Windows XP, Oct. 25, and Budget...
05/09/2001 3:23:08 PM MDT Albuquerque, Nm
By Dustin D. Brand; Owner AMO
Windows XP has a release date of October 25th, with several hundred million in marketing.
Announced today, Microsoft will spend hundreds of millions of dollars to market the launch of its new operating system, Windows XP, an event now set for Oct. 25. The XP spending plans could jump-start the stalled PC business and, with the launch of the Microsoft's XBOX gaming platform/console at about the same time, could even give a much-needed lift to the whole computing sector.
"We're going to blow out the holiday season," said Jim Allchin, group VP in charge of Microsoft's Windows platform division. "The holiday season is going to be great for the PC industry."
This jump start, and massive spending on advertising and marketing will have Microsoft in front of everyone for the entire Holiday season. Microsoft is also spening $500 Million on it's XBOX system release, and has deals lined up with Sobe the drink maker and Taco Bell to place XBOX in front of millions throughout the launch. In contrast, since Windows XP is also launching around the same time as the XBOX, possibly at the end of the month of October vs the XBOX launch on Oct, 11th, Microsoft will be everywhere.
In a conference call Wednesday morning, Allchin said that the October release date was completely firm and that in the next four months Microsoft would spend "double what we did on Windows 95 in the first four months." Asked for a budget figure, he would say only "hundreds of millions of dollars."
Windows XP, which brings a new look to the user interface, will be released in two versions: a Home Edition for general consumer use and a Business Editions for business use. The consumer version of Windows XP will be the first consumer operating system based on the more reliable Windows 2000 code base rather than the Windows 9x code base. That means more reliability and stability, something needed in the industry of OS's. Windows XP changes the way Windows looks by adding curved top Window corners and buttons, with the bottom of windows remaining the same corner shape people are used to.
In addition, XP offers features needed for those tech's everywhere, adding the ability to remotely diagnose and fix problems on users desktops from anywhere in the world via the internet or a remote dial in.
Another feature in Windows XP is the Auto Update. Windows XP when it boots will check the Microsoft Update Site and automatically download and install bug fixes and other updates.
As soon as Windows XP hits the Release Canidate phase, Never Offline(SM) will be fully regression tested and support the new Windows OS.
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