Microsoft is launching its second major test for the Windows Vista operating system.

Vista

Bill Gates announced today at the Windows Hardware Engineering Conference (WinHEC) 2006, the immediate availability of beta 2 versions of Windows Vista, the 2007 Microsoft Office system and the next version of Windows Server, code-named Windows Server "Longhorn." It is the first time that Microsoft has simultaneously released the test versions of all three of the company's flagship products.

Speaking before a nearly sold-out crowd of over 3,500 hardware technologists and business planners, Gates outlined a vision for the future of the PC and hardware devices.

Gates demonstrated how Windows Vista will drive innovation across the industry and support the rich ecosystem of hardware manufacturers that continue to expand choices for customers in everything from computers to peripherals to mobile devices and entertainments systems.

"The release of these three betas is a significant milestone for Microsoft and a major step toward delivering the platforms that will drive the next decade of computing," Gates said. "The combination of these innovative platform technologies and the new hardware and software being developed by our partners will make PCs and other devices more powerful, more useful and more intelligent for businesses today and into the future."

In his keynote address, Gates formally delivered the first beta 2 copies of Windows Vista, the 2007 Microsoft Office system and Windows Server "Longhorn" to a representative of Chevron Corp. Chevron is one of many customers conducting early deployment and testing on all three platforms to hundreds of desktops and servers.

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