Microsoft is expected to officially launch Windows
Vista, Office 2007 and Exchange 2007 in New York on 30
November.
While a November launch means that businesses with software
assurance contracts expiring this month will get Windows Vista and
Office 2007 as part of their contracts, they may not get Exchange
2007.
Analyst Gartner recently pointed out that users with software
assurance expiring in November would get Office 2007, as it
recently appeared on Microsoft price lists, even though most users
will not be ready for widespread deployments until early next
year.
The fact that it was on the list gave them the option to order
it now, said Gartner. Microsoft has, for some time, said Windows
Vista would be available to large companies this month.
But it is being reported that Exchange 2007 will not be ready to
order until 1 December, the day after the 30 November launch at the
Nasdaq stock exchange in New York.
This means that companies with software assurance contracts
expiring in November may miss out. Microsoft has not confirmed
exact availability of Exchange 2007 as the code is not
finished.
The general release of Windows Vista and Office 2007 will be in
early January.
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