Message-Id: <9306211752.AA22531@netmail.microsoft.com>
From: Dan Brown <t-danbr@microsoft.com>
To: dosdev@Athena.MIT.EDU
Date: Mon, 21 Jun 93 10:46:34 PDT 
Subject: FW: Industry: Windows applications out-sell DOS applications for first time in North America

regardless of the exceptional reviews which nextstep and os/2 2.1 are 
getting, i figured y'all should know about this:

be well,

-dan
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Windows applications out-sell DOS applications for first time in North America

  WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Software Publishers Association (SPA)
announced Monday that sales of personal computer application software in the
United States and Canada reached $1.46 billion in the first quarter of 1993, an
increase of 20 percent from the first quarter 1992.

  Unit sales grew by 26 percent in the same period.

  "In this quarter, for the first time in the North American market, sales of
Windows-based applications surpassed sales of DOS-based applications," said Ken
Wasch, SPA's executive director.  "In all four of the largest business-oriented
application categories (word processors, spreadsheets, databases and
presentation graphics), Windows applications out-sold DOS applications."  For
the quarter, Windows application sales were $669 million, up 114 percent from
the prior period.  DOS application sales fell 20 percent to $502 million.

  The sales growth was fueled by the 112 percent increase in the sales of
databases, to a total of $164 million.  "The sales jump in the database 
category
can be attributed to the shipment of two major new relational database
products," commented David Tremblay, SPA's research director.  "In this 
quarter,
there were the initial shipment of a major new Windows relational database
application, and continued sales of another major new Windows database.  Both
products were offered with aggressive `introductory' pricing.  While press
reports said these offers spurred sales in the quarter, it remains to be seen
whether these sales levels can be sustained beyond the introductory period."

  Word processors and spreadsheets remained the largest application categories,
with sales of $203 million and $179 million, respectively. In the first 
quarter,
the growth of these categories was limited, with world processors growing at 18
percent and spreadsheets at 7 percent over the prior year quarter.  In both
categories, strength in Windows products was offset by sales declines 
of DOS and
Macintosh products.

  Sales of consumer software continued the trend observed in 1992 - several
consumer-oriented categories reported strong growth in the quarter.  Sales of
home education products were up by 86 percent from the first quarter, 1992,
while sales of finance packages were up by 30 percent.

  The Software Publishers Association is the principal trade association of the
PC software industry.  It's 1,000 members represent the leading publishers in
the business, consumer and education markets. The SPA has offices in Washington
DC, and Paris.