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finishing Beta 1. So at one level I'm feeling confident that we were able to do that, which is something that in the past we haven't been able to do very well, but now because of the new processes we've put in place, we're able to run it in parallel. So I don't know. We are very focused to make next year. We're not going to skimp on quality, but we are very focused to make next year.
In the past, Microsoft executives had said there should be a way with Windows Vista to get a laptop that's both a Media Center and a Tablet PC. Is there more you can say about what flavors Vista will come in?
Allchin: No, no; not yet, not yet.
There's been a discussion of a concept called InfoCards that would store authentication details. Has Microsoft decided whether to include that as part of Vista, and what that might look like?
Allchin: I don't think we've made anything public on that yet, so no comment on that.
Microsoft announced the official name for this release of Windows--Vista--sooner than it has for some past versions. Is that to try and sort of remove the concept of Longhorn, which had morphed quite a bit from its original inception?
Allchin: No. No, the work was done on a name six months, maybe nine months, ago, and for once we were able to keep a secret. And so I actually consider this to be just great marketing in the sense that we typically pick the names way too late.
If you talk to naming consultant types and you ask them about operating system names, with Tiger and Panther, they would say, well, that conveys a sense of energy. What do you hope customers will sense with Vista?
Allchin: That it brings clarity, that it's about making things clearer, and it's pretty simple. I mean, we think that name, it can bring clarity to the clutter that you've got today, and the overload of information, and can bring perhaps a little vision into the future.
Microsoft is also releasing a test version of the next server operating system. How far along is that? Is it behind the development of the desktop OS?
Allchin: We are doing a server release at the same time, but again, it's really foundation-level, about the same sort of stuff I talked about at the client. It's sort of the mirror image of that. We came up with a way to componentize the system so you can run less software in certain roles. We don't have any of the final role management tools in Beta 1 or anything.
But in terms of who I think (will be interested), I think that if you're an IT professional and you're interested in the deployment aspects, then you're going to be interested in either the client or server, because it's the same basic technology that is being used there. So that's who I think would be the most interested. And is it behind? I don't know. We have a lot of features to put in both products still, so I don't know how to judge that.
News.com Poll
Microsoft is working on the OneCare antivirus package, including the anti-spyware program that's in beta now. Would you consider building some of those security technologies directly into Windows Vista?
Allchin: OneCare is a separate product. I think we've been very clear that we are going to improve security and safety into Vista in a pretty big way.
Is there anything in Windows Vista specific to spam fighting?
Allchin: I'm not sure if there's any OS-level changes. In Beta 1 we put in spam filtering in OE (Outlook Express). The filters are plumbed automatically. So, yeah, you can take a look at that in Beta 1.
What is Microsoft doing at this point, where are you in terms of encouraging software developers to write applications that specifically take advantage of Vista's new features? Where are you, and what are some of the next steps in that area?
Allchin: Well, the big next step is the Professional Developers Conference (in September). We will lay out the things, the features that we think people should take advantage of.
In terms of betas, is the beta for WinFS (the Windows File Storage update that was pulled from Longhorn) still timed for around the release to market of Windows Vista?
Allchin: Yes, currently.
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power saver, but Windows has traiditonally been
a dog for power consumption -- be it because of
idle loops, or what have you.
I used to use Win2K and Linux on the exact same
hardware, and if you monitored the heat
dissipation on the machine at idle, it was MUCH
higher for Windows than Linux. Doing nothing at
all, Windows very clearly used more electricity.
I later got a copy of XP and noted an
improvement (no SPs installed), but it was still
inferior.
I assume that they've since learned a thing or
two and have caught up to the alternative
operating systems. Power consumption is
increasingly a concern for businesses and home
users alike.
All the talk on saving power by powering down system, but there are other ways which will save power without turning system off. Then again, install free-solar-system and you won't have to be concerned.
Free-Solar-System.com Save-Power
confusing! Photos only show that they've added Tiger's Spotlight
and transparencies to the windows.
If they really want to make things simpler, they need to get rid of
all the bugs and crashes that make this Mac user have to travel to
his friends and family's houses to troubleshoot their PCs.
Windows system I interact with is owned by my
employer, not me. It should say "Their".
