operate on narrow product margins. Most such resellers also distribute products from competing manufacturers. The Company's business and financial results could be adversely affected if the financial condition of these resellers weakened, if resellers within consumer channels were to cease distribution of the Company's products, or if uncertainty regarding demand for the Company's products causes resellers to reduce their ordering and marketing of the Company's products.

Further information regarding risks associated with Marketing and Distribution may be found in Part I, Item 1 of this Form 10-K under the heading "Markets and Distribution," which information is hereby incorporated by reference.

GLOBAL MARKET RISKS

A large portion of the Company's revenue is derived from its international operations. As a result, the Company's operating results and financial condition could be significantly affected by risks associated with international activities, including economic and labor conditions, political instability, tax laws (including U.S. taxes on foreign subsidiaries), and changes in the value of the U.S. dollar versus the local currency in which the products are sold and goods and services are purchased.

Countries in the Asia Pacific region, including Japan, have recently experienced weaknesses in their currency, banking and equity markets. These weaknesses have adversely affected and may continue to adversely affect consumer demand for the Company's products, the U.S. dollar value of the Company's foreign currency denominated sales, the availability and cost of product components to the Company, and consequently the Company's results of operations.

Further information related to the Company's global market risks may be found in Part II, Item 7A of this Form 10-K under the subheading "Foreign Currency Risk" and may be found in Part II, Item 8 of this Form 10-K at Notes 1 and 2 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements, which information is hereby incorporated by reference.

SUPPORT FROM THIRD-PARTY SOFTWARE DEVELOPERS

Decisions by customers to purchase the Company's personal computers, as opposed to Windows-based systems, are often based on the availability of third-party software for particular applications. The Company believes the availability of third-party application software for the Company's hardware products depends in part on third-party developers' perception and analysis of the relative benefits of developing, maintaining, and upgrading such software for the Company's products versus software for the larger Windows market. This analysis is based on factors such as the perceived strength of the Company and its products, the anticipated potential revenue that may be generated, and the costs of developing such software products. To the extent the Company's financial losses in prior years and declining demand for the Company's products, as well as the Company's decision to end its Mac OS licensing program, have caused software developers to question the Company's prospects in the personal computer market, developers could be less inclined to develop new application software or upgrade existing software for the Company's