Letter From the Editors David Smith and Robert Batchelder 19 December 2001 Among the useful distinctions lost in the hype-induced Internet buying binge was an appropriate sense of urgency and perspective in making Internet technology investments. Today, the Internet is in the "Trough of Disillusionment" of the Gartner Hype Cycle, largely because it is taking far longer for the Internet to transform business than technologists had led us to believe it would. Current economic conditions now increase the pressure on IT decision makers to demonstrate a near-term ROI on Internet technology investments. As one would expect, a confluence of economic, world and industry trends has further dampened enterprises' enthusiasm about pursuing the next big Internet "thing." Gartner views this situation as a unique opportunity for IT decision makers to catch their breath and plan their next phase of Internet evolution.  Read more

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	Overview 2002: Tomorrow Belongs to Network-Enabled Components 19 December 2001 Robert Batchelder Internet-connected components will take business relationships to a new level of integration. Global-class computing and Web services architectures are driving this trend.

Content Trends Continue in 2002 14 December 2001 Lou Latham Vendor consolidation and deep price reductions will further reshape the Web content management market in 2002. Enterprises must stay attuned to these dynamics, as fewer vendors and better prices can mean risks and rewards.		Portals in 2002: A Year of Major Change 12 December 2001 Gene Phifer 2002 will bring major consolidation among the portal product vendors and some key, new lessons about portals.
E-Commerce 2002: The Search for Real ROI 12 December 2001 Whit Andrews By adopting tactical sell-side e-commerce strategies, enterprises can eliminate order capture processes, reduce order-capture costs by 30 percent and tighten sales partner relationships.		Instant Messaging 2002: From Fun to Profit 12 December 2001 Maurene Grey In 2002, IM will begin to "come of age" as enterprises integrate this technology into customer-facing e-commerce and c-commerce environments.
E-Mail and IM as Essential Platform Components in 2002 13 December 2001 Joyce Graff  Maurene Grey E-mail and instant messaging are essential components in all implementations of Internet platforms. Enterprises must secure, expand and manage these communication channels effectively to meet new challenges in 2002.		Internet Infrastructure 2002: Living on the Edge 13 December 2001 Robert Batchelder The Internet functions best as a distributed system. "Edge" technologies are helping organizations find the right balance between centralized and distributed Internet infrastructures.
The Internet Will Dominate Application Development in 2002 14 December 2001 Mark Driver Internet-based application development projects will come of age in 2002 — but not without new challenges.		Web Services: 2002 and Beyond 14 December 2001 David Smith Enterprises should leverage Web services in internal development projects, and with few exceptions, avoid employing the technology for higher-risk business or technology projects until at least 2004.