“Microsoft plans to make Windows “Web-centric” by issuing a
set of so-called “Internet APIs” that will help developers write
Web-based applications for the operating system, according to
company bigwigs.”
“Chairman Bill Gates and President Steve Ballmer released
sketchy information about the technology Thursday at the company’s
conference for financial analysts. Gates said more details would
emerge this fall, and Microsoft’s Professional Developers
Conference (PDC) in February would showcase the initiative.
“Gates said, future applications will include more of a balance
between server-side and client-side code.”
“The Redmond duo also discussed the competition facing
Microsoft, with Ballmer calling Linux the most important platform
competition Windows has seen since the heyday of OS/2. The reason,
Ballmer said, is because the open-source operating system is
rejuvenating Unix on the Intel architecture.
“Linux is a serious, albeit a little bit crazy, implementation
of Unix on the Intel platform,” Ballmer said.”