I have seen this over excited stock activity again and again, mostly with technology companies.

People don't seem to understand that even though software is simply a collection of on and off bits and costs relatively nothing to duplicate and distribute, the market has limits of absorption that are the same as more tangible goods like cars and paper.

The days of software consumers gobbling up endless versions is over.

These kinds of stories make me nuts. So VMware has a majority share of the market, and grew its business, and the stock takes a dump because they didn't meet the "analysts" expectations.

Apple stock was above $190 just before they announced their Q4 numbers, which were the best quarter they'd ever had, and up 48% over previous year. Now their stock is around $160. Why? "Analysts" expectations.

Where do these people get all that power? If they could run a company, they would. Instead they sit in the peanut gallery and throw recommendations, and punish the company if they aren't followed.

The stock market is becoming a joke. Para mutual wagering, like at the dog track. "I bet I can guess which way that stock will move better than you and the rest of your lot can do."

Time was, people bought stock in a company because they respected the company and wanted to own a piece of it. They expected to make return on their investment in dividends.

Now, a company that pays dividends is considered foolish. That money should be spent on some kind of acquisition to insure continued growth. And growth is necessary because movement is the way these short-term investors make money. Never mind if the company is solidly in the black, holding down their place in the market, returning steady profits. No, not good enough! They have to grow so funds managers can hold their stock for a year and then dump it for a profit.

Bah!

<here endeth the rant of an old fart>

Attacks and eats its own, if anyone is complaining it should be the Intel's and HW manufacturers who sell less kit now....

So will they post a virtual loss or are they seamlessly losing new meat to sell to?

So, their profits dropped after they started giving away their product for nought (VMware Player)? Who'd've thunk it?

Well done there son. You managed to respond to this story without even understanding it; perhaps, even, without reading it at all.

You're not an SNP politician are you?

The reason I ask is that that they too have difficulty distinguishing between "a decrease" and "a smaller increase than we were expecting". They talk about amounts "dropping" when in fact they have increased. Perhaps you can give some insight into this condition. Is it permanent? Your friends in the north would thank you.

Only 50% annual revenue growth??? Pathetic! The game's up! Close it all down!

I used to work for a US corporation and our division did three consecutive years of >60% annual growth. We were very profitable also. Then the CEO said our division was "a perfect example of business that xxx Corp shouldn't be doing" and closed us down.

So the analysts must have it right and these guys should count themselves lucky not to be out of work.

/sarcasm

Paris because stupidity is more common than you think

Great. Now that I finally bought a copy, they'll likely stop updating it to save money:( It has proven to be quite useful as an alternative to the dual/triple boot laptop.