San Francisco, Oct 01: Microsoft Corp and Phoenix Technologies, the maker of the system software that allows hardware to communicate with the operating system in most PCs, on Tuesday announced a joint effort aimed at making computers easier to use. The companies are expanding their existing relationship to include joint development and cross-licensing, said Albert Sisto, president, chief executive and chairman of San Jose, California-based Phoenix.

The goal of the venture is to make it easier for consumers to restore a crashed computer to its previous state and for corporations to diagnose and fix computer problems, he said. Computers should be more like other home appliances, intuitive and dependable, Sisto said. "We believe that through this collaboration we will allow hardware companies to provide a new set of digital devices designed for specific purposes, that are highly reliable, easy to use, (with) instant-on and that provide function immediately and require little to no learning curve," he said.
Systems with features resulting from the collaboration are expected to be on the market within a year or two, Sisto said. Phoenix makes the BIOS -- Basic Input Output System --software that is activated when a PC is turned on, as well as other core system software. Bureau Report