Microsoft Corp.'s Chairman and Chief Software Architect Bill Gates today outlined the company's vision and road map for phase two of Microsoft� .NET, the company's two-year-old software initiative for connecting information, people, disparate systems and devices. This next phase continues to build upon the XML-based interoperability of Web services, broadening the benefits to individuals, developers and organizations of all sizes. These efforts encompass software investments to help break down the technological barriers between people, systems and organizations as well as barriers to greater knowledge, trust and everyday use. This next wave of technology investment builds upon today's Web services foundation to provide tangible benefits for the IT industry and goes beyond it to support dynamic business relationships between companies. Likewise, information workers will realize even greater productivity gains than they have in the past decade as Web services unlock critical information and enable them to make better business decisions. At the same time, Microsoft is providing a platform for innovation and opportunity that not only serves the needs of customers, but also of partners and the industry as a whole.

"In just two years, we've gone from debut to delivery of the first generation of Microsoft .NET. It's incredibly gratifying to see both its technology and its value to customers proven in the marketplace," Gates said during a briefing for press and analysts. "The broad industry consensus around XML-based Web services gives us a tremendous foundation for breakthrough work in many areas. The focus of phase two of .NET is on software that creates connected customer experiences that transform the way people live and work."