After a false start last week, Microsoft has finally
unveiled the product line-up for its forthcoming Windows Vista
operating system, with two business versions and three for home
users.
Windows Vista Business is designed for smaller businesses and
aims to keep PCs running with reduced dedicated IT support.
For the larger organisations that can use this product,
Microsoft said the product would provide new infrastructure
improvements that would enable IT staff to spend less time focused
on day-to-day maintenance of PCs, and more time adding strategic
value to the organisation.
Windows Vista Enterprise is aimed at the needs of large, global
organisations and those with highly complex IT infrastructures.
Microsoft said Windows Vista Enterprise is designed to
significantly lower IT costs and risk.
In addition to all of the features available in Windows Vista
Business, Windows Vista Enterprise is designed to provide higher
levels of data protection using hardware-based encryption
technology.
For consumers, there will be Windows Vista Home Basic, for users
who simply use their PC to browse the internet, correspond with
friends and family using e-mail or perform basic document creation
and editing tasks.
There will also be Window Vista Home Premium, which will help
consumers use mobile or desktop PC functionality more effectively,
while supporting new digital entertainment platforms, said the
company.
Windows Vista Home Premium includes everything in Windows Vista
Home Basic, plus the new Windows Vista Aero user interface and
Media Center platform, along with Tablet PC capabilities.
In addition, Windows Vista Ultimate brings together all the
consumer-oriented features available in Windows Vista Home Premium
with all the business-oriented features available in Windows Vista
Business.
Al Gillen, an analyst at IDC, said, “Microsoft’s strategy to
address different customer segments with versions of Windows Vista
optimised for their needs should be well received by these diverse
user segments.”
All the versions of Windows Vista are scheduled to be available
in the second half of 2006.
Additional feature descriptions can be found at
www.windowsvista.com