News

Microsoft Announces New Names for Whistler, Office 10

• By Scott Bekker
• 02/05/2001

Microsoft Corp. announced Monday that it has settled on the names Windows XP and Office XP for its soon-to-be released products built on the .NET framework.

Windows XP -- the XP is Microsoft shorthand for experience -- is the new moniker for what was known as Whistler. Whistler is the next version of Windows that kisses goodbye forever the various flavors of 9x.

Office XP replaces the working name of Office 10. Office XP will be the first major Microsoft product to have a subscription offering, giving customers the option of renting software rather than buying. It’s the first step in Microsoft’s evolving software-as-a-service strategy, which is at the heart of the .Net initiative.

Microsoft chairman and chief software architect Bill Gates said in a statement on Microsoft’s Web site that "the .NET platform uses XML to expand the platform from a single PC to include other PCs, servers, smart devices and Web services.. this evolution from applications to experiences starts with Windows XP and Office XP."

Office XP is expected to be released sometime this summer, with a Windows XP release to follow by the end of the year. Microsoft says it will release more information about Windows XP on Feb. 13. - Keith Ward