Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)
July 23, 2005
New Version of Windows Coming in '06
By LAURIE J. FLYNN
Microsoft said yesterday that the new version of its Windows operating
system would be named Vista and available for commercial release in late
2006.
The first of two test versions of the program will be made available to
corporate technology managers on Aug. 3, the company said. The new
version has been known as Longhorn since development began more than
four years ago.
The name was chosen after eight months of research and focus groups
because it "captures the idea of clarity," the company said.
Windows Vista will be the first major upgrade to Microsoft's flagship
product since the release of Windows XP in 2001. Windows runs on more
than 90 percent of the world's computers and accounts for about a third
of the company's revenue.
The naming of Vista, which was announced to Microsoft sales and
marketing employees gathered at an annual sales conference in Atlanta,
is significant because it means the program is entering the final stages
of internal development and beginning the sometimes long, arduous
process of external testing. It also signals the beginning of what will
certainly be an expensive marketing campaign.
Charles DiBona, an analyst with Sanford Bernstein, said the arrival of
the test version of Vista in August would give software developers
confidence that the final product was on schedule. A new version of
Windows, he said, "will help the whole Microsoft and Windows ecosystem."
Among Vista's features are new ways to organize information and connect
to other devices. In Vista, for example, the icons used to represent
files will be tiny snapshots of the actual files - a photo or a letter,
for example - rather than a generic graphic.
The company has also put a particular focus on search capability. "We're
looking to go beyond search," said Brad Goldberg, Microsoft's general
manager for Windows development, in an interview. "It will be much more
intuitive for people to organize their data." Mr. Goldberg said the
program would also include better protection against viruses and spyware.
Microsoft officials did not say when the company would ship the second
test version to a broader audience, but said the final version was
scheduled to reach consumers in the last half of 2006. Many industry
analysts expect Microsoft to release the product in time for the holiday
season, but not before.
The company said a version of the program for server computers would
follow in 2007. Mr. Goldberg said the company would release more details
on Vista at a software developer's conference in September.
Microsoft first began demonstrating some of the new features in 2003; at
that time the company said the program would be released in 2004.
But development was delayed when nearly the entire Longhorn programming
team was diverted to repairing security problems in Windows XP. In the
process, the company learned it needed to focus acutely on the growing
problem of viruses and spyware. At the same time, the company also
changed some of the program's features, most notably scaling back plans
to create an entirely new file system for the version to be released
next year.
On Thursday, Microsoft reported that revenue grew only 8 percent in
fiscal 2005, which ended on June 30, compared with the company's
double-digit growth rate in past years. But Microsoft executives said
Thursday that the company was entering a period of accelerating growth
because of the release of several new products, including the next
version of Windows.
* Copyright 2005 The New York Times Company
July 23, 2005
New Version of Windows Coming in '06
By LAURIE J. FLYNN
Microsoft said yesterday that the new version of its Windows operating
system would be named Vista and available for commercial release in late
2006.
The first of two test versions of the program will be made available to
corporate technology managers on Aug. 3, the company said. The new
version has been known as Longhorn since development began more than
four years ago.
The name was chosen after eight months of research and focus groups
because it "captures the idea of clarity," the company said.
Windows Vista will be the first major upgrade to Microsoft's flagship
product since the release of Windows XP in 2001. Windows runs on more
than 90 percent of the world's computers and accounts for about a third
of the company's revenue.
The naming of Vista, which was announced to Microsoft sales and
marketing employees gathered at an annual sales conference in Atlanta,
is significant because it means the program is entering the final stages
of internal development and beginning the sometimes long, arduous
process of external testing. It also signals the beginning of what will
certainly be an expensive marketing campaign.
Charles DiBona, an analyst with Sanford Bernstein, said the arrival of
the test version of Vista in August would give software developers
confidence that the final product was on schedule. A new version of
Windows, he said, "will help the whole Microsoft and Windows ecosystem."
Among Vista's features are new ways to organize information and connect
to other devices. In Vista, for example, the icons used to represent
files will be tiny snapshots of the actual files - a photo or a letter,
for example - rather than a generic graphic.
The company has also put a particular focus on search capability. "We're
looking to go beyond search," said Brad Goldberg, Microsoft's general
manager for Windows development, in an interview. "It will be much more
intuitive for people to organize their data." Mr. Goldberg said the
program would also include better protection against viruses and spyware.
Microsoft officials did not say when the company would ship the second
test version to a broader audience, but said the final version was
scheduled to reach consumers in the last half of 2006. Many industry
analysts expect Microsoft to release the product in time for the holiday
season, but not before.
The company said a version of the program for server computers would
follow in 2007. Mr. Goldberg said the company would release more details
on Vista at a software developer's conference in September.
Microsoft first began demonstrating some of the new features in 2003; at
that time the company said the program would be released in 2004.
But development was delayed when nearly the entire Longhorn programming
team was diverted to repairing security problems in Windows XP. In the
process, the company learned it needed to focus acutely on the growing
problem of viruses and spyware. At the same time, the company also
changed some of the program's features, most notably scaling back plans
to create an entirely new file system for the version to be released
next year.
On Thursday, Microsoft reported that revenue grew only 8 percent in
fiscal 2005, which ended on June 30, compared with the company's
double-digit growth rate in past years. But Microsoft executives said
Thursday that the company was entering a period of accelerating growth
because of the release of several new products, including the next
version of Windows.
* Copyright 2005 The New York Times Company
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