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By Ina Fried, 23 February 2006 08:30

NEWS

Microsoft said on Wednesday it is releasing an updated test version of Windows Vista, the forthcoming update to Microsoft's flagship operating system.

The latest Community Technology Preview (CTP) version is aimed at businesses, Microsoft said. The company is trying to rebut the notion that Vista is primarily a consumer release, a perception that was fuelled by Bill Gates' Vista demonstration at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

Brad Goldberg, general manager of Windows Client product management, said in a conference call with journalists: "Windows Vista is as much, if not more, a business release."

Goldberg said Vista will bring fewer reboots and easier manageability, which should help businesses reduce the cost of handling their stable of PCs.

Microsoft stuck to its existing timetable for Vista, promising a consumer-oriented test version will come out next quarter and a final release will arrive in the second half of the year.

Goldberg said: "The exact date will be determined by quality."

Microsoft released its last CTP version in December, following previous CTP releases in September and October. Microsoft had planned monthly CTP versions but scrapped that plan in November.

Windows chief Jim Allchin said last month that Microsoft would be releasing two more major CTP versions but there would not be just one "beta 2" release, as has been the case with past Windows releases.

Microsoft declined to discuss which different editions of Vista the company will make available. The software behemoth had briefly posted to its website information that suggested six distinct versions of Vista, with two of those also coming in 'N' versions with the media player removed as required by the European Union.

A Microsoft representative said at the start of the conference call: "I know there has been a lot of speculation. We will be making some information available very very soon."

Ina Fried writes for CNET News.com