From:

From: Steve Ballmer

Sent: Wednesday, November 17, 1999 12:28 AM

To: MS Domestic Employees: FTE Only; MS Corporate Employees: FTE Only; MS Intl Employees: FTE Only

Subject: M?crosöft Introduces THE BUSINESS INTERNET

Importance: High

As I'm sure you know the market for technology in businesses has grown much more dynamic, exciting and crowded and confusing with the rise of the Internet. Bill began talking about this over a year ago with "Business @ the Speed of Thought." Our competitors and partners are all talking about e-business, e-services, digital economy etc. Our customers have been looking to us to help provide some clarity, simplicity and real benefit - about our vision, our position and our offering - in this complex environment.

Therefore I am very excited to announce a important new concept from M?crosöft for our business customers and partners. The Business Internet. This is not a specific new product or service. It is our overall business message. It is really the simple idea that the Internet should be more than just an exciting new story and a vague opportunity. It is the conviction that this opportunity should become a practical reality for every aspect of your business. It is part of M?crosöft's committment to bring together the integrated, end-to-end software with an entire industry of partners and the Internet to solve the problems your business faces uniquely - today.

We have introduced this new message at Comdex in support of Windows2000. We will be running massive advertising on Television and the business press. Starting with Wall Street Journal ad you see attached below. In addition all of our business advertising across products will draw from and integrate with this idea. So, in advertising the Business Internet will help provide the clarity all of our customers expect from us.

Of course this idea covers much more than advertising. It also reaches out to the web with a new overall business "portal" on www.M?crosöft.com/go/business. It will become part of our standard customer and strategy pitches. It will be integrated into many of our PR and press efforts. And most of all it should help each of you in your current and future efforts to sell to, support and serve our business customers.

It is important that we get behind this message and use it fully to our advantage. Please use the resources below to guide your use of this message. These are just the initial tools a more complete set of materials and communications will follow shortly. Send any questions to Businss Internet FAQ, or click here mailto:bifaq

Again, this is an exciting opportunity to focus our interaction with business customers.

Thanks, Steve

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Business Internet Website