Okay, so we have the new Aqua interface, a Windows version of iPhoto, a Windows version of Spotlight, and a Windows version of Terminal (so I can type in my application). I look and I see Mac OSX. Okay, well come on Microsoft, can't you do something we've not seen on the market yet?
adding value, it's about buying things to put in
their product, or copying the nice bits of other
platforms so that the marketing staff can say:
yeah, we do that too so there's no reason to
switch, see?
Rather than make a system resilient enough to
not be susceptible to viruses (more work) they
purchase anti-virus technology and add it to
their product (less work).
The point is that they are enabling MS users to
have an experience tomorrow that will be like
non-MS users' present day experience.
Apparently, MS feels this will be sufficiently
compelling to sell the product -- and it just
might be. If it's not, they're in trouble.
So they can force users to use their database of course. :(
screenshots shows Microsoft is making windows more like Mac
OS X, even in the little things, like taking away "My" from "My
Documents" and "My Photos." The grey toolbar with search field
on the right gives the design of the windows a strong
resemblance to Finder windows on the Mac . At least they
reversed the orientation of the little magnifying glass on the
search field so it isn't an exact duplicate. Virtual folders? A
copy of the Mac's "Smart Folders" but with a dumb name. Aren't
all folders virtual?
Allchin talks about all the work they still have to do in getting
"Least User Access" to work well so that people don't have to run
in administrator mode much of the time. Well, I guess they
haven't caught up to OS X in that regard yet.
for oil, more likely cleaning a sewer pipe. You would think if this
OS was so revolutionary it might get a new name, something to
leave the worn out moniker of Windows behind, along with all
the crap the company has taught us that name symbolizes. Jim
Allchin is at best a plumber, he certainly never offers any
substance in interviews that show he has knowledge of his
product, or his customer. Of course MSFT doesnt care about
those, only about themselves. Good luck to the poor fools that
buy more MSFT junk, you'll be fixing their shiny new plunger for
years to come. When you get fed up, go for Linux or Mac OS X,
see what you've been missing. Til then, Flush twice, its a long
way to Redmond, WA.
they really need to do is start from scratch like OS X did and stop
adding more buggy features on top of the ridicuously buggy
Windows code. (Same for that crappy internet browser.) The major
problem Windows users have is its stability. With a fresh start, they
might be able to fix that. A large number of businesses running
Windows are still running 2000. They can't afford to take a chance
on new stability issues. They best thing Microsoft can do for
themselves is show that they can be stable.
features that are being shown in this beta release are those
features that OS X Tiger has been promising for 2 years now.
Microsoft sat back and watched Steve Job's keynotes at
MacWorld SF and WWDC, taking in all they could, tested
"microsoft office" on their developer release of Tiger a year ago,
and has been "creating" these amazing things for their long
overdue Windows XP SE. Look at this thing, seriously... The
theme is disgusting... Look at the Icons! They are gross! TYPICAL
WINDOWS, YAY for them they can make transparent windows
and a program search, doesnt seem like an amazing release...
We shall see
Max OS Leopard exactly the same time that Windows Vista will
be launched.
Know we know what little there is to Vista and how Mac OS X
Tiger beats nearly a year and a half before it even comes out.
This makes me excited to see Leopard. I expect it to be
downright revolutionary to make everyone forget Windows Vista
was ever launched.
LOVE to have a whole week where one of my friends or family
members didn't call me to come fix their PC. OMG I'D LOVE THAT!
biased, you said in your previous post "you guys keep piping
how great Apple is when you talk about one or two aspects of an
OS instead of the overall experience" and yet your only argument
in your ENTIRE post is how windows has "LAN parties" and neat
games. If you buy a computer soley to entertain you, thats fine,
but don't insult other users with an argument full of fallacies. It
is quite clear to see, even from an unbiased position, that Vista
is moving in the direction Apple's 3 year old OS X. If all you care
about is a gaming experience, then buy a Windows machine.
Everyone knows there are very few games for the Mac.
Personally, I could care less about being sucked into a virtual
world where the sole purpose is to end another's life. Just as a
previous user posted, Microsoft uses others' technology, that's
all it has to do to profit. Apple, however, is always on the
forefront of every technological idea they attempt to explore
(and have to invent to profit) and should feel proud that other
steal from them.
and guess what? NONE of the games I've ever bought sucked.
