Can anybody challenge the mighty Microsoft? Will it all end up in a pile of legal documents? 

Who will be the next Microsoft?

A competitor to Microsoft is a good thing. It makes Microsoft change. It makes Microsoft refocus. It makes Microsoft listen to the customers rather than dictate to them. It makes Microsoft more honest. 

As the DOJ lay waste large acreages of much needed forests Microsoft is being attacked from other quarters.

The biggest change to happen is the leveraging of IT and communication companies capabilities as they form business relationships.

The AOL / Netscape / SUN consortium have changed some of the rules - they have moved the goal-posts from DIY to using services. A good old-fashioned concept of don't shoe or own horse when a blacksmith can. By being able to focus on the business rather than the technology, the infinite possibilities provided can benefit both the customers and the suppliers.

The major players will most likely not be completely new to us. They will be big in other areas and will appear in others - the storage area network phenomenon will be a prime target for backup/restore hardware and software, network switches, database, systems management and communications companies to have a field day.

As the dust settles a figure will slowly appear from the gloom and confront Bill and his team. The DOJ they can probably handle but this new threat will be quite alien in nature - it will be big, strong and able to handle itself. It will not bend to low-ball pricing tactics, it will bring some interesting tactics of its own to the game.It will be in its own way a mighty Godzilla.

Just as we were happy when Bill knocked IBM of its pedestal. After a time we thought Bill didn't listen any more and was ripping us off - the same will happen again when this new Godzilla rampages around our IS/IT worlds.