Microsoft has decided to rename its newest operating system, previously known only by its codename, Longhorn, to Microsoft Windows Vista. The company also this week made some performance promises, according to Microsoft Watch; namely that the OS would boot 50% faster than XP, and applications would launch 15% faster. This comes on the heels of the announcement of several security changes, such as not doling out admin rights to users by default.
Windows Vista.
Why does it sound like the name of a cheap casino?
It's not quite as catchy as "XP", I'll admit, but at least it doesn't look like Microsoft's giving every other OS in the world a raspberry anymore.
Yeah, I saw this not a few minutes ago. I'm not sure if I like the name, but it doesn't particularly bother me.
The stuff about more detailed diagnostics, though vague, is encouraging. All to often I find people stuck with problems that aren't easy to define.
What I want to know is how much their management consultant charges for his thinking time to come up with these one-word corporate anodynities in the first place.
They daren't actually call it anything too dynamic or not management-speak-y in case they offend potential revenue. It just comes off as clich.
Window. Vista. Vista = view. Thing you use windows to get.
And someone's probably charged a few million dollars for that: what you or I could do in a thirty second word association flurry or with access to a thesaurus.
Hey, it worked for Royal Mail.
...Okay, I lie.
How dare you all be so technical.
Vista just sounds cool.
Love it like it deserves to be! ;.;
I thought Longhorn was a better name, as Whistler was better than XP. But hey, if it starts in 10 seconds, I'm sold as a ripe cantelope.
GO LONGHORNS!!! YEAH!!!!! '-j-'
*runs around the forum, throwing orange streamers everywhere*
Dude, Microsoft should have kept the name Longhorn. Because that would freaking ROCK. But Vista... Vista does sound like a cheap casino. Or a cheap Spanish house decoration store. Or a cheap...something. Just sounds cheap. 
GO LONGHORNS!!! YEAH!!!!! '-j-'
Sorry to burst your bubble, but "Longhorn" was in reference to a pub between the two mountains of the Whistler Blackcomb ski resort, not the football team. Indeed, Windows XP was called Whistler once and the server version of Windows Vista is called Blackcomb. As it happens, I ran into Bill Gates, J Allard, and a bunch of other guys from Microsoft at Whistler in January. Apparently they love it up there.
The Windows Vista website has been launched. The first public beta will arrive by August 3rd. Woot!
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As it happens, I ran into Bill Gates, J Allard, and a bunch of other guys from Microsoft at Whistler in January.
I hear that guy is actually Satan, or so the Intertron leads me to believe. Did you fling holy water in his face?
No, Satan would be the one who helped Bush get elected.
I'll be looking forward to Vista, which in Spanish, means "view" (as Sam mentioned). At any rate, I hope my new comp can run the beta.
** will make preparations to set up the beta (if it's available for all for testing purposes) **
I'd love to participate in this public beta, though I have the nagging feeling that A) I don't qualify, B) I'll have to pay at the end of it, and that might not be doable, and C) I might have to lose some files in the transition. But, hey, I might do it if it's just B. Who knows, I might work for anything by then.
I'd love to participate in this public beta, though I have the nagging feeling that A) I don't qualify, B) I'll have to pay at the end of it, and that might not be doable, and C) I might have to lose some files in the transition. But, hey, I might do it if it's just B. Who knows, I might work for anything by then.
Everyone qualifies for a public beta, they're usually free, and assuming you install it to a separate volume than your existing installation and dualboot, you shouldn't lose anything.
I don't believe I've any room left to make a separate volume, though - although I do have 40 GB free on my slave drive, it's getting eaten up as it is. Certainly doesn't help the master drive was pretty small in comparison (thanks a bunch, HP!).
XBOX 360.
Windows Vista.
The guy who comes up with the names for these things SERIOUSLY needs to get fired.
I'd be scared to death of downloading a new beta version of Windows. Windows has enough glitches as it is, and that infamous blue screen on live TV doesn't reassure me much. XD
I'd be scared to death of downloading a new beta version of Windows. Windows has enough glitches as it is, and that infamous blue screen on live TV doesn't reassure me much. XD
That's the point of a public beta -- so people can report glitches and have them fixed before the final release. Besides, it's not as though it'll damage the computer. As for the blue screen of death, I haven't had a single one of those on any of my computers since XP came out three years ago. I don't even know what live TV has to do with it.
Wasn't it on live TV that Bill Gates got a blue screen when he was showing off an early version of XP?
I've gotten a couple on XP, but they're very, very few, and very, very far between.
Wasn't it on live TV that Bill Gates got a blue screen when he was showing off an early version of XP?
No. To my knowledge, the last time that happened was on Win98.
Nani? Windows Vista? Not to be confused with Alta Vista?
Or maybe that's the idea 
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the OS would boot 50% faster than XP, and applications would launch 15% faster.
I'll believe when I see it, but not before then 
Those who hate the name may have cause to rejoice, as Microsoft may be in trouble for naming its forthcoming operating system Vista after it transpired that the name has been registered by an American company for nearly six years.
Vista, which operates a small business internet interchange, is actually based in Microsoft's home town of Redmond. It was started in May 2000 by John Wall, the founder of Wall Data and an erstwhile investor in SCO. "We are going to consider our options and talk to Microsoft," Wall told The Seattle Times. Vista has not yet filed suit against the software giant. Microsoft announced the new name for its operating system on Friday and said that the first beta code would be available on 3 August.
"There is no more Longhorn; it is now officially Windows Vista," said Kevin Johnson, group vice president of Microsoft's worldwide sales, marketing and services.
It may change, assuming Microsoft doesn't buy Vista out.
Didn't stop them with Xbox, doubt it'll stop them this time.
Problem is that "360" isn't the name of a company or something that's remotely famous.
Otherwise, we would have had something like "Playstation NeXt" instead of "Playstation 3".
No, not the 360. I mean the XBOX. As in, the first one. With Halo on it. You know which one.
And I hope you don't mind, but I added the "r" to "Longhorn". "Longhon" has just been irking me for a while now. 😛
You can't copyright the number 360.
And I hope you don't mind, but I added the "r" to "Longhorn".
I never noticed that. Maybe I do need glasses...
Yeah, me being the grammar nazi that I am, I nearly had a seizure every time I saw "Longhon". I didn't say anything about it, though, because I learned a long time ago that that sort of comment gets people angry. ^_^
Those interested can find a review of Windows Vista Beta 1 here. I'm most excited about Explorer, which has been overhauled considerably.
While it's not going to shift the world as dramatically as 95 did, I still want it right now.
So how long before we see this for sale? I'm impressed so far...
Microsoft has promised to have Vista out by November 2006, and it looks like they're on the right track.
I likes what I see so far...I just hope I can get a hands-on test of this in the near future and check it out for myself. Onwards, public beta!
I like the drop-down type bar for explorer. In fact, it's looking better than I was expecting. Also, those virtual folders don't seem as daft as they did when I first heard about them.
The game-related features look pretty good. I've read elsewhere that games will be treated like albums are in Media Player now, with images and data relevant to each uploaded from a server.
