Analyst firm, Directions on Microsoft, believes the marketing of Windows Vista will be Redmond’s biggest challenge in 2006, especially positioning it as an enterprise product.

Software.Silicon.com reproduces the analyst’s 10-point list. Here are five of them. The challenges for Microsoft are are:

1. Explain to corporate customers why they should buy Windows Vista without waiting to purchase new hardware first.

2. Publish a definitive set of guidelines on developing Windows applications to reduce buggy software and security flaws ~ and then enforce it.

4. Quickly distribute to developers the next generation of basic tools to support Vista.

5. “Gel” its online strategies, such as starting up a new advertising platform and clarifying these offerings to small businesses.

8. Establish its policy on product releases and show discipline in adhering to it.

These are fairly obvious points, which have recently been addressed by Ray Ozzie (MS CTO), and others, but clearly will be central to the company’s performance next year.