Today, thanks to Internet standards like XML, there's an enormous opportunity for developers to write breakthrough software. Consumers and businesses will see immediate benefits from our ability to tear down the walls that prevent people from using data and information in a really meaningful way. They will make us more creative, keep us connected and save us time, and they will help every business run more efficiently and serve their customers more effectively. Gates' presentation showcased breakthrough technologies from Microsoft that will contribute to this next-generation Internet. The size of a pad of paper and only an inch thick, this fully functional personal computer combines the power of the PC with the convenience and simplicity of pen and paper.
Software remains at the center of every exciting development on the Web.
Smarter devices, smarter servers and great new Web services can work together only through the magic of software. Software is at the heart of making this next generation of the Internet a quantum leap in power, flexibility and agility. In his speech, Gates announced the availability of Visual Studio. NET and the .NET Framework beta 1 release, which will be distributed to millions of developers, enabling them to develop .NET Web Services and ushering in the next generation of Web computing. NET and the .NET Framework are the essential tools and platform technologies required to build Web Services.