A number of analysts speculated yesterday that the changes could be interpreted to shed more light on the issue of succession at the company, but company executives discouraged such discussion.

One executive discouraged public discussion of the matter at an industry conference last month while private negotiations were going on.

To the Editor: Anyone who has attended meetings of veterans' service organizations is familiar with the charter provisions that discourage political discussion on the meeting agenda.

He believes that the local's leadership deliberately discourages open discussion and contested elections.

The guests declined to say whether Microsoft's plight was discouraging open discussion of the impact of antitrust law on technology development.

"No idea," he said in a crisp tone that discouraged further discussion.

In the past, the United States has discouraged discussion of a security dimension for the community for fear that this could weaken NATO.

General criticism regarding Thai law schools include the excessive rote learning, memorisation of laws and the ineffective lecture-style of teaching which discourages discussion.

Though her father had discouraged discussion with the solicitor and society frowned upon it, she no longer had a choice.

Since then, authorities have actively discouraged public discussion of what went on.