Sure, we don't get all of the games, just the good ones. But
that's not why I bought my computer anyways. That's why I
bought my PS2. I like to have my computer do more than just
play games.
And I guess, let me be the first to say that the Mac OS is a great
overall experience. Everything works, nothing crashes, my
browser doesn't suck in adware or spyware, there are no viruses,
if I want to move a program to another computer, I don't have to
worry about finding all those files stuffed in the system folder,
etc, etc. People just talk about one or two things so they don't
start huge lists of all the reasons. =D
Apple is innovative (soon to be better performing)... MS is mass production, cheap, and high performance
There is no comparison.
PS I love on-lines games...WOW rules.
welcome to it. Most people actually like to accomplish useful
tasks with their computers, and don't have time or interest to
immerse themselves into game networks. And that's true of
people using Windows, OS X, Linux and Unix.
I'd guess that you might get a different opinion about computer
life if and when you ever make into college or trade school. In
the meantime, as long as Daddy's paying the bill, have a ball
with your games.
years. Don't PC's have a low-power mode they can be put into
without shutting completely down? My iBook (and all Macs) have a
"sleep" mode from which they can be back on the air almost
immediately. Allchin seems to be making a big deal about Vista
being able to do this. Am I missing something here?
sleep. On is full power, running apps and doing stuff. Off is of
course off.
Sleep is when the Mac uses almost zero power, so is basically shut
down in terms of power consumption, but can be woken almost
instantly (explaining why opening the lid on a Mac laptop results in
almost instant gratification). The Vista "sleep" mode is actually
exactly the same as what the Mac has had all along.
Copying is good as it means that in the end, all Desktops will work and look similar. Good for users who don't want to have to learn things all over again.
Access.) It's basically running users (in standard-user mode), not in
(administrator....
Always done on a mac!
I've been fed up with XP on numerous occassions, especially when nothing but cursor movement responds. Once, I fdisk'd my drive and installed Fedora Core (Linux) in frustration. That was fine for about 2 days, at which point I wanted to play games... not just games by huge corporations released on multiple platforms, but games written by independent publishers. Microsoft treats developers who code for windows well, makes it easy, and as a result, there are far more programs. Remember when OS X broke a good chunk of OS 9 applications? That's not treating your developers well. Now a shift to an intel platforms, breaking PPC instruction sets? That's not treating your developers well. No WONDER so many people code for Windows instead.
Even now, I dual boot Fedora Core Linux and Windows XP, and after some use, I must say I get as frustrated with FC as I do with XP. Sure the documentation is great, but to figure out the syntax changes or directory changes from version 2.1.0293 to 2.1.2098 so I can type some obscure command so I can use my graphics capture card in Linux?? To scour the IRC channels to ask for help in playing a DVD, because my hardware came with Intervideo or WinDVD etc? With windows, things just work. I plug in my card, and a warm fuzzy dialog tells me it's ready for use. If I ever want to use a new feature of Linux, I go around doing research for a good 2 hours first. Although I do admit it's extremely nice to have an entire suite of software that I don't have to pay for upfront with Fedora Core.
My limited experience with Mac doesn't qualify me to comment on it...but there was an earlier post of someone telling Microsoft to start from scratch like OS X. First, OS X was not started from Scratch... it was built on top of FreeBSD. And to all those "you're copying mac!!! omg!!!" posts... I disagree (I have as much right to argue by assertion as you do). But even assuming you're right, even assuming it's a clone. So what? If Vista makes my life easier compared to XP with those copycat features, AWESOME. If it makes my performance better than XP, that's all I care about. If it makes my computer more secure than XP, that's all I care about.
Sure, there are benefits of Linux (and unix derivatives such as OS X)... that's why I use Linux too. But I find myself spending more time in Windows than Linux on my dual-boot machine, simply because Linux lacks alot of the programs I like to use. If it's something I do alot, (sure, I'll learn gimp)... but I don't want to spend 5 hours to learn how to do a 2 minute task in windows, if I am only going to do it 5 times a year.
