Microsoft Windows Vista On Track: Nov. 2006

[SimsHsia]

Windows Vista, Microsoft's next generation operating system, will be finished this year and on track to be released in the month of November, with a catch: it's only available to businesses. However, by January 2007, consumers (us) will be able to grab a retail box of Windows Vista.

Why the long period between November and January of next year for the consumer market for Windows Vista? Well, Microsoft officially released a press release explaining all about the two month difference between the launch dates, "Because of the way businesses test and deploy software, it makes sense for Microsoft volume licensing customers to receive Windows Vista starting in November of this year. Availability for consumers and on new PCs will follow in January." (Microsoft PressPass)

So, the two month period is just to have new PCs to have Windows Vista pre-installed. Surely before then, retail stores will advertise deals for computers with Windows XP at ridiculously low prices to push out the old, and in with the new.

It could also be because of the high system requirements Vista requires to run all of the features it has; one of them being Aero that brings in the "glassy" feeling to the GUI of the operating system. This will give computer manufacturers time to revamp all of their computer systems to at least support the Windows Vista DirectX 10 standard (that isn't out yet) and have a graphics chipset that supports Aero Glass - oh and don't forget about memory! Many entry-level systems come with 256 MB of RAM standard, from the Windows Vista Hardware TechNet article, Vista needs 512 MB as a minimum standard; but recommended is 1 GB and higher. The more the better.


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Feel free to express your opinions, comments, etc. Try not to flame Microsoft because of this please!

[SimsHsia]

Another thought passed through my mind, when reading that article from Microsoft, it was talking a ". . . better experience out of the box".

In my opinion, I think this is a good sign, it would be better to have a product that works out of the box, rather than having bugs and problems and waiting for a patch, update or even a service package. Although, there are bound to be bugs, but I think Microsoft is trying to get the newest operating system put to the test in a business environment first, then make changes in the consumer SKUs of Windows Vista for any problems, errors, bugs, and etc. Keep in mind that there are two categories for Windows Vista: three editions for the Consumer and two editions for Business. (Windows Vista: The Versions)

[amdma2003]

Yeah, a better out of the box if you spend more money on a cutting edge, mind-blowing, state of the art, processor. It better stay INSIDE the box a few more years.
Heres how you experience the Windows Vista:
1. Sign up to become a beta tester or
2. Find a friend which you can obtain a copy of
3. Pop in the CD/DVD and install it (may be a few hours)
4. Go to the local Apple Retailer and play on the Macs
5. or Better yet...download a linux distro with the newest KDE

[SimsHsia]

Of course, if you are upgrading to Vista, the eye-candy is just a sales gimick. If, and when, I were to at some date get Windows Vista, I will frantically find the options to set it back to the classic theme/views.

It's sad how Windows Vista will not support EFI, so that it will dual-boot with Mac OS X and Windows on Intel Macs.

But there are many reports from the current beta of Windows Vista that the Tablet PC enhancements found in Vista are better than Windows XP Tablet PC Edition. For instance, handwriting recognition is vastly improved, instead of Windows XP guessing what your writing (disambiguation between 'l' (ell) and '1' (one)); Windows Vista learns your handwriting. During post-installation, Vista asks you to write out a sentence, then the OS knows what your handwriting looks like, your handwriting speed, how you hold the pen at an angle, strokes, etc. Although its limitation: only for the English language.

EDIT: Flash forward less than a year, there's some handwriting recognition for other languages.

[SimsHsia]

More news about Vista:
On May 1st, the Gartner Group released a report stating that if Windows Vista follows the same development path as Windows 2000, don't expect availability until the second quarter of 2007.
An analyst states that if Windows Vista Beta 2 is to be released during the summer, then it will take an additional five months of further development until it is released to manufacturing (RTM). If the RTM is performed during December or even January, then new PCs will be available around March. Broad availability will push it until April.

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If you were hoping to get Vista at the beginning of the new year, well you're SOL until March or April.

(MW)