MICROSOFT WINDOWS XP UNVEILED IN THE BIG APPLE Last week, Chairman Bill gates visited New York's Times Square to promote Microsoft's latest operating system, which he cliams will bring new opportunities to solution providers. But despite these promises, critics firsee slow adoption and privacy problems.

While Windows XP is perceived largely as a consumer upgrade, Microsoft Chairman and Chief Software Architect Bill Gates made a special effort to highlight during his keynote speech at the event the Windows XP Professional features aimed at the business market.

These features include realtime audio, video and text messaging for Internet meetings; new security features and privacy controls; and support for the 802.11 wireless networking standard, which open up new product and service opportunities for Microsoft partners.

"With Office XP, Windows XP will be the new standard for business," Gates said.

The launch of Windows XP also ushers out the era of DOS computing and ushers in the era of .Net Web services, Gates said. Windows XP, for example, supports .Net Alerts, a new alert service that will be deployed as part of the Microsoft .Net software services platform, due to be launched in mid-2002.

This makes Windows XP a partner sell, Gates said. "Built into Windows XP is this idea of supporting Web services and alerts," he said. "We'll show lots of benefits of alerts to businesses and consumers."

BILLIONAIRE MEETS 'MILLIONAIRE' HOST Talk-show and game-show host Regis Philbin touts the advanced features of Windows XP with Bill gates during last week's aunch event in New York. Philbin then quizzed the Microsoft chairman during a takeoff of Philbin's game show 'Who Wants To Be A Millionaire.'

Solution providers agree. "I look forward to the integration of .Net services," said Michael Cocanower, president of Phoenix-based ITSynergy.

Several other high-tech leaders,including Hewlett-Packard Chairman and CEO Carly Fiorina, Compaq Chairman and CEO Michael Capellas, Gateway Chairman and CEO Ted Waitt, Dell Computer Chairman and CEO Michael Dell, and Intel CEO Craig Barrett,participated in the Windows XP launch.

A Gartner Group report issued the day of the launch predicted that Windows 2000 Professional will continue to be the leading business version until 2003.

Microsoft executives, however, were quick to point to businesses that have already begun deploying Windows XP, including Wells Fargo, Citigroup, BMW and Reed Elsevier. Other early adopters of Windows XP include Digex and Merrill Lynch, as well as Microsoft global accounts General Motors, GMAC Commercial Mortgage and Siemens.

To lend a patriotic feel to the event, Gates kicked off the Windows XP launch with native New Yorkers, including New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, New York Gov. George Pataki, game- and talk-show host Regis Philbin and former New York City mayor Ed Koch.