[ While Linux is not mentioned in this story, the Gartner
research estimates the size of the ASP market, which Oracle is
going after — with Linux — in a big way with their Internet
Application Server; see first few related stories below – LT ed.
]
“Over a five-year period stretching from 1999 to 2004, the
ASP market will boom from a $1 billion emerging industry to a $25.3
billion gold mine, according to new research to be released
today by the Gartner Group. Along the way, though, about 96 percent
of today’s ASPs will cease to exist, and the term ASP will be
replaced by other names.”
“In a press teleconference today, Gartner analysts predicted
that the worldwide ASP market will grow from $1 billion in 1999 to
$3.5 billion by the end of 2000 and $8.4 billion by the close of
2001. Also by 2001, however, fully 60 percent of ASPs will fail,
said Gartner VP and research director Audrey Apfel.”
“With its recently unveiled .NET initiative, Microsoft also is
making a big step into the ASP arena. Microsoft “will enter a
market when it represents a threat to their traditional business,”
Apfel noted. Microsoft’s entrance “gives some validity to the
market,” she added. But Microsoft will not necessarily dominate the
ASP space, Apfel predicted. Instead, Microsoft will need to
successfully manage the same “balancing act” as other players.”