Metropolis Opinion

Part Three Online Services Business and Entertainment and Devices Division

The Online Services Business (OSB) provides personal communications services, such as e-mail and instant messaging and online information offerings, such as Live Search and MSN portals and channels worldwide. OSB also provides a range of online services, such as MSN Internet Access, MSN Premium Web Services and OneCare. OSB manages many of its own properties, including home page, health, auto and shopping. In addition, OSB creates alliances with third parties, such as CareerBuilder.com, Expedia.com, Foxsports.com, Match.com, and MSNBC.com. OSB generates revenue primarily from online advertising, subscriptions and transactions of online paid services, as well as MSN narrowband Internet access subscriptions.

During fiscal 2007, the Company launched new online initiatives, including Windows Live Search and Live.com in 54 international markets, Live Local Search in the United States and United Kingdom, beta versions of MSN Soapbox (expansion of the MSN Video experience), Virtual Earth 3D, Windows Live Hotmail and others. The Company’s products in OSB segment includes MSN Search, MapPoint, MSN Internet Access, MSN Premium Web Services (consisting of MSN Internet Software Subscription, MSN Hotmail Plus, MSN Bill Pay, and MSN Radio Plus), Windows Live, and MSN Mobile Services.

In this segment, the Company competes with AOL, Google, Yahoo! and Earthlink.

Microsoft Business Division Full Article »

Part Two Client, Services and Tools

The Client segment has overall responsibility for the technical architecture, engineering and product delivery of the Company’s Windows product family, and is also responsible for its relationships with PC manufacturers, including multinational and regional original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). During the fiscal year ended June 30, 2007 (fiscal 2007), the Company released Windows Vista, the Windows operating system. The Company’s products in the Client segment includes Windows Vista, including Home, Home Premium, Ultimate, Business, and Enterprise Starter Edition; Windows XP Professional and Home; Media Center Edition; Tablet PC Edition, and other standard Windows operating systems.

In the Client segment, the Company competes with Apple Computer, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Mozilla and Sun Microsystems.

Server and Tools

Server and Tools develops and markets software server products, services and solutions. Windows Server products are integrated server infrastructure and middleware software designed to support software applications and tools built on the Windows Server operating system. Windows Server products include the server platform, database, storage, management and operations, service-oriented architecture platform and security software. The segment also builds standalone and software development lifecycle tools for software architects, developers, testers and project managers. Server products can be run on premise or in a hosting environment.

The Company offers a range of consulting services and provides product support services and customer industry solutions. Server and Tools segment also provides training and certification to developers and information technology professionals about its Server and Client platform products. Server and Tools also includes the enterprise partner group, which is responsible for sales, partner management, and partner programs for medium and large organizations, and the public sector sales and marketing organization. The Company’s products in the Server and Tools segment includes Windows Server operating system, Microsoft SQL Server, Microsoft Enterprise Services, product support services, Visual Studio, System Center products, Forefront Security products, Biz Talk Server, Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) and TechNet.

In the Server and Tools segment, the Company competes with Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Sun Microsystems, Novell, Red Hat, VMWare, Computer Associates, Oracle, BMC, McAfee, Symantec, Trend Micro, Adobe, BEA Systems and Borland.

Taken from the Source: Reuters Company Profile