Still, Gates left open the possibility the product will be delayed further as testing continues. "Quality is key," Gates said, speaking here to about 1,200 executives who attended Dell Computer Corp's "DirectConnect" conference for its customers and the media.

Windows 2000 is intended as the successor to Windows NT, Microsoft's operating system for high-powered computers and corporate networks. It is expected to be Microsoft's flagship product, but it has been plagued by delays. A December launch would put it about 18 months behind schedule.

Gates and his fellow technology mogul - Dell chief executive Michael Dell - spent much of the initial session of Dell Computer's two-day conference here stressing the importance of the Internet in corporate America.

They warned the executives in attendance that the Internet will be used eitherby them or against them as it grows in popularity. The Internet "is like a weapon sitting on a table, ready to be picked up either by you or your competitors," Dell said.

Both he and Gates then eagerly demonstrated their companies' respective hardware and software products designed to make computer use and Internet commerce easier and more pervasive. Among other things, Dell unveiled what the company is calling the "Dell OpenManage Resolution Assistant," which will be available on Dell PowerEdge servers. Users of the system can allow Dell technicians access to their computers over the Internet, enabling the technicians to diagnose and correct problems from elsewhere.

Dell expects to unveil a similar system for some of its consumer products this fall. Eventually, the company expects to provide such automated support across all of its product lines. "This is the beginning of what we call self-healing systems," Dell said.

Dell also predicted that the distinction between "dot-com" companies and traditionalbusiness will become insignificant in coming years. "We believe that the Internet will be your business," he said.

Citing his own company as an example, he said firms that use the Internet can reduce transaction costs and speed up time-to-market for products. Dell provides its corporate customers and suppliers with access to inventory information online. Dell manages a site called "valuechain.dell.com" that provides suppliers with secure access to its inventory data, giving them "a direct view into the manufacturing process," Dell said.