the functionality, security, and value of Windows operating systems, including versions for new devices such as Tablet PCs, Media Center PCs, Portable Media Centers, and mobile devices such as Smartphones. We are also increasing our focus on emerging markets and reducing the amount of unlicensed software in those markets. In addition, we develop innovative software applications and solutions to enhance the productivity of information workers, improve communication and collaboration in work groups, aid business intelligence, and streamline processes for small and mid-sized businesses. To sustain the growth of our Server and Tools business amid competition from other vendors of both proprietary and open source software, our goal is to deliver products that provide the best platform for network computing – the most advanced, easiest to deploy and manage and most secure – with the lowest total cost of ownership. 

To take advantage of new market opportunities, we continue to invest in research and development of existing and new lines of business, such as services for consumers, businesses and large enterprises that we believe can contribute significantly to our long-term growth. We also research and develop advanced technologies for future software products. Delivering breakthrough innovation and high-value solutions through our integrated platform is the key to meeting customer needs and to our future growth. 

We believe that over the last few years we have laid a foundation for long-term growth by delivering innovative new products, creating opportunity for partners, improving customer satisfaction with key audiences, putting some of our most significant legal cases behind us, and improving our internal business processes. Our focus in fiscal year 2006 is building on this foundation and executing well in key areas, including continuing to innovate on our integrated software platform, delivering compelling value propositions to customers, responding effectively to customer and partner needs, and continuing to focus internally on product excellence, business efficacy, and accountability across the company. 

Key market opportunities include: 

 

•	Growth in our anchor businesses through forthcoming innovations and new product launches and making inroads against software piracy. 

 

•	Expanding our innovation portfolio by offering extensions of our technologies targeted towards specific customer needs – either as new products or as higher-value versions of existing products. 

 

•	Delivering software services through online consumer services and services for businesses that enable workers to collaborate interactively. 

 

Worldwide macroeconomic factors have a strong correlation to business and consumer demand for our software, services, games and Internet service offerings. We expect that general macroeconomic trends will remain stable or experience slight improvement in fiscal year 2006 as compared to fiscal year 2005. Our optimism is balanced by recent data which revealed slight downward revisions when compared to previous forecasts for Gross Domestic Product growth in the U.S., United Kingdom, France, Germany, Japan and Latin America.