Digital Journal — Could you imagine a Canada without Microsoft? Well it wasn’t so long ago that this was the case.
I’ll give you a recap: The year was 1985. It was the same year the Titanic wreck was found off the coast of Newfoundland; Mikhail Gorbachev succeeded Konstantin Chernienko, as General Secretary of the USSR; and Michael J. Fox took us Back to the Future.
Among the many other milestones that occurred that year, a substantial one would have to be the founding of Microsoft Canada — a subsidiary of the Microsoft Corporation. It was also in 1985 that the world was introduced to the Windows operating system.
Over the past two decades, Microsoft Windows products have evolved from a single desktop operating system into a diverse web of applications and mobile technologies. The company is moving forward with plans to launch the new version of Windows, dubbed Windows Vista.
“As Windows enters its third decade, we see more opportunities than ever to transform powerful technologies into exciting new capabilities,” says Microsoft Canada’s president, David Hemler. “We are set to kick-start another era of innovation for the Canadian IT ecosystem that thrives on the Windows-based platform.”
It has been a long and winding road for Microsoft. The company been criticized for its domination of the market; its products often need updates for security holes; and to reap the benefits of new software versions, you often have to upgrade your hardware. Translation: You have to buy more stuff.
But going forward, Microsoft says it will be addressing many issues it has been criticized for, and features of Windows Vista will make it possible for users to seamlessly connect to information, people and devices. Network capabilities and sharing will be easier and more efficient, and a security improvement for Internet Explorer will be an important draw.
“We believe that when Windows Vista ships, Microsoft will enter a new era of innovation and growth for the software industry and a renewed public focus on the potential of the PC,” says Elliot Katz, senior product manager for Windows Client.
The next move for Microsoft is a big one, and the world will definitely be watching. A BETA version of Windows Vista will be available by the end of 2005. Microsoft Canada hopes to have the complete version of Vista available by December 2006.
