers, but the US is seriously
    behind the 8 ball. I'd be more interested in creative suggestions
    on improving sales of Alpha boxes other than allowances and special
    discounts.
    
    	My thought would be spend $25,000 on Alpha and get a (enter model
    we have the most of, ie; slow mover) PC for FREE. "Cause it is slow
    out here in the boonies".
    
    		the Greyhawk	

    >suggestions on improving sales of Alpha boxes other than allowances
    >and special discounts
    
    If the [potential] customers run NT, make sure to show them copy
    of the March 1995 issue of BYTE Magazine.  It has an excellent
    review of Alpha workstation boxes.  They need to sell themselves
    on price/performance merits, and this review will certainly help.
    kb

    
    	And why, pray tell, hasn't our illustrious marketing organization
    flooded the field with reprints? Hello...
    
    		the Greyhawk

    Any idea why Q3 is bad, appart from usually being bad? I'm sure there
    is a million reasons, but as we transform ourselves from a blob to a
    blorp, which are the most significant problems in the field right now?

   >Per

I suspect Q3 is bad for the following reasons:

o we emptied our pipeline in order to report a good Q2

o we played every (hopefully legal) trick in accounting to move Q2 expenses
	into Q3, and claim Q3 revenues in Q2

Ram

    
    How about little to no "direct" sales force ?

    
    How about Distribution (our *new* BIG engine) sales in the
    dipsy-dumptser?
    
    		the Greyhawk

    
    
    Seems like we're paring down the bone these days with the transitions,
    in all departments.
    
    
    Mike

    We probably didn't cut enough people.  Maybe another 10K would help.
    Or maybe we didn't hire enough new managers to keep the business going
    in the right direction.
    
    Hey!  Don't laugh.  I'm sure someone is thinking about it.  Just watch.
    
    Jim Morton

    
    	Oh no Mr. Bill - Mr. Hand is going to cxome and... SQUISH
    
    	I wish I'd thought of that - more managers. It plays right into our
    core compentancies, for sure.
    
    
    		the Greyhawk

    I've seen more people leave Digital over the last 2 months, mostly on
    their own, then ever.  People are interviewing hard.  Support areas,
    Sales, everything...
    
    I've always had customers offering jobs to the consultants I sold to
    work there, but the difference is, now, the consultants are taking the
    offers.  I've lost three in the last three weeks and offers are being
    considered by at least three others..
    
    This worries me more than a little bit.
    

    
    Our Plant Manager said last night that the company is EXPECTING to 
    be profitable in Q3 AND Q4. He was also predicting that the shares
    could hit $40 by the end of Q4, stating that it would be our last
    chance to make a little bit of money before the takeover. 
    
    Listening to the doom and gloom in here makes me wonder if he gets
    his info from a different source... or is he just trying to keep 
    everybody here (SQF) happy before we turn into MOS 16.
                                                          

        Why would anyone be unhappy, especially when were constantly being told
    how lucky we are to have a job.  Heck!  the threat of loosing ones job
    should be an incentive for each of us to smile and be happy.

    	Too tell the truth, I haven't heard locally that we are in for a
    bad or a good time.  I'm just tired of seeing this company destroy
    itself with stupidity.  I hope we do have a good quarter.

    Jim Morton

    
    >    Why would anyone be unhappy, especially when were constantly being told
    >how lucky we are to have a job.  Heck!  the threat of loosing ones job
    >should be an incentive for each of us to smile and be happy.
    
    According to the latest Money Mag, 'America's 50 Hottest Jobs':
    
    		1)  Computer Engineer		$70k
    		2)  Computer Systems Analyst	$53k
    		18) Computer repairer		$30k
    		44) Computer programmer		$38k
    
    
    

    
    	Let me add something here. I am a DECie, however one wants to spell
    it. I left Motorola in 1985 to come to DEC. Why, because we made
    computing better - better than anybody, anywhere, anytime. We
    engineered, manufactured, and sold SYSTEMS that were lightyears ahead
    of anything available. And Digital had been doing that for YEARS.
    	Now we seem to be paralyzed by changes in OUR industry. We have
    become a follower, a me-too, a wanttabe. And it makes me damn mad that
    we have "lost" all sense of vision, of compassion, of family that made
    this company one that people wanted to be part of.
    	And that, sports fans, is a management problem!
    
    	So...  management of Digital... if I make you mad, you have only
    your own short-comings to blame.
    
    
    		the Greyhawk
    	

    
    re: .13
    
>>    Our Plant Manager said last night that the company is EXPECTING to    
>>    be profitable in Q3 AND Q4. He was also predicting that the shares   
>>    could hit $40 by the end of Q4, stating that it would be our last   
>>    chance to make a little bit of money before the takeover.    
						      ^^^^^^^^
    						
    What takeover?

      .13's location is SQF, = South Queensferry; the chip plant in Scotland
    that we are selling off to Motorola. Once the sale goes through, they
    won't be able to buy DEC shares through ESPP any more.
    
    Ken

    RE:-1
    
    Yes,here at the impending 'takeover plant' we are so relaxed that the
    sun loungers,hammocks and recliners have come in oh so handy.
    So don't worry out there in Digital land nobody's going to take you
    over,or are they hehehehehhehehheaaaaaaaargh.
    
