Letter From the Editor Jim Browning - 10 January 2002 The Internet and new Web technologies let small and midsize businesses (SMBs) participate as equal partners in value chains. These technologies increasingly make computing and networking resources more available and affordable for SMBs. Yet, only 10 percent of them report they conduct at least half of their business via the Internet. Why the reluctance? SMBs stick to the sidelines due to their risk-averse nature, lack of resources, limited IT budgets and a hesitancy to invest in leading-edge technologies to support, improve and enhance business processes. Now, however, barriers are falling — e.g., lower prices for e-commerce and Web content management. It's time for SMBs to evaluate Internet technologies to get ready for the coming pressure from customers and suppliers to participate in e-business.  Read more

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	Overview Attention SMBs: It's Time to Take Advantage of the Internet 10 January 2002 Jim Browning The majority of small and midsize businesses are at a rather basic level when it comes to integrating the Internet into their corporate business activities. The time has come for SMBs to assess how the Internet can boost their business.

Lower-Cost Solutions Will Spur SMB E-Commerce Boom 19 December 2001 Whit Andrews Transactional Web initiatives remain foreign to most SMBs' IT strategies. Yet falling prices and an increasingly vigorous Microsoft will significantly expedite SMB adoption.		Web-Native Applications: Ready for SMB Audition 10 January 2002 Robert Anderson   Kristian Steenstrup   James Browning   Joseph Outlaw Web applications enable SMBs to access and offer business functionality from any device with a browser and a connection to the Internet. SMBs may find that risks still outweigh rewards for some business-critical applications.
Peer-to-Peer Applications Can Broaden SMB Access to IT 9 January 2002 Nikos Drakos Peer-to-peer applications can bring new IT capabilities to resource-constrained small and midsize businesses, but not without some risks.		Are SMBs Up for the Challenge of Enterprise Portals? 8 January 2002 Gene Phifer Enterprise portals are becoming a popular user interface for the display and interaction of specific audience information. But they also bring forth challenges to SMBs.
Web Content Management: 2002 Is the Right Time for SMBs 9 January 2002 Mark Gilbert  Lou Latham Small and midsize business Web sites will continue to grow in complexity, placing additional challenges on already burdened IT staffs. Web content management tools can help SMBs keep their sites in shape.