Microsoft Windows Vista: The OS Has Landed

After five long years, Microsoft finally released both the business and consumer editions of its much-anticipated—and oft-delayed—Windows Vista operating system (OS). CIO.com has been on the Vista story through it all—the array of delays, antitrust tribulations, complaints from security vendors and the like—and we’ll keep updating you with the latest developments, as well as provide some expert commentary and additional related materials, right here on our Microsoft Windows Vista: The OS Has Landed page. Bookmark it so you don’t miss a beat.

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(CIO.com news)

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer believes that sales forecasts for its new Vista operating system may be “overly aggressive.”

Microsoft’s Top 3 Windows Vista Security Features (CIO.com news)

Microsoft finally rolled its Vista operating system out the door Tuesday, billing it as its most secure operating system ever, but what are the security features that will really matter to enterprise users? To answer this question, IDG News Service asked Russ Humphries, a senior program manager with the Vista security team, to list the three Vista features that will have the biggest effect.

Five Things Users Will Tell CIOs About Vista (CIO.com blog post)

For CIOs who’ve listened to years of hype about Microsoft Vista, a potentially aggravating new phase begins on consumer launch day — the onslaught of comments and questions from your colleagues and acquaintances who load the new OS on home PCs.

Don’t buy Windows Vista! (6 Reasons to Wait) (CIO.com news story)

The consumer launch of Microsoft Vista is here, but don’t rush to buy.

Forrester: Consumers Won’t Flock to Microsoft Vista (CIO.com news story)

Much has been made about the fact that businesses likely won’t be in a hurry to upgrade to Windows Vista. But a report by Forrester Research suggests consumers won’t stampede to purchase the new OS either when it becomes available on Jan 30.

Microsoft Trumpets Vista Security at Launch Party (CIO.com news)

Windows Vista will be the most secure operating system that Microsoft has released, a company executive said Tuesday at a Vista launch event in Washington, D.C.

Bill Gates Brings Windows Vista, Office 2007 to Europe (CIO.com news)|

Microsoft’s Bill Gates ushered his company’s new Vista OS and Office 2007 software suite into Europe on Tuesday morning, near the end of a round-the-world event that brings the software to 70 countries in 19 languages.

Windows Vista Consumer Launch Represents Opportunity for Businesses (CIO.com news)

On Jan. 30, Microsoft will release new versions of Windows and Office to the general public—and businesses will be able to profit from new functions of the software bought by their customers.

Five Things Users Will Tell CIOs About Vista (CIO.com)

The consumer versions of Vista hit store shelves  January 30, so brace yourselves.

Beyond Vista (CIO magazine)

Inside Microsoft’s plan to dominate the Web 2.0 enterprise

Windows Vista Holds Clues to Microsoft’s Future (CIO.com news)

There’s far more to Vista than the new features consumers will experience when they use the OS. Five years in the making, Vista — an evolutionary move rather than a revolutionary one — has broad implications for Microsoft. Inside Vista are clues about the future of Windows, and how Microsoft plans to position its number-one core product going forward.

Microsoft Already Gearing Up for Vista Service Pack (Computerworld.com news)

On the verge of the release of Windows Vista, Microsoft Corp. is already accepting orders for features to go in the operating system’s first service pack.

Microsoft, AirAsia Promote Desktop Gadgets for Vista (CIO.com news)

Microsoft and one of Asia’s leading discount airlines teamed up to promote the use of a new software program, or desktop gadget, to access Internet information on the Vista OS.

Microsoft Offers Up Windows Vista Preview to Fight Piracy (CIO.com news)

Microsoft is offering a free online “test drive” of its Windows Vista OS in its latest effort to fight software piracy and counterfeiting.

Hands On: A Hard Look at Windows Vista (Computerworld.com)

Here’s an inside look at the best and the worst of Windows Vista from the folks at Computerworld.com.

