Microsoft rallies developers for Vista

Windows Vista is due for general availability by January 2007

Microsoft has called on developers to prepare for the launch of its forthcoming Windows Vista operating system. 

"The opportunity [for Vista] will be tremendous. If you want to ride the wave we're creating, the best way is to have your application ready by the time we ship. And that is very soon," Windows boss Jim Allchin wrote in an open letter on the Microsoft Developer Network website. 

Allchin confirmed the current launch schedule, which predicts enterprise availability in late 2006 and general availability by January 2007.

Vista will bolster the market for third-party applications, Allchin claimed, because users who upgrade will look for "compelling and cool" software.

Windows Vista allows developers to take advantage of the .Net framework 3.0 as well as the existing Win32 application programming interfaces to ensure compatibility for current-generation applications.

Microsoft also plans to release a new version of its Visual Studio developer tool for the platform.