WINDOWS DELAY TRIPS UP DOW.Byline: Rory Marshall Associated Press Associated Press: see news agency. Associated Press (AP) Cooperative news agency, the oldest and largest in the U.S. and long the largest in the world. Microsoft Corp. said Monday it will delay next year's update of its Windows operating software, news that sent its stock plunging more than 5 percent. Microsoft said the problem is unrelated to any bugs with the Windows 98 release. Instead, the company needs more time to combine two versions of the software into a single product, for computers running Windows 95 and those running the older Windows 3.1. Still, Wall Street investors blanched blanch also blench v. blanched also blenched, blanch·ing also blench·ing, blanch·es also blench·es v.tr. 1. To take the color from; bleach. 2. on word that Microsoft wouldn't have the software out until sometime between April and June instead of by the end of March, as originally planned. Microsoft stock, which was off about $2 ahead of the announcement after an analyst spoke of a delay, fell $7.25 to $130.69 on the Nasdaq Stock Market Nasdaq stock market The first electronic stock market listing over 5000 companies. The Nasdaq stock market comprises two separate markets, namely the Nasdaq National Market, which trades large, active securities and the Nasdaq Smallcap Market that trades emerging growth companies. . By releasing upgrades for both Windows 95 and 3.1 at the same time, Microsoft says retailers won't have to stock two separate products. Windows 98, like Windows 95, is being designed to run programs written for earlier versions of the operating software, which runs the basic functions of a computer. Phil Holden Holden, town (1990 pop. 14,628), Worcester co., central Mass., a residential suburb of Worcester; settled 1723, set off and inc. 1741. Manufactures include electrical and metal products, plastics, and machinery. , Windows product manager, said software testers and customers were confused by the prospect of buying two products. ``The net result is it will take longer to do testing,'' Holden said. Microsoft had said in March that the software wouldn't be available until after Christmas. The new version of Windows won't be the technological leap that marked the introduction of Windows 95 two years ago. But it will integrate Microsoft's Internet Explorer Microsoft's Web browser, which comes with Windows starting with Windows 98. Commonly called "IE," versions for Mac and Unix are also available. Internet Explorer is the most widely used Web browser on the market. It has also been the browser engine in AOL's Internet access software. browser into the general operation of the computer, while being more reliable and simpler to operate. Microsoft estimates about 60 million computers users still rely on Windows 3.1, while 100 million use Windows 95 or Windows NT (Windows New Technology) A 32-bit operating system from Microsoft for Intel x86 CPUs. NT is the core technology in Windows 2000 and Windows XP (see Windows). Available in separate client and server versions, it includes built-in networking and preemptive multitasking. , a corporate version of the software. Windows 95 was released in August 1995 after more than a year of delays. CAPTION(S): Photo, Chart Photo: (color) Microsoft chairman Bill Gates (person) Bill Gates - William Henry Gates III, Chief Executive Officer of Microsoft, which he co-founded in 1975 with Paul Allen. In 1994 Gates is a billionaire, worth $9.35b and Microsoft is worth about $27b. speaks at a trade show in 1994. Chart: (color) Stock stumble |
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