Vista benefits Africa, says MS

Microsoft has announced the availability of Windows Vista, the 2007 Office System and Exchange 2007 for business customers across West, East and Central Africa (WECA) and the Indian Ocean Islands (IOI).

The new version of Microsoft will be introduced to the African consumer market at the end of January, alongside the worldwide mass market launch, says Tracey McKinon, Microsoft senior product manager for WECA and IOI.

According to a Microsoft press release, organisations across the region that have a volume licence agreement with Microsoft will now have access to the new products.

Vista is the latest version of the company's Windows operating system for desktop and notebook computers. The 2007 Office System is a set of desktop and server software solutions designed to help companies and people work with documents, and communicate and collaborate. Exchange is the software that drives e-mail, electronic calendars and other messaging tools.

The new Microsoft version accommodates a wide spectrum of users, McKinon says. "The new version has been moulded around Africa's business needs and accommodates issues of mobility and connectivity in Africa."

The version is accessible and user-friendly on PCs, laptops and PDAs, which makes accessing the version in remote locations easier, she says.

There is also heightened attention around the new version's security needs, she adds. "This will help control and minimise the huge software piracy problem that exists on the continent."

McKinon is currently in Botswana introducing the new version to Microsoft partners in the country. She has already been on a training roadshow in Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, Uganda and Zimbabwe, bringing awareness and training of the new system to the African market. The WECA and IOI market consists of 48 countries.

McKinon notes that the new technology is important as it encourages users from previously disadvantaged markets to become more empowered. It creates a platform where users can methodically understand and grasp the concepts of Microsoft without having any previous PC experience, she notes.