Microsoft has said that the operating system known for years as Longhorn would be called Windows Vista and that a beta version would be available by 3 August.
Then last Wednesday morning — a week ahead of schedule — the software giant said that the beta is ready to go.
In the four-year history of Longhorn it's arguably the first time Microsoft can claim to be ahead of schedule. Since first discussing Longhorn in 2001, Microsoft has changed the features of the release and pushed out its launch date several times. But there is little room for error now, as Microsoft is trying to have a final version ready by next year's Christmas buying season.
Microsoft's Jim Allchin, the group vice-president managing all Windows development work, spoke to ZDNet UK sister site CNET News.com about the beta release of Vista, its features and limitations, and hurdles remaining before the software's eventual launch.
Q: Microsoft today released the first public test version of Vista. What's the audience for this test release?
A: This beta isn't really for even tech enthusiasts. This beta is to test out some of the capabilities that we've got, if you will, in the plumbing. We've got the beginnings for the virtual folders, but really this is plumbing.
Most of the stuff that we would expect that tech enthusiasts and consumers will be interested in will happen at Beta 2. Beta 1 is not what I would call deeply interesting unless you are a real bithead. We did change the file directory space. I consider that to be a step up. It was more than getting rid of the word "My". [In Vista, the folder that was once "My Documents" will become simply "Documents," while "My Photos" will become "Photos", and so forth.] We are trying to simplify it and make it easier.
What are the next steps?
We'll be pushing ahead as fast as we can to get Beta 2 — no time on that yet. We'll get to the PDC [Microsoft's Professional Developers Conference, to be held in September] and we'll be handing out Beta 1 bits at the PDC, as well as whatever current build that we have at that time.
Talkback
As usual, think before you do and certainly before SP1 has been mass installed in plenty of operational environments worldwide. Or haven't you learned and experienced anything by know?
I like the question about the on/off state of the computer, I some some R&D in MS that allows a user to turn off the computer and all the windows, their positions, history, documents etc... remained as is so when loading up again it was as if I had never left (great if I need to cook my dinner for an hour or so). I would expect when leaving the computer still on but not functioning that the whole idea of a computer eHome server always-on theory comes into play, everyones heard about controlling and monotoring the home from a portable device remotely but this requires the PC to be on even when out, so this could go some one to that.
Seem as though I will not be able to test the new OS anytime along its development cycle it would be nice to have an official forum on the MS site so users can ask questions and possibly request actions taken, but I guess in Vistas early stages that's not viable, but a forum all the same would be nice.
Samuel, UK
P.S. well done ZDnet for getting this interview
KDE for *nix has the 'restore session' functions (browser & apps open where you left them) that Samuel mentions - it's surprising MS have not caught up there. I believe the next IE will have tabbed browsing, another nice feature MS have been slow about implementing.
It will be interesting to see if Vista has any completely original features not seen elsewhere before? (this is not meant in a sarcastic way)
The beta is pretty cool. It has some hefty bugs, but what does one expect at this stage? My favourite aspect is the ability to drag a slider up & down to control the size that icons are displayed in an explorer window. And if you choose Picture view, it shows an open folder with 'pages' containing your JPG files or whatever.
Very promising seeing as it's only a developer beta.
There were a lot of words missed out in this interview as large areas made no sense. unless ZDNET just took them out jim allchin has to have a poor grasp of english or a very racey thought process.
Did Jim Alchin REALLY say ....but also to allow major changes to be made by malicious sortware!!
If so we may have worse virus problems than we have with XP