Information technology research company, Gartner Inc. (NYSE:IT), issued a report cutting its global enterprise software revenue outlook to nearly flat in 2009, down from its previous estimate of 6.6% annual growth announced during the fourth-quarter of 2008. The research firm expects worldwide enterprise software revenue to total $222.6 billion this year, up only 0.3% from revenues of $221.9 billion in fiscal 2008. However, Gartner added that the industry was better positioned to weather the current economic downturn than it was in 2001 and 2002 after the dot-com crash. Tom Eid, research vice president at Gartner, offered this statement, "The fourth quarter of 2008 was the turning point in creating an uneasy selling environment that may usher in several difficult quarters for the enterprise software markets," adding that, "Current expectations are for a slow economic recovery, mirrored by software spending upturn starting no earlier than the first half of 2010."

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