Microsoft wins biggest order in its history
SeattlePI | at | by Mike
Microsoft has won a six-year contract worth more than $470 million to provide software to the U.S. Army, the biggest order ever for the company's programs. The deal covers 494,000 desktop computers, Microsoft spokesman Keith Hodson said. The Army will buy the software from a Microsoft reseller, Softmart, based in Downingtown, Pa. Hodson declined to say how the companies will divide the revenue.
The Defense Department has questioned the security of Microsoft and rival products in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
"It looks like whatever that problem was, it wasn't great enough to stop the sale, or it was fixed," Enderle said. "The Army wouldn't buy this stuff if it still had exposures they couldn't mitigate."