3Com 4Duel 2Night

Computers. Communication. Compatibility. These are the three Coms in the 3Com <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(Nasdaq: COMS)") else Response.Write("(Nasdaq: COMS)") end if %> moniker. It makes for a logical triad of what the information revolution is all about.

With that in mind, it makes perfect sense that the networking heavyweight would go on to gobble up modem giant U.S. Robotics. The two belonged together. But, that is certainly not the case with Paul Larson (TMF Parlay) and Jim Surowiecki (TMF Cinder). These are Dueling Fools, and complacency, well, that's the worst of coms.

So join us for a little modem madness on the midway -- step right up, the battle on the Bay is coming ashore.

You Get to Vote!

After reading all of the arguments, cast your vote for the winner of the Duel. We'll tabulate results each week and revisit them from time to time to see whether you were right! As always, we invite you to join us in the 3Com Message board to continue the duel.

[Any suggestions, comments, praise, or flames, please send them along to the Dueling Fools Team.]

The Bull... 3Com is the second-largest company in the growing computer networking industry, trailing only the mighty Cisco <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(Nasdaq: CSCO)") else Response.Write("(Nasdaq: CSCO)") end if %>. If one believes the networking industry is going to continue to grow (and who doesn't), it is hard to ignore 3Com as a compelling value. With a commendable resume, a beautiful balance sheet, and an extensive product line in a hyper-growth industry, 3Com is a company poised for continued expansion in the future. Continue...

The Bear... Minuscule profits, declining margins, a mishandled merger, troubles in Asia, questionable accounting, and fierce competition from two of the best-managed companies in America --that's a pretty good description of what investors in 3Com have faced for the past year and what they're going to be facing for the foreseeable future. At this point, the answer to the question, "Are you bearish on 3Com?" should be a foregone conclusion. The real debate is about whether or not you should be shorting the stock. Continue...

Results for last week's Apple Duel

Answer	Percentage
I can't make up my mind	4%
TMF Seymor's Bull argument	49%
TMF Bogey's Bear argument	34%
They were both excellent	10%
They were both lame	3%