Vista February CTP Due Wednesday

Microsoft on Wednesday is expected to make available the third CTP, or Community Technology Preview, of Windows Vista. The February release has been scheduled to be the first feature-complete build of Microsoft's next-generation operating system and will showcase for the first time the Windows Sidebar.

Redmond officials are hosting a conference call early Wednesday to discuss the status of Vista development. Microsoft has held two previous calls: one if November to announce that no public CTP would be release, and another before Christmas to herald the arrival of the December CTP. A broader Beta 2 release of Windows Vista is still expected in the first half of 2006.