2006年VOA标准英语-New Version of Windows Introduced for Business

By Mil Arcega
Washington, DC
07 December 2006
 
watch Microsoft Vista¹ report

Microsoft Vista screen

After a number of delays, Microsoft has officially launched the newest version of Windows, called Vista.  The new operating system, which Microsoft says will make computers more secure and easier to use, was introduced to the business community last week.  But as VOA's Mil Arcega reports, Vista will not be available to consumer users until next year.

Vista is Microsoft's first new operating system in five years.  And its official launch was reason enough for Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer to ring the opening bell at the Nasdaq stock exchange. "We couldn't be more excited to be doing this launch, this introduction, of by far I would say, the largest wave of products we've ever kicked off and all anchored around the most significant release that maybe we've ever done and certainly we've done since 1995 of our two flagship products of Microsoft Windows, the Windows Vista release and Microsoft Office 2007."

Microsoft says Vista will make computers more secure, powerful and graphically² dynamic, especially when combined with the new Office 2007 suite³, which brings sweeping⁴ changes to familiar programs such as Word, Outlook and Powerpoint.  But for now, Ballmer says it's only available for business users. "Today we are kicking off what we call the business launch of these products.  They will be available to consumers the end of January.  We'll come back and launch them for the consumer audience."

Microsoft says Vista will be priced about the same as the equivalent version of the older operating system, Windows XP, but will offer five different versions for home and business users.  Prices range from $99 for the Basic Home upgrade to about $400 for the premium⁵ version, Vista Ultimate.

Business analyst⁶ Simon Yates says the success of the new operating system is critically important not just for Microsoft but also for the $200 billion personal computer industry. "If Microsoft doesn't have a good launch of Vista, and it doesn't come out of the gates flying [off the starting line], then there's a potential revenue impact there in the near term."

Microsoft expects more than 200 million people will be using at least one of the new products by the end of 2007.  Yates add, "Eventually, everyone will roll over to the new operating system, you almost can't avoid it, but you know it will take five or six years to reach the same level of saturation⁷ today that XP has."

Right now, an estimated 800 million PC's, or 90 percent of the world's computers, run on Windows software.

Microsoft spent an estimated $7 billion to develop Vista.  But software security problems delayed the product launch for more than two years.

1 vista   

n.远景，深景，展望，回想

参考例句：

• From my bedroom window I looked out on a crowded vista of hills and rooftops.我从卧室窗口望去，远处尽是连绵的山峦和屋顶。
• These uprisings come from desperation and a vista of a future without hope.发生这些暴动是因为人们被逼上了绝路，未来看不到一点儿希望。

2 graphically   

adv.通过图表；生动地，轮廓分明地

参考例句：

• This data is shown graphically on the opposite page. 对页以图表显示这些数据。
• The data can be represented graphically in a line diagram. 这些数据可以用单线图表现出来。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 suite   

n.一套(家具)；套房；随从人员

参考例句：

• She has a suite of rooms in the hotel.她在那家旅馆有一套房间。
• That is a nice suite of furniture.那套家具很不错。

4 sweeping   

adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的

参考例句：

• The citizens voted for sweeping reforms.公民投票支持全面的改革。
• Can you hear the wind sweeping through the branches?你能听到风掠过树枝的声音吗？

5 premium   

n.加付款；赠品；adj.高级的；售价高的

参考例句：

• You have to pay a premium for express delivery.寄快递你得付额外费用。
• Fresh water was at a premium after the reservoir was contaminated.在水库被污染之后，清水便因稀而贵了。

6 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

7 saturation   

n.饱和(状态)；浸透

参考例句：

• The company's sales are now close to saturation in many western countries.这家公司的产品销售量在许多西方国家已接近饱和。
• Road traffic has reached saturation point.公路交通已达到饱和点。