REDMOND, Wash., Aug. 3, 1998 — Microsoft Corp. today announced the immediate availability of the Business Readiness Kit for the Microsoft® Windows NT® Workstation operating system version 4.0. Created as a tool for information technology managers at businesses of all sizes, the kit provides users with the information and software they need to make the right operating system choice for their business desktop and laptop personal computers.
“In the past six months, Windows NT Workstation 4.0 has rapidly matured from a high-end operating system used in medium to large businesses, to the mainstream desktop environment for businesses of any size,” said Yusuf Mehdi, director of Windows® marketing at Microsoft.
“With the availability of the Business Readiness Kit, Microsoft is providing a comprehensive tool that captures the TCO advantages, new hardware and software solutions, mobile solutions and deployment tools that have led companies like Eastman Kodak Co. and Prudential Securities to deploy it throughout their organizations.”
The Business Readiness Kit is a complete CD package that includes a 120 day trial version of Windows NT Workstation 4.0 with Service Pack 3, third-party software discounts and extensive documentation to help businesses deploy and use Windows NT Workstation 4.0. It also includes Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.01 with Service Pack 1 and more than 1,000 new and updated device drivers.
The Business Readiness Kit also contains more detailed information on how
Windows NT Workstation provides the mission-critical solutions that all businesses require in areas such as these:
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Security. Windows NT Workstation 4.0 secures desktops from unauthorized users and unwanted access to data.
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Connectivity and networking. Windows NT Workstation 4.0 is an excellent multipurpose network client for Windows NT Server, Novell NetWare and UNIX.
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Manageability. Windows NT Workstation 4.0 can dramatically reduce total cost of ownership.
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Compatibility. Windows NT Workstation 4.0 supports the leading commercially available business applications and devices, and has been tested on more than 9,000 PC brands and more than 6,500 PC peripherals and devices.
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Performance. Windows NT Workstation 4.0 is the top-performing Windows family operating system.
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Reliability. Windows NT Workstation 4.0 provides the highest reliability of any member of the Windows desktop family.
Kodak, Prudential Choose Windows NT Workstation 4.0
Businesses of all sizes are rapidly moving to the Windows NT Workstation to reap the benefits it offers. During fiscal year 1998, Microsoft sold 15 million licenses of Windows NT Workstation, a 125 percent increase compared to fiscal year 1997, and the Business Readiness Kit cites Eastman Kodak Co. and Prudential Securities Inc. as examples of companies currently making the switch to Windows NT Workstation 4.0.
“Already, Windows NT Workstation is helping Kodak save time and reduce costs,”
said Larry Ricotta, project manager at Eastman Kodak.
“For example, the integrated NetWare-compatible client cut each desktop installation by five to 10 minutes. This kind of thing can have a big impact when you’re trying to deploy thousands of machines.”
“We had to have a very robust environment that would allow our financial advisers to simultaneously use many different applications without fear of crashing the system,”
said Murali
Balasubramanian, first vice president, strategic client initiatives, Prudential Securities Inc.
“We decided that Windows NT Workstation was the best choice because of its multitasking capabilities, stability and robustness.”
Pricing and Availability
Customers can order the kit directly from the Microsoft Web site at http://www.microsoft.com/ntworkstation/default.asp or by calling Microsoft at (888) 296-6569. The cost of the CD-ROM is $19.95, including shipping and handling.
Users of the Business Readiness Kit in the United States and Canada will receive special discounts from several third-party software providers. These discounts include more than 50 percent off the Microsoft official curriculum course
“Installing and Configuring Windows NT Workstation 4.0”
at an authorized training center, New Horizons Computer Learning Centers Inc., 35 percent off Kingston memory, 20 percent off SystemSoft Solutions for Windows NT Workstation-based notebooks, 20 percent off Softex Products for Windows NT Workstation-based notebooks, and 30 percent off Award CardWare 6.0 for Windows NT Workstation.
For more information about Windows NT Workstation 4.0, visit the Microsoft Web site at http://www.microsoft.com/ntworkstation/default.asp .
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) is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.
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