I actually put a lot of thought into whether Mary Jo Foley was appropriate for this list since her field of coverage is so narrow (she only covers Microsoft) and she almost never strays from it (I can't think a single example where she did).  But in the end she's just so good at what she does that there was no denying how big a roll she plays in my blog reading life. 

In fact I've always been surprised at just how good she is at getting the scoop especially since Microsoft, imho, has made several attempts to "end run" her in favor of people who they obviously felt would give a more glowing account of their new products.  But despite that she's still your best bet for getting Microsoft information first. 

More importantly she's your best bet for putting it into context.  There are very few people who have been watching Microsoft as closely as she has for as long as she has and even fewer people who are smart enough to interpret what the companies past actions have meant.  Anyone who thinks that Microsoft is just a raging monopolist or a company of fools who wait around to steal other companies innovations really doesn't understand the very deep internal culture that the company has developed. 

Microsoft is perhaps the first company to be born in the startup mold and then mature to adulthood with all the scars that an "aggressive" business philosophy leaves behind.  From everything I've seen the culture that has formed around some of those scars is amazingly complex.  Understanding it takes someone who has both watched the company for a long time and is smart enough to know what they were watching and Mary Jo Foley is definitely that person. 

We would all be blessed beyond belief to have someone half as good as Mary Jo Foley following every tech company around and that is why Mary Jo Foley  is the final entry on my Blogroll list. (and p.s. - Buy her book)