Microsoft

Description

Microsoft's ambitions are anything but small. The world's #1 software company provides a variety of products and services, including its Windows operating systems and Office software suite. The company has expanded into markets such as video game consoles, interactive television, and Internet access. With its core markets maturing, Microsoft is targeting services for growth, looking to transform its software applications into Web-based services for enterprises and consumers. Microsoft has reached a settlement to end an ongoing antitrust investigation, agreeing to uniformly license its operating systems and allow manufacturers to include competing software with Windows.

Yahoo

Description

This company lures business with the siren song of online advertising. Formerly Overture Services, Yahoo! Search Marketing Group provides search-driven targeted advertising services to a wide range of customers. Its flagship Sponsored Search offering allows advertisers to buy placement in search results that appear on Yahoo! and several other Web sites, including cnn.com, InfoSpace, and Web Crawler. It also distributes text-based advertising based on keywords that typically appears next to online content. Advertisers can also submit listings for consumer products and travel deals that will appear in relevant areas on the Yahoo! portal site. The company was acquired by Yahoo! in 2003.