[mikee]

well some of that article is true but not the boot up in 4 seconds. However, windows vista does load more stuff after windows has booted with superfetch loading frequently used programs into memory which makes the computer sluggish for a few minutes after loading windows. So technically vista might not be completely usable for up to 5 minutes after boot

[Mak213]

That wasnt my point. My point was that Microsoft said the same thing about Windows Vista and its boot process back when Vista was in its beta stages. They said that they would cut down the boot time. I cant find those old articles cause a search just brings up this new info.

But it was teh same thing that was said about Vista.

[Lexluethar]

Going to have to disagree with you here. I understand everyone has their opinion, and i'm fine with that, but please get some of your facts down. Saying the only improvement in Vista is the Aero interface (which by the way can be taken off) is a totally false statement. Also Vista runs fine on semi-old computers, my laptop is 4 years old and runs Vista Ultimate fine. I have 2 gig ram and a P4 3.4 processor. Everything works great - no choppyness or anything. I agree that you can't run Vista on anything less than a P4, but come on, go back and try to run XP on a machine that used to have 98 on it and tell me how that goes. Let me know how long it takes to boot (approximately 10 minutes).

About some of the non existent additional features you said didn't exist:
UAC - which provides great security for the average user
The new windows mail - while the only downside i've seen is you can't use html based email clients, it is a great improvement over Outlook Express
Windows defender - guess what, now you don't have to pay for adware security
Parental controls - again guess what, you don't have to purchase netnanny now, a ton of things can now be controlled by this feature
Memory Test - software now comes in Vista so you can test your memory on your computer to see if there are errors
Performance and Reliability - software again allows you to monitor every aspect of your system to see where there are performance issues, whether you don't have enough ram or your video card is lacking
System image - you can take an entire image of a drive and place it on separate media (dvd or separate drive), allowing you to not only restore system settings, but everything on the drive
System security - don't get me started
Instant searching - in the start menu you can now type in anything and Vista will instantaneously pull up any names (folders/files/applications) that fit the letters you've placed in the text box

These are all off the top of my head - so i probably got the names wrong, but they are there available within Vista Ultimate. So to say it is just a pretty GUI is rediculous.

[Mak213]

Just one issue Lex. Defender can be installed on XP as well. It is only installed by default on Vista. Same goes for the instant searching. Just have to install the Windows Desktop search for XP and you will have that feature as well.

But you are right on many of the others.

[Lexluethar]

Originally Posted by Mak213

Just one issue Lex. Defender can be installed on XP as well. It is only installed by default on Vista. Same goes for the instant searching. Just have to install the Windows Desktop search for XP and you will have that feature as well.

But you are right on many of the others.

And you know what. Honestly I think this all comes down to the tech level of the business. What i mean by that is people have installed Vista w/o any understanding of the operating system itself. The majority of the people i've seen complain about Vista are people upgrading, the majority of the time people are happy (average users) with the Vista install (usually home premium) on their new laptop/desktop.

I really blame the techs and users out there that install Vista without understanding its requirements. I mean jesus, microsoft gives you a free application (upgrade advisor) that will tell you if you can or cannot install Vista, and the performance of Vista. Its not like they are trying to toat this OS around like it can run on a P III, they know it can't and tell people that.

So i think a lot of backlash has come from the techies out there that have ill advised their clients out there to install Vista, or say Vista can run. Just my opinion.

[mikee]

beta 1 rumored to be out in december

Windows 7 Beta may Arrive this December - Tom's Hardware

I hope they release the system requirements soon

[Mak213]

There is no news of it form Microsoft being out in December. the last news even from people that have inside info (Paul thurott and Marj Jo) is that they have not goteen thru Milestone 3 yet. Milestone 2 was released not long ago. I wouldnt put much faith in that just yet.

[Baez]

Anyone see those Windows Mojave commercials? I thought this was the initial release of Windows 7 to the public and I was ready to download. I got all excited when I saw the beginning and then realized it was a crappy Vista commercial... lol.

[Mak213]

I have seen the future — specifically Windows 7 Milestone 3 (Build 6780).

I got a gander at the latest test build of Windows 7 briefly (courtesy of a source of mine) and was not allowed to take any screenshots. But it is real, it does exist and it is, indeed, in certain testers’ hands inside and outside the company.

From the quick glimpse I got of Milestone 3, it sounds like Bryant of AeroXperience was right on the money with his hypotheses about what’s changed in the latest internal test builds. The latest build seems quite stable. The Ribbon user interface from Office 2007 is now part of WordPad and Paint. Home Groups — the functionality formerly known in “Longhorn”/Vista as “Castle” — is part of the new Windows 7 build.

I also noticed that the “Graphical Console,” a k a PowerShell Version 2, seems to be part of the latest pre-release Windows 7 build.

(Looks like Stephen Chapman over at the UX Evangelist site got to see Build 6780, too, and has a lot more to say on Windows 7’s Paint and WordPad.)

From what admittedly little I had a chance to see, Windows 7 does not look or feel like a major departure from Windows Vista.

Sources say there isn’t an “M4″ currently on Microsoft’s Windows 7 schedule. Next up is likely some kind of preview build (which may or may not be distributed to those attending the Professional Developers Conference and/or Windows Hardware Engineering Conference in October and November, respectively.) After that, a broadscale Beta 1, which should be feature-complete and pretty much set in stone, is expected for mid-December.

Like my ZDNet blogging colleague Ed Bott said, it’s not impossible for Microsoft to hit a 2009 release for Windows 7 if the first true beta doesn’t go out until December. Such a move would not be unprecedented.

Do you think the Softies are going to get Windows 7 out the door in 2009, as they are hoping — and maybe even early enough to make it onto new machines in time for Holiday 2009 sales?

Source: Mary Jo Foley Blog

Looks Like Tom's Hardware may have been right. Sweet. Cant wait to get my hands on Windows 7 Beta 1.

[Osiris]

Windows 7 M3 Screenshots

Microsoft is still using the Windows 7 codename for their upcoming operating system. They recently released the M3 build of Windows 7 to selected partners and first screenshots of changes in that build have hit the web. The Windows 7 News website posted more than 20 Windows 7 screenshots on their website showing the changes, features and new looks of the new Windows operating system.
Most experts do agree that Windows 7 will be available sooner than they had expected. Microsoft was always speaking of a 3 years since Windows Vista release date which could be any date in 2009 and 2010. As of now most seem to suggest that Windows 7 might hit the streets no later than June 2009 which would be very early considering that Microsoft is putting lots of efforts on Windows Vista promotion currently.
Back to the screenshots. They show the changes to the Microsoft Paint and Wordpad modules which got an overhaul just like the Windows Calculator which broke news earlier this year. The screenshots seem to suggest that part of the Control Panel is also getting an overhaul. The Display Properties for one are looking completely different compared to previous versions of Windows. While those changes might make sense Microsoft should also consider that many users might feel a little bit lost in Windows 7.