Letter From the Editor David Smith 8 April 2002 Even after having gone through a long, draining antitrust trial and numerous other struggles, including reorganization at the highest levels, Microsoft is well prepared for new opportunities and challenges in 2002 and beyond. In Vendor Rating: Microsoft Proves Positive, Gartner applies its vendor rating system to the software giant and its products and services. Looking at the company's overall strategy, financials and different lines of business enables us to diagnose just how strong Microsoft is as it emerges from its antitrust "period of darkness." As we turn the page and look toward a new era for Microsoft, the company remains surprisingly strong in products and services or future strategic endeavors.  Read more

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Overview Vendor Rating: Microsoft Proves Positive 8 April 2002 David Smith  Microsoft has emerged from its antitrust case stronger than ever. Despite earning mostly high marks, the company remains under fire for pricing issues, private antitrust issues and security uncertainties.    Microsoft's Cash: Time for a Shopping Spree 26 March 2002 Thomas Bittman David Smith Microsoft has built an enviable cash "war chest." Now that the antitrust case is nearing an end, expect Microsoft to find ways to invest that cash through key acquisitions that are meaningful to enterprises.    Microsoft Should Extend the Life Cycle for Windows 2000 26 March 2002 Michael Silver  Microsoft plans a four-year supported life for new client operating systems (including Windows 2000 Professional). We think Microsoft should and will extend it, but enterprises should base strategy on Microsoft's published position.    The Changing Office Productivity Application Market 26 March 2002 Michael Silver  Simon Hayward Discontent with Microsoft's new license agreements, competition from StarOffice and office productivity applications delivered as Web services will change the market as we know it for these applications.    Leverage Microsoft Spending to Get the Best Licensing Deal 01 April 2002 Jonathan Mein  Alvin Park As the 31 July 2002 Microsoft licensing deadline approaches, many enterprises are anticipating cost increases. Through negotiation, enterprises can save more than 15 percent off the price of Microsoft contracts.    Windows .NET Server and Beyond 28 March 2002 Thomas Bittman  Microsoft will release .NET Server, the sequel to the Windows 2000 servers, in late 2002. We discuss what enterprises can expect in that release, provide recommendations for its use and discuss what comes next.    Microsoft: SQL Server Scorecard 28 March 2002 Betsy Burton  Jon Rubin  SQL Server 2000 has established itself as a mission-critical database and has earned the right to be judged as an enterprise-capable RDBMS without qualification. We rate how it competes at the most-demanding enterprise level.    Will Microsoft Own Web Content Management in 2005? 26 March 2002 Mark Gilbert  Karen Shegda  Garth Landers  Lou Latham  Microsoft's ubiquity, and the modest price and functionality of its Content Management Server, will enable the software giant to achieve high growth in the Web content management market through 2005.    Got a Plan? Microsoft Project 2002 Preview 3 April 2002 Matt Light  With Microsoft Project 2000, Microsoft made project planning and analysis easier. Microsoft Project 2002 enables flexible resource allocation and collaboration by distributed project teams.    Microsoft Continues Progress With BizTalk Server 2002 2 April 2002 Jess Thompson  Roy Schulte   With several major functionality extensions, BizTalk Server has matured into a capable, although not leading-edge, integration broker.    Early 'eHome' Consumer Technologies Are PC-Centric 3 April 2002 Michael Silver  David Smith  Martin Reynolds  Microsoft's increasingly PC- and Windows-centric consumer strategy has significant implications for the company's Windows operating-system strategy.    Video CODECs Are Key to Microsoft's Media Strategy 1 April 2002 Robert Batchelder  Video compression technology compensates for the patchy availability of broadband connections. Widespread adoption of proprietary video CODECs is key to Microsoft's digital media strategies and those of its competitors.

Overview Microsoft's Future Initiatives Could Offer Mixed Results 8 April 2002 David Smith  New Microsoft initiatives, such as .NET/Web services and global-class computing, will likely succeed. Others, such as efforts in collaboration and security, will be more challenging.    Visual Basic .NET: The Old Is New Again 2 April 2002 Mark Driver  Microsoft has radically updated its flagship development tool, but is it too much of a good thing?    Microsoft's .NET Aims for the Enterprise, but Starts Small 22 March 2002 Yefim Natis  The initial release of .NET is not for demanding enterprise projects, nor is it all about Web services. Enterprises planning small to midsize software projects are the best prospects for .NET through 2004    Microsoft Takes Steps Toward Business-Strength Security 29 March 2002 John Pescatore  Even as Microsoft starts its most-emphatic security initiative to date, enterprises should continue pressuring the software giant, as well as other vendors, for sustained efforts and more-secure products.    Microsoft and Global-Class Computing: Changing the Game 25 March 2002 Daryl Plummer  David Smith  Microsoft's best chance of challenging IBM in the enterprise market appears to lie in its increasing strength in global-class computing - through which Microsoft will deliver enterprise functionality.    Microsoft Targets Business Applications to SMBs 25 March 2002 Robert Anderson  James Browning  Mika Krammer  The acquisition of Great Plains Software provided instant credibility to Microsoft's business application strategy. It also presents a number of initiatives and challenges that must be carefully managed and executed to achieve market leadership.    Microsoft and the E-Workplace 1 April 2002 Simon Hayward  Many enterprises prefer Microsoft products as a matter of principle; that is not so much a strategy as an abdication of responsibility. Diversity in the e-workplace, combined with Microsoft's need to grow revenue, challenges such policies.    Microsoft's Mobile Advances Require More-Strategic Vision 26 March 2002 Ken Dulaney  Mobility has finally caught on at Microsoft, due to overwhelming customer and market demand. However, the software giant is still stuck between the technology's tactical and strategic relevance.