Windows 2000 will be released this year and system builders should pre-install Windows NT Workstation 4.0 prepare customers for the launch, Microsoft said today. Matti Suokko, Microsoft OEM product manager for Windows, said Windows 2000 Professional, the business software replacement for Windows NT, was on track for release later in 1999. “We’re very confident that it will ship this year,” he said. “We are working with a set of customers at the moment to make sure we get feedback before putting it on the market.” Suokko also encouraged assemblers to give the Windows 2000 Beta 3 a test run to iron out any creases. “We’re now focusing on improving reliability, performance and compatibility, and sorting out the final bugs,” he said. This operating system is Microsoft’s largest software development to date, according to Suokko. He said integrators could benefit from adding peripherals when selling a PC and increase profitability from reduced support costs. He admitted it could be almost six months before Windows 2000 was ready to ship, and in the meantime urged PC builders to recommend Windows NT 4.0 to users. “If a business customer buys a PC today, they should buy it with NT Workstation 4.0. This is best equipped for the upgrade to Windows 2000.” Windows 2000 would have the power of Windows NT, with the best of Windows 98 for businesses, and the lowest TCO, he added. Suokko also said Microsoft aimed to phase out Windows 98 architecture completely over time. “The future is based on Windows NT architecture for both business and consumers,” he said. ®