Microsoft has an embedded version of NT in alpha, and intends to go into widespread beta with the product in the first quarter of next year, the company claimed yesterday. The product, which is based on NT 4.0, is intended to ship later next year. This will be followed up by a version of Windows 2000 embedded, which will ship after Windows 2000 itself, the product formerly known as NT 5.0. Microsoft has a number of different embedded projects in the works, but NT Embedded is probably the most peculiar. The company reckons it will be complementary to Windows CE, the other embedded systems and to NT Server itself, being used in areas where full Win32 and BackOffice integration are necessary. This would seem a somewhat narrow market, as the product will surely be large and resource hungry, so not appropriate for use in low-cost devices. Microsoft has however had some success in deploying NT-based EPOS systems, the general idea being that these integrate into NT-based corporate 'digital nervous systems'. So despite brave talk about potential markets, we're probably really talking about a rev of NT that will go onto heavily locked-down and ruggedised EPOS and commercial/industrial workstations. ® Click for more stories Click for story index