Bill Gates shows next Windows

Bill Gates, Microsoft's chairman and chief software architect, gave software developers a preview of the next version of the Windows operating system yesterday in an effort to build support and enthusiasm for the new program.

The New York Times reports (14 September) that the commercial release of the program, known as Windows Vista, is not expected for another year, but Mr. Gates and legions of Microsoft employees are already working with developers to create software applications that will work with the new Windows.

Mr Gates promised attendees that Vista would usher in a "big wave" of sales when it was introduced, the newspaper reports.

Microsoft executives said Vista would have better connectivity with corporate servers, improved graphics and more advanced search capability to allow users to find files more easily on their hard drives.

The new version will be the first major upgrade to Microsoft's core product since the release of Windows XP in 2001.

The newspaper said that, today, Windows runs on nearly 90 percent of the world's computers and accounts for about a third of Microsoft's revenues.

In June, Microsoft said it would release Vista in the second half of 2006, and yesterday the company reaffirmed its intent to meet that schedule.