Windows Vista: Now is the Time!

Jim Allchin, the co-president of platforms & services from Microsoft, published this open letter to all windows developers.

Are you ready for Windows Vista? We know the world is! Barring any unforeseen quality issues such as bugs around data corruption, resiliency, or security, we remain on track for business availability of Windows Vista later this year, with our consumer launch in January. Those of you who have started using RC1 can see how stable the product already is. We are very close to being done.

Windows Vista is going to give you, developers, new opportunities on a scale you haven't seen since Windows 95. Industry analysts predict that some 200 million people will be using Windows Vista within the first 24 months of launch. We're rapidly approaching launch, and then millions of people will be looking for applications. People will flock to software that is new, compelling, and "cool." You have GOT to be ready for this opportunity. We have invested heavily in both the .NET Framework 3.0 and traditional Win32 APIs in Windows Vista. With Visual Studio you can create applications that are visually stunning, connected, workflow-enabled, and secure. You can get a preview of some of the great features in the upcoming next release of Visual Studio that will make development for Windows Vista even more powerful. And the new line of Microsoft Expression products will make it much easier for developers and designers to collaborate on creating great experiences for Windows.

More than 1,000 companies are engaged in our early adopter programs, and some of the initial work I've seen has simply blown me away. People will just love these applications - from new DX10 games to cool Sidebar gadgets to new rich visual enterprise applications. Some of these apps are mind-bogglingly cool. And, some of the best work is being done by small companies that many of you probably haven't heard of, so the opportunities for changing the world are clear. We've created a showcase so you can see what some of your peers are doing.

What do you need to do to be ready? First of all, make sure your application is compatible. We have made tremendous investments in Windows Vista to ensure backwards compatibility, but some of the system enhancements, such as User Access Control, changes to the networking stack, and the new graphics model, may require code changes on your part. You should work hard to run as standard user.

We've got tools to help you:

• The Application Compatibility Cookbook will give you in-depth information on the new capabilities in Windows Vista and how they may affect existing applications.
• The Windows Vista site on MSDN includes the latest technical material and gives you pointers to our upcoming worldwide launch events.
• Visit the Innovate on Windows Vista portal to get access to tools, resources, and Windows Vista logo program information. I strongly encourage you to apply for the Certified for Windows Vista Logo.

If you have questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact your Microsoft representative, post to MSDN Forums, or send us feedback directly.

As I said, the opportunity will be tremendous. If you want to ride the wave we're creating with Windows Vista, the best way is to have your application ready by the time we ship! And that is very soon.

thanks,
jim

Jim Allchin
Co-President, Platforms & Services
Microsoft Corporation