LEHI — When Microsoft debuts its Windows 7 software package next month, it will have virtual Utah fingerprints all over it.
The software giant, based in Redmond, Wash., on Thursday officially "opened" its research and development office at Thanksgiving Park by announcing that the operating system will be available to the general public on Oct. 29. The company has facilities in Lehi, Draper and Salt Lake City.
The technology was developed in large part due to the work of engineers based in Utah, according to Brad Anderson, corporate vice president of Microsoft's management and services division.
The "virtualization" technology used in the new software will allow users to run multiple operating systems on one computer seamlessly, he said.
"All the user sees is the application fully integrated with the Windows 7 desktop," Anderson explained. "What the (Utah) team does is it simplifies the experience (for the user)."
He noted that the Utah team is responsible for creating the next generation of user-friendly operating software.
"We expect that the technology coming out of this Utah development center will be used worldwide," he said.
When fully staffed, the Lehi facility will employ about 100 information-technology professionals.
"Our plans are to have a significant investment here in Utah and really grow our presence," he said.
Anderson declined to say how many workers the company employs in Utah but added that they are among the best-qualified and most-experienced technology minds in the industry.
"In fact, the average level of experience on the team here in Utah is greater than any other team I have in my division of over a thousand people," he said. Besides Utah, the division has employees in Washington state; Boston; Israel; and Shanghai, China.
The Salt Lake native and BYU graduate also commented that the company is working to develop partnerships with local community groups, including the Sorenson Multi-Cultural Center in Salt Lake's Glendale neighborhood, to provide computers and support for underprivileged youth in Utah.
Microsoft has donated more than $500,000 to Sorenson programs since 2003 and recently donated $94,000 for computers for the center.
Among the dignitaries on hand for Thursday's event was Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah. The six-term senator is the chairman of the National Republican High-Tech Task Force and was instrumental in lobbying Microsoft to increase its presence in the Beehive State.
"To have Microsoft here and expanding the way they are doing … is a real benefit to our state (and) a real benefit to our country," Hatch said.
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