List of the largest global software companies

Several lists exist that provide an overview of large software companies in the world. Three lists are available to the public. The lists differ by methodology of composition and consequently show substantial differences in both listed companies and ranking of those companies. Here a brief overview will be given three public lists and their characteristics and differences.
Forbes 2000
This yearly list shows 2000 large companies active in all kinds of industries. By selecting software & services a sublist can be made, which is 35 companies long in the 2010 edition. Forbes shows figures such as sales, profits, assets and market capitalization. Only public companies are listed. The ranking seems to be based upon a multiplication of sales*profits*assets*market capitalization. A Top 10 extract of the world's largest software companies according to the Forbes Global 2000 is provided below.
# Oracle Corporation
# IBM
# Microsoft
# Google
# Accenture
# SAP AG
# Hewlett Packard
# Computer Sciences Corporation
#
# CA
Forbes includes services revenues given its listing of IBM, Accenture, Computer Sciences and Cap Gemini. Forbes also appears to include advertising revenues given the listing of Google and Yahoo in their Top 10. Large private software companies are not on the Forbes list. Market capitalization influences the ranking: Forbes has used the market cap of Mar 01 2010 to build their list.
The Software 500 by Software Magazine
A yearly list that is available after free subscription. The list offers 500 companies. Services revenues are included in the software revenues. Software Magazine sends out a yearly request for data: companies fill in their own data online. As Software Magazine is primarily read in the US, the list also has a slight focus on the US, although it is becoming more international every year. The companies are ranked according to software & services sales revenues. Both public and private companies are included.
Software Magazine's Top 10 ranking of 2010 is as follows (see their website for more info):
# Microsoft
# HP
# Oracle Corporation
# Accenture
# Computer Sciences Corporation
# SAP AG
# EMC Corporation
# Hitachi
# Lockheed Martin Corporation
Due to the inclusion of services revenues, many IT services companies appear on the list: Accenture and CSC. Software Magazine usually publishes a new edition in September.
Other lists
Technology research firms such as Gartner and IDC provide lists that are only available for a fee. Both their rankings are made according to sales revenues.
A few retail data banks, such as Nielsen, sell lists of the most popular prepackaged software sold in retail shops in a certain timeframe. Their lists are made according to the number of units sold or according to shop turnover. Their lists focus on retail and hence do not contain business to business software sales and may not include online sales.

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