Articles about Windows

Microsoft acknowledged Tuesday that developers looking to build applications on Windows Vista will need to upgrade to Visual Studio 2005 SP1, highlighting compatibility issues the company is dealing with as the new operating system nears release.

Both Visual Studio 2002 and 2003 will not work on Vista, and the most recent update to Visual Studio 2005, Service Pack 1, will likely have compatibility problems. Microsoft is working hard to resolve those issues before Vista ships. Developers can continue to use Windows XP to build applications that also run on Vista.

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Microsoft and the New York Times have made available a desktop application for reading the newspaper's content on a PC, which was built using WinFX and takes advantage of new features in Windows Vista. The Times Reader was first unveiled in April as an example for developers.

Specifically, Vista's WPF display technologies enables NYT content to be automatically adjusted for any screen size, with users able to customize font size and content relevance. The application also utilizes the same font styles as the print edition of the New York Times. Download the Times Reader beta from FileForum.

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Microsoft on Friday made available the first post-RC1 build of Windows Vista to technical beta testers, which is numbered 5728. The interim update includes a number of bug fixes and interface polishing, but is most notable because the 5700 range has been allocated for the final Vista build, indicating RTM could arrive as scheduled next month.

"Sven’s team has set aside a specific range of build numbers to incrementally build toward Windows Vista's Release Candidate 1 (RC1) milestone; in this case, build numbers ranging from 5400 through 5699. Likewise, numbers beginning with 57XX have been set aside for the RTM (Release-to-Manufacturing) release," Windows Vista product manager Nick White explained in a blog post last month. Vista beta testers can download Build 5728 from Connect. It will also be available to select CPP participants, as well as MSDN and TechNet subscribers.

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With Release Candidate 1 now out the door, Microsoft is putting what it calls the "fit-and-finish" on Windows Vista's user interface, and the company is looking for feedback from users testing out the beta release.

Dave Vronay, a research manager with the Windows User Experience Compliance team, says Microsoft is taking a lot of time to track down minor UI glitches - something it has never done before. "You can actually participate in this process by providing your feedback on the various pre-release versions of Vista we are putting out," says Vronay. The company is hosting a forum in which users can offer their rants and raves. You can also leave your thoughts below.

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It's no surprise that Symantec and Adobe are wary of Microsoft bundling its own security software and electronic document format in Windows Vista, but the companies had yet to lodge official complaints about the operating system until now.

According to a report in Thursday's Wall Street Journal, Adobe has told the European Commission that Microsoft should be barred from building into Vista competing software for reading and creating electronic documents. Adobe developed PDF and is the leading provider of software for the format.

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In an open letter posted on MSDN, Microsoft's Windows chief Jim Allchin called on developers to start building "cool" applications for Windows Vista, promising "new opportunities on a scale you haven't seen since Windows 95."

Allchin, who is retiring after launch, says that barring any last minute quality issues, Vista is on track to reach consumers in January. Analysts are predicting that the new operating system will be installed by 200 million people within the first 24 months, the quickest adoption of any Microsoft OS. "Millions of people will be looking for applications," Allchin noted.

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Likely aimed at allaying European Union fears, a Microsoft-commissioned study by research firm IDC indicates 50,000 jobs would be created across six countries in Europe as a result of Vista. While the study confirmed Microsoft is expected to profit handily off the next-gen operating system, the profits for partners would be much greater, it said.

IDC expects Vista to be installed on 30 million computers across those six countries, and 105 million worldwide during 2007.

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Microsoft elaborated on its fall and winter hardware lineup on Thursday, announcing three new wireless keyboard and mouse packages, along with three new wireless mice. The first products would begin shipping this month, with launch dates throughout the winter through February 2007.

"We are pushing the envelope on hardware design to meet the new ways consumers are using their PCs at home and in the office," Microsoft hardware designer Dan O'Neil said. "Keyboards and mice are no longer just about typing and clicking - they are an extension of the individual's personality."

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Those eager to try out the newest release of Windows Vista, which has received positive reviews from analysts and testers alike, can rest easy: RC1 is now available to the general public. Microsoft expects the latest beta code to reach 5 million people through the Customer Preview Program.

"RC1 represents a significant industry milestone on the road to delivering Windows Vista, and customer participation and feedback are integral parts of the development process," a company spokesperson told BetaNews. "The feedback received thus far from testers has been extremely valuable." Download Windows Vista RC1 now and tell us what you think!

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The war of words between Microsoft and the EU continued Tuesday, with the European Commission warning that Windows Vista's built-in security features should not shut third party vendors out of the market.

The warning came after Microsoft made a public statement on the matter, telling reporters that the EU should not attempt to block the security features, as the move would only put customers at risk and delay Vista's launch in Europe. Microsoft has often used the press to put pressure on the EU Commission.

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Stephen Toulouse, a program manager for Microsoft's Security Response Center who often served as the public face for the company's security woes on the MSRC blog, is taking a new job with the Windows Vista team. His focus, not surprisingly, will be on operating system security.

Toulouse's says his new role will be more proactive, as opposed to the reactive nature of MSRC, which responds to new security threats with patches and advisories. He will begin with a focus on Vista and continue that work with other Microsoft products.

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Microsoft is pushing hard to get its next-generation Windows operating system ready for a public launch in January, but now it has a new hurdle: the European Commission has raised concerns about Vista. The Redmond company said a delay may occur if the EU demands changes to the product.

Microsoft has had a tumultuous relationship with the European Union after being found guilty of violating antitrust laws in March 2004. The Commission long accused the company of not complying with the ruling, while Microsoft has responded by publicly chiding regulators for ignoring key information.

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Microsoft on Tuesday further elaborated on its plans for RC1 of Windows Vista, including a confirmation of its planned retail pricing for the next-generation operating system and plans to expand the Customer Preview program (CPP) to five million testers.

The long holiday weekend also gave testers and pundits a chance to pour over Redmond's latest build of Vista, and some of Microsoft's biggest supporters had harsh words for the software maker.

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Microsoft's long, strange trip with Windows Vista came closer to an end Friday as the company released the first release candidate of its next-generation operating system. Windows client vice president Jim Allchin, who plans to retire after Vista's release, made the announcement in an e-mail to TechNet subscribers.

"It's official -- RC1 is done," Allchin said. "We could not have achieved this milestone without your support. The quantity and quality of feedback and data we received from you has been essential to helping us progress."

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Online retailer Amazon.com has begun to accept pre-orders for Windows Vista, which it says "will be released on January 30, 2007." The company is charging $399 USD for the Ultimate Edition of Vista, $239 USD for Home Premium and $199 USD for Home Basic. Vista Business is priced at $299 USD.

While Amazon frequently lists products before they become available and shipping dates are often an estimate, the pricing usually does not change. Microsoft also appears to be planning a new "Additional License" pack to go along with Vista, which includes just a Product Key and enables customers to use Vista on a second computer. On Amazon, however, pricing for the license pack is only $10 to $20 less than the full retail Vista packages.

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