While being ostracized by companies such as Intel and Dell, Microsoft's latest operating system, Windows Vista, will find its way across the Advanced Micro Devices desktops before the Redmond Company will make available the first service pack. Intel and Dell, are just limited examples of companies that are waiting for Microsoft to make available Windows Vista SP1 in order to deploy the operating system internally.

By contrast, AMD is close to rolling out Windows Vista in house. Henri Richard, Executive Vice President, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer, revealed as early as January 2007, AMD's plans for a fast adoption of Vista. "I am calling on all AMD employees to recognize and embrace everything Windows Vista represents and make it part of our DNA, to understand that we hold the keys to the kingdom in ways no one else does," stated Richard at that time in an email to AMD employees.

Richard has recently revealed that AMD has frozen a gold image of Windows Vista that will be used to debut the internal deployment of the operating system in advance of the first service pack. With this move, AMD will beat rivals from Intel to the adoption of Vista by over half a year, since Intel CEO Paul Otellini announced that his company will adopt Vista only toward the end of 2007 - the beginning of 2008, and only after the product hits SP1.

"Why are some of the OEMs waiting so long to develop drivers for Vista?" Richard asked as cited by Mary Jo Foley. "It doesn't take rocket science to see that Vista is here to stay." AMD will install Vista on in excess of 1,000 in-house desktops by the summer of 2007.