by 2006. Neither bill will fully replace our current ETI tax benefits. Both bills must still be reconciled in conference, and significant changes could be made to the final legislation, so we remain unable to assess the ultimate form and financial impact of this legislation, if enacted. If the ETI provisions are repealed and financially comparable replacement tax legislation is not enacted, the loss of the ETI tax benefit to us could be significant.



Other Potential Tax Liabilities.    We are subject to income taxes in both the United States and numerous foreign jurisdictions. Significant judgment is required in determining our worldwide provision for income taxes. In the ordinary course of our business, there are many transactions and calculations where the ultimate tax determination is uncertain. We are regularly under audit by tax authorities. Although we believe our tax estimates are reasonable, the final determination of tax audits and any related litigation could be materially different than that which is reflected in historical income tax provisions and accruals. Should additional taxes be assessed as a result of an audit or litigation, a material effect on our income tax provision and net income in the period or periods for which that determination is made could result.



Insurance Programs.    In addition to conventional third-party insurance arrangements, we have entered into captive insurance arrangements for the purpose of protecting against possible catastrophic and other risks not covered by traditional insurance markets. As of June 30, 2004, the face value of captive insurance arrangements was $2.0 billion. Actual value at any particular time will vary due to deductibles, exclusions, other restrictions, and claims. While we believe these arrangements are an effective way to insure against such risks, the potential liabilities associated with certain of the issues and uncertainties discussed in this document or other events could exceed the coverage provided by such arrangements.



Business Disruptions in the Event of a Catastrophic Event.    We are a highly automated business and a disruption or failure of our systems in the event of a major earthquake, cyber-attack, terrorist attack, or other catastrophic event could cause delays in completing sales and providing services. Our corporate headquarters, a significant portion of our research and development activities, and certain other critical business operations are located in the Seattle, Washington area, and we have other business operations in the Silicon Valley area of California, both of which are near major earthquake faults. A catastrophic event that results in the destruction or disruption of any of our critical business or information technology systems could severely affect our ability to conduct normal business operations and, as a result, our future operating results could be adversely affected.



Other.     Other issues and uncertainties may include:



•	warranty and other claims for hardware products such as Xbox;



•	sales channel disruption, such as the bankruptcy of a major distributor;



•	the effects of the Consent Decree in U.S. v. Microsoft and