July 2001

Below is an excerpt of a research report published by Directions on Microsoft, an independent research firm focused exclusively on Microsoft strategy & technology. More samples of our content, as well as a list of upcoming articles and reports are also available.

C O N T E N T S:

• Executive Summary
• Sorting Through the .NET Confusion [Free sample chapter]
• The .NET Vision
• Overview: Explains the three tenets--the "Web services" programming model will fuel Internet-based application-to-application integration; "Foundation" Web services will provide a consistent way to handle key issues such as user authentication; and PCs will play a prominent role, even as new devices proliferate
• The .NET Platform
• Overview: A detailed overview of the .NET Framework, Visual Studio.NET development tools, HailStorm Foundation Services, operating systems, and server applications
• .NET Hosted Services
• Overview: A summary of the service offerings targeted at developers, consumers, and small business that Microsoft plans to built and run on top of the .NET platform
• Reality Check: Challenges
• Overview: Explores the formidable array of challenges Microsoft faces—including internal organizational constraints, customer resistance, and and legal considerations