Microsoft launches new Vista version of Windows
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Microsoft Corp.  launched  Windows Vista for businesses on Thursday and said that by the  end of next year more than 200 million people would use the new  version of its dominant operating system or new office software  and server computer products.
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Microsoft says it is making the first Release Candidate version of the upcoming operating system available for public download.
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In the first year of Windows Vista's release, Microsoft Corp. is expecting businesses to adopt it much faster than any other version of Windows.
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Microsoft released a refresh of its first service pack for Vista to beta testers on Thursday, indicating the final release might be near.On Thursday, beta users of SP1 received an e-mail from Microsoft alerting them that Vista SP1 refresh 2 is available for download. Microsoft released the latest build, which addressed a small number of bugs that testers encountered in the previous version, to around 15,000 beta users, the company said.Microsoft issued Vista SP1 Release Candidate in December&#160;and a refresh earlier this month. It has said that the&#160;final Vista SP1 will be available to the public during the first quarter of this year, with some reports suggesting that it might come out as soon as Feb. 15.The fact that Microsoft even has a beta of SP1 and has now issued two refreshes to it indicates that the company is trying to be very careful in testing the software and ensuring compatibility, said Andrew Brust, chief of new technology for consulting firm twentysix New York. &quot;They are working hard to under-promise/over-deliver,&quot; he said. &quot;Given the dynamics around the initial release of Vista, that is a prudent course to pursue.&quot;Because it&#39;s quite unusual to issue a beta and multiple refreshes, Microsoft is likely very close to issuing the final public version of SP1, Brust said.That will depend, however, on any problems that testers may find in the newest refresh. If something is broken, Microsoft will have to spend time fixing it, said Chris Swenson, an analyst at NPD Group. &quot;We&#39;re just in wait-and-see mode,&quot; he said.The release of a second refresh doesn&#39;t provide many more clues about when to expect the final version of SP1, agreed Michael Cherry, an analyst with Directions on Microsoft. &quot;The only thing is that we know they are making progress, but we don&#39;t know how close they are,&quot; he saidStill, the initial indication from people who have been testing SP1 is that it&#39;s pretty solid, so it&#39;s reasonable to think the final version might come out in a couple weeks, Swenson said.The final public release of SP1 could boost Vista sales, at least among enterprise users, since&#160;some companies have said they are waiting for the release of SP1&#160;before upgrading from XP to Vista. Consumers, however, don&#39;t appear to have decided to wait. Retail PC sales were up last year and less than 1 percent of all computers including Macs that sold in retail outlets last year had XP, Swenson said. &quot;It&#39;s more of an issue for businesses,&quot; he said.
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Microsoft Corp.  said on  Wednesday it plans to release the first major update to its  Windows Vista operating system early next year.
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Microsoft Corp.  said on  Tuesday it plans to release the first major update to its  Windows Vista operating system early next year.
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Although Windows Vista officially launched for businesses back in November, Microsoft waited until today to release the final version of its Application Compatibility Toolkit for the new operating system. The software is designed to diagnose any potential problems that may arise from upgrading.
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Microsoft's Jim Allchin announces Release Candidate 1 of Windows Vista with "a lot of improvements."
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Microsoft's operating system from 1.0 to Vista.
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Microsoft on Friday released a new preview of the presentation subsystem of its upcoming Longhorn version of Windows. The Redmond, Wash.
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Microsoft releases the second beta of a new server aimed at giving users a way to connect and manage Windows Vista PCs, devices, and printers in their homes.
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An early version of the first significant Vista update is released to about 12,000 testers. Meanwhile, a near-final "release candidate" version of Windows Server 2008 is set to be available for download within 24 hours.
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REDMOND, Wash. - Microsoft's coming-out party for Windows Vista, its long-anticipated operating system, has a Cecil B. DeMille feel. The new Windows is the product of a cast of literally millions: more than 2 million consumers and businesses who tested it and offered their advice; tens of thousands of hardware and software partners who have helped mold the visually gripping operating system; and thousands of Microsoft employees who have sweated out the details.
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The latest beta release of Windows Vista Service Pack 1 is available to the general public as a free download. Microsoft decided to release the update publicly several weeks earlier than planned, easing Vista early adopters' year-long wait for enhancements to the desktop operating system.
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By Ahmad Azrai  A CROWD of thousands witnessed the official public launch of Microsoft's new operating system, Windows Vista, as well as the launch of the 2007 Microsoft Office system and Exchange Server 2007 software packs.
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Microsoft Corp. rolled out  Windows Vista at retailers in 70 countries on Tuesday,  delivering a PC operating system that aims to better manage the  explosion of digital media and protect users from the dangers  of the Internet.
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Microsoft Corp. has released the second beta of a new server aimed at giving users a way to connect and manage Windows Vista PCs, devices and printers in their homes.