Parramatta Council deploying Windows 8.1

Parramatta City Council will be the first local Australian council to implement Microsoft Windows 8.1 after it is launched worldwide this Friday, 18 October.

Announced on Tuesday, the deal will see the council, located in Sydney's west, make use of the full Windows 8.1 suite, which will be immediately rolled out to council workers' laptops, smartphones, and tablets, and later extended to desktops.

"This announcement today signals the start of what we hope is an ongoing, long-term partnership with Microsoft that will not only improve our own internal efficiencies, but also lead to more positive community outcomes," said Parramatta City Lord Mayor John Chedid.

"Once implemented, the software will help transform Council's 750 employees into a truly mobile workforce with anywhere, anytime access."

Windows 8.1 will supersede the heavily criticised Windows 8, which continues to be outpaced in adoption by Windows 7. As of two weeks ago, according to NetMarketshare figures, Windows 8 made up just 8.02 percent of the total market share, whereas Windows 7's share made up 46.3 percent of the market.

Windows XP continues to account for 31.4 percent of the market, despite its end of life approaching in less than six months. On April 8, 2014, Microsoft will release its last security update for XP, with businesses now being urged to prepare to adopt an alternative OS.