Microsoft News Tracker

The parade of announcements (and hype) at Microsoft’s Windows Hardware Engineering Conference (WinHEC) 2007 actually started on Sunday with 9 office phone companies signing onboard Microsoft’s Unified Communications push, but the action really started yesterday with Bill Gates’ kickoff presentation:

• Bill Gates started things off with an encomium to Windows Vista complete with yet another wacky IDC study revealing the philosopher’s stone-like ability of Vista and now Windows Server 2008 to create economic growth. 
• Gates also reported that ”40 million Windows Vista licenses have been sold as of 100 days after its January launch, confirming that Windows Vista is the fastest-selling operating system in history.” This means licenses ”sold to the channel” and not necessarily installed, but even disregarding that, 40 million in 100 days is pretty much business as usual in a year when over 250 million PCs will be sold, almost all with Microsoft operating systems. If Vista wasn’t the fastest selling OS in history it would be time to administer CPR.

Getting away from the self congratulation part of the festivities:

• The rumor was confirmed and Gates formally introduced Windows Server “Longhorn” as Windows Server 2008 and touted it to the assembled Microsoft partners.
• For some reason, there was also some PR juice for Windows Rally Technologies, which are some Microsoft communications technologies introduced with Vista but which have only found their way into 20 shipping devices so far.
• Finally, Gates revealed some new Windows Home Server hardware and software partners.

If this seems a little ho-hum, I think it is and a rather soporific production for what is supposed to be Bill Gates’ final WinHEC appearance.