14 DAY TRIAL // Today, January 30, 2008, Microsoft's Windows Vista turns one! This day is without a doubt the largest anniversary celebration of the latest Windows client. The largest of three. Just because Vista has already passed its first year since it was released to manufacturing on November 8, 2006, and the first 12 months since it was introduced to business users on November 30 of the same year. In this context, January 30, 2008, simply marks the first anniversary since Vista hit the shelves. And accompanying Vista on both launches was the Office 2007 System.
Back on January 30, 2007, Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates was saying: "Windows Vista and Microsoft Office 2007 will transform the way people work and play. Personal computers have become a key part of the daily lives of almost a billion people worldwide. Millions of consumers had a hand in helping us design, test and create the most exciting versions of Windows and Office we've ever released. Windows Vista and Microsoft Office 2007 squarely address the needs and aspirations of people around the globe."
On the same day, Microsoft Chief Executive Officer Steve Ballmer promised that: "We think in the next three months we'll probably sell five times as many copies of Windows Vista as we ever did Windows 95 in the equivalent period of time. We'll probably go double what we did with Windows XP. And while some of that is the increase in the size of the installed base, a lot of that is the enthusiasm that we've had a chance to see and feel during this beta period."
Also on January 30, 2007, Jim Allchin, the Co-President, Platforms & Services Division, and the leader of the Windows project behind Vista retired from the company. February 13, 2007 marked the first time when Microsoft officially talked Windows 7. Of course that at that point in time the company referred to it as Windows Next. Kevin Kutz, Director, Windows Client only revealed that Microsoft had debuted work on Windows 7.
On March 26, 2007, the Redmond company released the first sales figures of Windows Vista, claiming that the operating system had pushed well in excess of 20 million licenses in its first month on the market. Subsequently, Vista went over the 40 million mark in the first three months, the 60 million by the first half of 2007, and over the 88 million milestone in the fall of the past year.
Back in July, Microsoft offered the first pre-beta builds of Windows Vista Service Pack 1 to testers. Vista SP1 became public in December 2007 with the Release Candidate build, and then in January with Vista SP1 RC Refresh. Currently, Vista SP1 has hit RC Refresh 2. Microsoft talked Windows Vista SP1 for the first time on August 29, 2007, through Jon DeVaan, senior vice president of the Windows Core Operating System division.
On September 27, 2007, the company extended the sales availability of Windows XP until mid 2008 via the retail and original equipment manufacturers channels. On December 3, 2007, Microsoft revealed that it would address the year-old Vista activation cracks with SP1, concomitantly with the introduction of the evolved anti-piracy architecture of the platform. And on January 24, 2008, Windows Vista Ultimate (RED) made its debut on Dell machines, as a a part of the Product (RED) initiative to supply medicine to HIV and AIDS patients in Africa.
"I think we're really pleased at what we're seeing," stated Neil Charney, general manager in Microsoft's PC Windows group, as cited by SeattlePI. "We announced at CES over 100 million licenses of Vista, and that's just a great track record for any product, but for Windows, as well, and I think we're incredibly pleased. We know that it's an ongoing effort to make sure that our customers are happy and satisfied, and enjoying that experience. I think a year later, we're looking back and feeling pleased about the progress."