IDC's Predictions for the IT Industry

I hope you're reading this at work because that means you have a job. As we all know, a lot of IT workers aren't so lucky. We're all aware of the beating the tech industry took last year but, according to research firm IDC, things should be looking up this year. The company just released its top 10 predictions for the global IT market in 2002. IDC says the IT market should rebound beginning mid-2002, and maybe even sooner and that IT spending will increase 4-6% in the United States, 6-7% in Western Europe and 10-12% in Asia/Pacific. Other views into IDC's crystal ball predict that China's entry into the World Trade Organization (WTO) will help ensure that its 25% IT spending growth continues for years and that by 2010 it will be the third largest IT market in the world. Streaming media will be a big deal as new standards come into play and new services and market needs arrive. Linux will have a "breakout year" as a viable alternative for enterprise use. Server blades will disrupt the entry server and appliance server markets, and 75 million WinXP licenses will ship in 2002. While most of the latter prophecies don't really seem too revealing, predictions of spending increases are always welcome, as are any optimistic forecasts of recovery. Let's all hope for the best.