Although Microsoft's .NET offers solutions to many problems with enterprise applications -- integration is perhaps the biggest -- those making software purchasing decisions just do not understand what the architecture is, according to a new Aberdeen Group report. Analysts Christopher Fletcher and Dana Gardner say the much-touted technology suffers from general confusion in the marketplace. The report follows a clarification of Microsoft's (Nasdaq: MSFT) .NET strategy offered by Bill Gates a few weeks ago. Fletcher and Gardner are weighing in on the debate, concluding that the news is both better and worse than Microsoft thinks. As Fletcher told CRMDaily.com, "At the executive, director and division-head levels, people don't understand the benefits of .NET."

The Aberdeen researchers pointed out that Microsoft historically has done a better job of evangelical work with developers rather than business managers. And the same has held true for its promotion of .NET. However, report coauthor Dana Gardner told CRMDaily that the software giant still has to convince developers in the CRM world that applications built with .NET -- as opposed to other platform technologies -- can win best-of-breed endorsements from users and analysts.