Analyst: Windows Vista Uptake Lagging (CIO.com news)

Sydney, Australia-based IT analyst firm Hydrasight has delivered a dim forecast for the adoption rate of Windows Vista, stating businesses will question the value the next-generation of Windows can provide. Enterprise adoption rate for Vista in Australia will be less than ten per cent during 2007, according to Hydrasight.

Microsoft Pushes Premium Versions of Windows Vista (CIO.com news)

Microsoft wants to make sure consumers and small businesses know there are myriad ways they can acquire Windows Vista—particularly in premium versions—when it becomes available on Jan. 30, and for the first time, users will be able to purchase its Windows OS by downloading it over the Internet.

Businesses Like What They See With Vista (CIO.com online feature)

But caution and protracted deployment cycles are still likely to be the norm–in spite of the appeal of the product’s new security, search and deployment tools.

Installing and Securing Microsoft Vista (CIO.com podcast)

Posted Dec. 1

Additional Vista-Related Material:

Hundreds Welcome Microsoft Windows Vista to Tokyo (CIO.com news)

Hundreds of people braved chilly weather in Tokyo on Monday night and the early hours of Tuesday to be among the first in the world to buy a retail copy of the Windows Vista operating system.

Microsoft Windows Vista, Office 2007 Released to Businesses (CIO.com news)

After five years and numerous delays, customers can now get their hands on the final version of the Windows Vista operating system.

IDC: Vista to Benefit Partners More Than Microsoft (CIO.com news story)

A new IDC report on the impact of Windows Vista on the industry claims Microsoft’s business partners stand to benefit more financially from the OS than Microsoft itself will in 2007.

Analyst: Vista Adoption to Outpace Windows XP (CIO.com news story)

Adoption of Microsoft’s Windows Vista operating system will happen at a faster pace than any previous operating system release, a software analyst at Ovum recently predicted.

Windows Vista Migration 101 (CSOonline.com Q&A)

Gartner analyst Michael Silver discusses Vista migration pitfalls and what you should be doing now to avoid them–even if you don’t plan to migrate for a year or more.

Is Vista a Hardware Hog?  (CIO.com blog)

Posted Nov. 29

Microsoft to Offer Extra Version of Windows Vista in Europe (CIO.com news)

When Microsoft releases Windows Vista to business customers in Europe, it will be offering an extra version of the OS to comply with the European Commission’s antitrust ruling against the company.

Kaspersky: Windows Vista Won’t Change Security Concerns (CIO.com news)

Windows Vista’s arrival will not thaw Microsoft’s security misery, the CEO of Russian security company Kaspersky Lab has said in a chilly broadside against the software giant.

Free Software Foundation Points Finger at ’Bad Vista’ (CIO.com news)

As Windows Vista begins rolling out to business customers, the Free Software Foundation has launched a website devoted to taking Microsoft’s latest operating system down a peg.

Pirates Circumvent Microsoft Vista Activation Feature (CIO.com news)

Hackers are distributing a file that they say lets users of the corporate version of Microsoft’s Windows Vista operating system get around the software’s anti-piracy mechanisms.

Vista Launch Sparks Competition Between PC Vendors (CIO.com news)

As Microsoft prepares to sell the business version of its Windows Vista operating system, Dell is beefing up its IT service offerings to compete for customers with Hewlett-Packard.

Microsoft Admits Vista’s Vulnerable to 40% of Malware (CIO.com news)

Windows Vista is wide open to nearly 40 percent of the malware currently circulating, Microsoft has admitted, following a report by Sophos.

Sophos: Windows Vista Users May Be Affected by Existing Malware

(CIO.com news)

Microsoft has touted Vista as a more secure version of Windows, but on the day of Vista’s official launch, a security company has identified malware already in circulation that can infect computers running the OS.Microsoft Vista, Office 2007 Biz Launch Kicks Off in Asia (CIO.com news)

Microsoft kicked off the day-long launch of its Vista operating system, Office 2007 suite and Exchange Server 2007 applications for enterprise users with events at three locations in Asia.

Microsoft Vista Consumer Release Set for Jan. 30 (CIO.com news)

Microsoft recently said it had finished up development of the software code behind its much-anticipated—and oft-delayed—Windows Vista operating system (OS), and that the software will be available to consumers on Jan. 30.

