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 Bill Gates yesterday presented Microsoft Certified Solution Providers attending Fusion 99 at the Moscone Centre in San Francisco last week with his new vison of the future, which he called the 'PC Plus Era'.Gates had his first vision in 1975 when he foresaw a PC in every home. His newest vision has in a sense scaled up with the times. PCs will become only one of many devices, which will include phones, pocket personal digital assistants, intelligent TVs, and computers in cars that can all share a common information base connected to a single network, Gates told the overflow audience. "The PC Plus Era will empower people through great software, any time, any place and on any device," Gates said. Gates also gave the solution providers in attendance a more tangible example of what to expect in the short term with Windows 2000. "As you create information it is replicated via IntelliMirror so a copy is on the server and you can get accessibility wherever you go and have it available on the Internet. "You will have your preferences, your favourites, your music all show up on the different devices that you authenticate yourself to," Gates said. Gates all but promised the final shipping version of Windows 2000 by the end of the year. "It's looking pretty good," Gates said. The Microsoft chairman of the board and CEO also hinted that an entirely revamped version of Exchange Server, dubbed Exchange ++; ClearType, a Microsoft technology for easier reading on an LCD screen; and a tablet PC with handwriting recognition built in are "very concrete this year or early next year". Gates got a big round of applause when he told the audience that Microsoft is considering a change to its much maligned, at times hard to comprehend error message format, and that the change is now in beta. After reading an error message, instead of being given "Okay" as the only icon to click on users will be given an alternative called "Lame". If Lame is clicked, a message box will open and the user can tell Microsoft why the error message was poorly designed. Presenters also discussed issues ranging from how to sell effectively against Oracle and Lotus Notes/Domino Release 5 to how to use IT as a weapon to eliminate any competition. |