    Goodnight.
    

    
    	You know, I'm a trifle erked at those "former" DECies who now are
    in somebody else's hands and feel it necessary to remind those of us
    left that they have.
    
    	maybe a little more humility on the above's part is in order, eh
    what?
    
    			the Greyhawk

    I'm really sorry,it won't happen again Mr Greyhawk.
    
    G.

    
    No apology required Gordon, no matter how tongue in cheek. We at SQF, have
    been sold down the river (IMHO) by the DEC big boys for 30 pieces of
    silver. Gone are the days of compassion for employees, and concern for
    their welfare & well being. Now, the dollar is what matters most to our
    illustrious leaders (Yes....the ones that are on $200K a year).
    
    The higher managements lack of vision & ambition, has turned this
    computer giant into an also ran. I'm hoping for better things from
    Motorola. Here's to job security, better communications, bonuses for
    working hard & morale that's high, with our new employer.
    
    I also hope the DEC shares hit the $40 mark, so we can cream some cash
    in for all the hard work we've put in, during the last 6 years.
    
    Just think, with the $350M sale of this plant.......the company can
    promote another 50 or 60 vice-presidents of somethingorother. Nice to
    know some things never change !!
    
                                                                 

    Here....here....Gone yer self J.J..........
    
    
    
    Katrina

>    	You know, I'm a trifle erked at those "former" DECies who now are
>    in somebody else's hands and feel it necessary to remind those of us
>    left that they have.
    
    They havn't left, not yet anyway. SQF is a Digital site and the
    employees are Digital employees up to the end of June.
    
    Joe

    Greyhawk, you must be nearing your own FT1, huh?
    
    
    I suppose the real question is whether we believe the seeming
    lack of humanity in the way we are treated is deliberate or not.
    A common theme in many strings is some degree of disappointment
    or even outrage that someone would in good conscience do X,
    overlook Y, disregard Z.
    
    Did they? It's a double edged sword: mgt is our core competency
    and has gotten us to where we are today; does that track record
    warrant the assumption that, in human relations as in financial
    planning, "mgt" has made informed, deliberated, calculated
    decisions?
    
    It's not a philosophical question. For many it's a matter of
    survival: easier to endure hardship brought on by dereliction of
    duty than by outright malice. 
    
    
    

    
    can we stop this infighting and get back to the topic.
    2/3 of Q3 is over. any insights to how Q3 looks so far?
    

    I think it looks quite good and @3/3 of Q3,I will certainly be ordering
    a new sun lounger as this one is worn out.
    
    GB@SQF...............ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

    
    	Sorry if I offended anyone - it was meant to be tongue-in-cheek.
    
    	Q3 appears to rest on the next five weeks. At this point in time,
    	we in the US, are behind the eight ball. So it is nose to the
    	grindstone, book everything Dan-no, and pray it is enough. 
    
    	To close to call.
    
    		the Greyhawk

What are the speculations on the 6.5% stock jump of last friday ? Any 
relationship to anticipated Q3 results ?

    The whole market was up.
    
    		Steve

>>                               <<< Note 3688.30 by QUARK::LIONEL "Free advice is worth every cent" >>>
>>
>>    The whole market was up.
>>    
>>    		Steve

    That's right.  They say, the tide lifts all boats, even those
    that have turtled, and are still awash only due to the
    methane from the rotting of their slime covered hulls.

    Actually, digital was a bit late joining the rally of the
    technology stocks, which started earlier in the week.
    INTC hit a recent high on Thursday, which I guess shows that the
    doom and gloom of World Wide Whiners (WWW) doesn't affect the
    market. INTC was ~$63 on 01 Jan, and hit $86 on Thursday. 
    That's about a 36% run-up.

    Maybe AXPOpenGenerationAlpha needs a floating point bug, just
    for the publicity...

    re: .29
    
    Because on Thursday, I told IS to sell some.
    
    Bob

    Also, several analysts are saying "buy" on our stock, like
    Prudential for instance...

    Also, MCSD reminds us that here we are 50% into the FY and we only
    spent 30% of the capital budget. We are leaving some opportunities
    on the table.....
    
    Al
    

    In theory; however, none of this information should be making its
    way to Wall Street.
    
    Please keep up with the results though.

    The shares have risen $5 3/4 in one week ! Has somebody out there heard
    something about the quarter ?
    
    Dave
    ====

    I think it's just wild speculation myself. It's nice to see it rise
    regardless of the reason. I'm probably going to bail out if it hits 40.
    

    40's my magic number, tambien.

    <-----   Hmmmmm ....  I remember that. 
    (I bailed at 150-something and everybody told me I was crazy!)
    
    :^)  smilin-all-the-way-to-the-exchange
    

I sold yesterday.  

Looks like profit taking all around in the hi-techs after the monster
weekend/weekstart:

    Digital     -1.0
    Microsoft   -1.375
    Intel       -1.438
    IBM         -1.5
    HP          -2.375

...but where will they all be in 4 weeks? :-)


- jeff_speculator_and_
  bet_hedger_at_large