The Big Upgrade (CIO magazine)

Vista’s flexibility should appeal to CIOs with smaller staffs, but its hardware requirements will be tough on their wallets.

Windows Security Gets a Boost From Vista (CSOonline.com news)

As Microsoft officially launches Vista for businesses, many security managers are still scratching their heads, wondering how so many analysts and others in the industry can say “security” and “Microsoft” in the same sentence without talking about a problem.

Microsoft Taps Partners to Ease Vista Compatibility (CIO.com news)

Microsoft has tapped a group of consulting partners to help ensure companies’ applications will be compliant when they decide to deploy Windows Vista across the enterprise.

Microsoft Bets Big on Vista Security (CIO.com news)

Microsoft’s Vista developers can’t catch a break these days. After years of warnings from security researchers that old code in Windows was creating security risks, the software giant decided to rewrite key parts of the operating system.

Security in Microsoft Vista? It Could Happen. (CSOonline.com news)

Microsoft claims, “Windows Vista is engineered to be the most secure version of Windows yet.”  Security is so important to Vista that it is listed near the top of 12 features advertised to users, second only to “User Experience.”

Microsoft and the Future of IT: Three CIOs Weigh In (CIO.com blog)

Posted July 20

Microsoft, Linux and Software as a Service (CIO.com blog)

Posted Nov. 3

Microsoft Vista Complies With U.S. Antitrust Ruling (CIO.com news)

Microsoft’s Windows Vista OS doesn’t pose antitrust issues so far, according to the latest status report on Microsoft’s compliance with the U.S. antitrust settlement.

Microsoft: Pirated Vista May be Useless (CIO.com news)

Microsoft said supposedly pirated copies of its new Vista computer operating system (OS) “will be of limited value” to those who use them.

From Ubiquitous Broadband to Microsoft (CIO.com blog)

Posted July 10

Microsoft Says Code Is Better, Not Perfect: Q&A (CIO.com news)

Over the past few years, Microsoft has aggressively sought to change the image that its products have poor security. The company says that Windows Vista, which has been released to manufacturing, will be its most secure operating system to date, representing a top-down change in how its programmers develop code with security in mind.

Microsoft, CompUSA to Offer Windows Vista Early (CIO.com news)

Microsoft continues to expand ways customers can get access to Windows Vista as the operating system’s official launch date approaches. The company recently said it is teaming with CompUSA stores to offer early access to Windows Vista to U.S. small businesses.

Microsoft Vista to Get VoIP (CIO.com news)

“We are going to enter the voice-over-IP market the beginning of next year.” That’s what Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer recently told a Microsoft partner conference in Tokyo.

Microsoft Offers New Tools for Windows Vista, Longhorn (CIO.com news)

Microsoft is making available a scripting tool for system administration tasks, plus upgrades that prepare its products for the release of Windows Vista and Longhorn server.

Microsoft Windows Vista, Longhorn to Get New Antipiracy Features (CIO.com news)

Microsoft will introduce a new system for fighting software piracy with its upcoming Windows Vista and Windows Longhorn Server operating systems, the company said.

New Microsoft CRM Suite Will Work With Vista (CIO.com news)

Microsoft will release a new version of its Dynamics CRM software with functions that mesh with its forthcoming Vista OS and Office 2007 software, the company said in November.

Microsoft Clarifies Vista Licensing; Users Still Not Pleased (CIO.com news)

Microsoft finally attempted to clear up confusion over licensing of Windows Vista for power users who rebuild their PCs on a regular basis. But the answer from the software vendor did little to placate some users, who are still upset about Microsoft’s one-machine transfer policy for Vista.

Microsoft Allows 1 Vista Transfer Under New License (CIO.com news)

Microsoft is limiting the number of machines to which users can transfer Windows Vista licenses as part of licensing changes the company has made to its Windows client OS.

Check out our CIO News Alerts and Tech Informer pages for more updated news coverage.