Microsoft's struggle against the world is being waged on two fronts. On one hand, the company is under legal attack, not only in the antitrust trial but in suits filed by Sun and two other companies. And there is marketplace pressure characterized by a constant series of corporate alignments that have one thing in common: slamming Microsoft. A few of the prime FOBs (foes of Bill) have even arranged themselves in a loose alignment known as NOISE — Netscape, Oracle, IBM, Sun and Everybody else

Although IBM, Sun, Oracle and others would like to see Netscape succeed, it isn't clear that it's in any one company's interest to shell out $ 2 billion for the right to take on Microsoft. When a group's interests outweigh those of any individual member, you may have a formula for talk rather than action. (No wonder the group is increasingly known as NOISE — Netscape, Oracle, IBM, Sun and Everybody else.)

Lotus left few stones unturned: Netscape, Oracle, IBM, Sun, and everyone else (except Microsoft) — cleverly known as the NOISE coalition — have endorsed eSuite. Lotus clearly demonstrated that the NOISE coalition is more than just a "we hate Microsoft" support group and that competitive alliances can be formed around core products.