Canadian Software Developers Using Windows Vista to Build Next-Generation of People-Ready Applications
New Microsoft operating system enables ISVs to create rich, dynamic user experiences and help reduce development times.
Mississauga, ON, July 20, 2006 -Many of Canada’s leading independent software vendors (ISVs) are expressing strong support for Microsoft® Windows Vista™ operating system by integrating the platform into next-generation innovative businesses solutions. Windows Vista, which should be made available later this year, allows businesses of all sizes to seamlessly connect to information, people and devices and enable a new level of confidence in the security and reliability of the PC.
Windows Vista Beta 2 is available now as a download for developers and IT professionals who hold Microsoft Developer Network and TechNet subscriptions. As an added advantage, ISVs who take part in early adoption programs from Microsoft can access the related training, support and marketing resources needed to help them leverage the full power of Windows Vista right away.
The early adoption programs also enable ISVs to leverage the managed programming model for Windows Vista - Microsoft .NET Framework 3.0 (formerly the WinFX® application programming interface). The .NET Framework includes the Windows Communication Foundation, Windows Presentation Foundation and Windows Workflow Foundation technologies. Together with the new Aero™ user interface featured in Windows Vista, these technologies provide ISV developers and designers with opportunities to better collaborate and embed a host of new communications features necessary for building today’s connected applications.
“Canadian ISVs are already hard at work building innovative, next-generation solutions based on the Windows Vista-based platform, and through the early adoption programs Microsoft is proud to play a role in helping them be more competitive in the marketplace. Their efforts mean businesses can benefit from advanced productivity tools that help workers collaborate more effectively, giving them quick, easy access to the information they need to make critical decisions,” says Mark Relph, Director, Developer and Platform Group, Microsoft Canada Co.
ISVs who would like to join the momentum leading up to the launch of Windows Vista, or learn how developers today are turning to the next-generation platform to help bring their innovative solutions to market may visit www.microsoft.ca/isv/vista for more information. The following businesses are among those already realizing the benefits of Windows Vista early adoption programs:
Cedara Software
Cedara Software, a Merge Healthcare Company, is a leading independent provider of medical imaging software based in Mississauga, Ont. Among the applications it designs for medical device and healthcare information systems companies is Cedara I-Conference, a hospital image presentation solution. Cedara is taking advantage of .NET Framework 3.0-based technologies, including Windows Presentation Foundation and Windows Communication Foundation, to help improve the I-Conference user experience, and to speed development times.
Cedara is starting to leverage the peer-to-peer collaboration features of Windows Vista to enable a true connected communications experience that includes audio, instant messaging and imaging. This will help expand the capabilities of I-Conference for collaborative work and research between clinicians.
“The first impression of an application is everything, which is why 70 per cent of our developers’ time is spent on making the user interface a rich and dynamic experience for our customers,” says Peter Bascom, Vice-President, Cedara Software. “Taking part in Microsoft’s early adoption program gives us access to Windows Vista and .NET Framework 3.0, which will dramatically improve the look and feel of our products. By providing businesses with a great user experience and a more well-defined workflow, Windows Vista will help Cedara be even more competitive in the medical imaging market.”
90 Degree Software
90 Degree Software is a Vancouver-based independent software vendor that is building an innovative reporting platform that will enable organizations to derive more value from their existing business intelligence systems. The company has built its entire product on .NET Framework 3.0 in order to help streamline its software development process and to improve the user interface of its reporting software. Windows Presentation Foundation offers 90 Degree Software a new level of data visualization capabilities, enabling it to introduce new features that helps give them a competitive advantage when compared to other reporting products. The company is also using Windows Communication Foundation to build a peer-to-peer collaboration feature for its solution that enables users to easily search, reuse and share information with their colleagues in real time.
“Windows Vista and .NET Framework 3.0 has provided us with the tools to be able to develop a fresh new innovative approach to reporting. We've accomplished this by introducing a rich user experience as well as an integrated communication layer allowing for direct sharing and collaboration of business information. We’ve been able to accomplish an incredible amount of development work in a short amount of time, and that’s due to the workflow improvements of .NET Framework 3.0. Windows Vista has been instrumental in giving us the ability to create a world class software product that has enabled us to fill a critical business insight gap that exists between the IT department and business users,” says Michael Matrick, Co-founder and President, 90 Degree Software.
Flowfinity Wireless Inc.
Flowfinity Wireless Inc. of Vancouver delivers enterprise-class products for wireless applications. The Microsoft Gold Certified partner has a growing base of enterprise customers in North America and Europe looking to enhance mobile workforce productivity. Flowfinity is leveraging .NET Framework 3.0 to improve the usability and capability of its products offerings. The company is taking advantage of Windows Presentation Foundation to redefine the user experience for customers of its Flowfinity Actions software, which helps automate how mobile workers exchange critical data with the enterprise and how their managers track and make decisions based on this data. The new user interface will bring a rich, responsive experience to laptop users of Actions even when offline, the same experience Actions users could only get with wireless handhelds previously.
Flowfinity is also integrating the features of Windows Sidebar into the Actions user interface. Windows Sidebar gives workers instant access to gadgets - a wide variety of engaging, easy-to-use and customizable mini-applications that offer information at a glance and provide easy access to frequently used tools.
"By leveraging .NET Framework 3.0 to help improve the usability and capability of Actions, mobile users will be able to connect with information much faster and more intuitively. In this way, Window Vista is helping us to meet the demands of the mobile enterprise and making Flowfinity more competitive as a result," says Dmitry Mikhailov, President and CEO, Flowfinity Wireless.
About Microsoft Canada
Established in 1985, Microsoft Canada Co. is the Canadian subsidiary of Microsoft Corporation (Nasdaq "MSFT") the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential. Microsoft Canada provides nationwide sales, marketing, consulting and local support services in both French and English. Headquartered in Mississauga, Microsoft Canada has 10 regional offices across the country dedicated to empowering people through great software - any time, any place and on any device. For more information on Microsoft Canada, please visit www.microsoft.ca
©2006 Microsoft Corporation. Microsoft, Aero, Windows, WinFX and Windows Vista are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.
The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.
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