I look forward to this release of Vista, simply because it will make things far better for the 95% of people (who are using Windows NT4, 98, 2000, ME, and XP). The remaining 5%... if you love your Mac or Linux box, great, I support you. If you can get your Linux box to do everything your windows machine can with Wine, mono, etc? Great, I envy your technical savy. Just don't deny that LUA, Softlinks (virtual folders), pretty graphics, etc will significantly improve the overall picture for the rest us in the world.
graphics, etc will significantly improve the overall picture for the
rest us in the world."
Won't try to deny that at all. The Mac OS has those things --
LUA (unix-style) and pretty graphics -- since OS X was first
introduced years ago. We've had Smart Folders since Tiger came
out, plus a number of other cool things like Spotlight. They are
great. You will get to enjoy them too in about a year and one-
half.
This is not just a bunch of assertions, and if you had more
contact with the Mac OS, which I understand you don't, you
would see that.
It is rather annoying to watch Microsoft act like it is the mother
of all innovation while it works to adopt features from the Mac
and elsewhere. It would be one thing if Microsoft were a great
innovator, but the reasons that Microsoft came to dominate the
market have a great deal more to do with economics and
business decisions than with having a better product. And there
was that small anti-trust matter.
Without Apple and other OSes to push the envelope, Microsoft
will still be lumbering along. Well, it still is lumbering along, but
at least it is starting to feel some heat (e.g. Firefox forcing
Microsoft to update Internet Explorer).
time because we no longer have to tinker with crap software like
Windows in order to get online and read about what is going on in
the world.
Dude, ever hear the term "open source"? Under that model your quote is, to put it politely, inane.
Bad business involves elimination of competition rather than innovation. Lack of competition has another name: communism. Communism doesn't work. *shakes head "no"*
Government is here to stop corporate communism. Government is coerced by corporate communists.
That's my rant!
XP is still FULL of the crappy old icons!
Also... Dialup Connection Dialog box has a folder icon, and not the icon for the dialup connection window. haha - i notice these things!
Dont use dialup anymore either *pats adsl modem*
I dont have any problems with windows, my system runs very well - has done for the last two years (i tried linux... what a mess!).
I've also been using a mac (side by side) for the past two years, and I can say, i like em both...
Macs have their advantages, and windows has its own.
SO i look forward to recieving my Vista beta CDs in the near future... I'm sure i'll like it - Additional "rip off" eyecandy and all :)
ZZZZZZZZZ, sorry Microsoft i really don't have time to wait on your
vapor ware.
If any of you have seen any of the Channel 9 videos, you will understand how wonderful a OS Windows Vista will be. I don't really care whether they are supposedly late on some things. I think of it this way... a new OS that has more features + will most likely be compatible with everything I use now = happy :-).
Here are some things that Windows Vista will and has that Mac OS doesn't...
Clear icons (icons are really larger than the standard view so they can be made larger without distortion):
Mac OS- 128w/128h
Vista- 256w/256h
Desktop Search/Relational Database:
Many people mention that Microsoft is implementing this late, which they are compared to other OSes. Note though that Microsoft's will be a billion times better than the simple Spotlight in Mac OS when WinFX is released. Besides just search, there are other enhancements such showing only those files of a certain type or by other criteria. If it is in Mac, it's definitely not as obvious.
Changing directories with 2 clicks instead of 8:
In Windows Vista, when you are viewing a folder that is deep inside a directory, you don't have to click back a million times and then go dow again to get to a different folder. There are new "arrows" built into the address bar in Windows Explorer that allow you to change the directory. Definitely not a Mac feature.
Anyways, there are many original ideas that Microsoft has developed (some big and some small), so try not to go with the flow and think everything is about desktop search and security, although that is important. Sometimes enhancements can be judged by just how easy it is to use something, and when problems arise how easy it is to fix them.
Mac OS X had FIVE (5) major upgrades since 2001 don't you get it
switch!!! Give up Microsoft, it's over. sell Office, Stop selling junk
OS's Michael Dell wants MAC anyway. security security
time! Or..at from what it looks like. A Windows version of iPhoto,
Windows Spotlight, Windows Aqua interface--And all guaranteed
to be slow! Come on Mac users, let's LET them copy OS X. I
highly doubt that Windows will get even a fraction of the
security, or the relience of OS X.
Then again, Apple can always sue Microsoft for completley
stealing their OS. Or at least trying to.
~? pwns~