Windows Longhorn aka Vista...

Well, they have finally released the final product name for the next version of Windows, it will be "Vista" (formally Longhorn). Don't know about you but my initial reactions to this name is *boring*, safe even?!? Surely, the marketing folks at Microsoft could have come up with something a little more inspirational than that?

We have all waited eagerly for a few years, and will wait eagerly for another 1+ years until its late 2006 release - what we are all expecting is something that will really blow or socks off– this has been the promise. A name (branding) can generate emotion, create excitement and enthusiasm, and Microsoft should have taken this opportunity to create a truly inspiring name to provide interest and momentum. Ah well :-(

Anyways, the Beta 1 is out, minus all the User Interface goodies (we have to wait until Beta 2 for that). Paul Thurrott has posted an article giving his initial thoughts and provided a bunch of screen shots – check it out, looks ok so far.

If you are interested in the main pillars of Vista (*sigh*) they are as follows:

• WinFX - The managed code programming model; this is exciting and will offer man opportunites for developers to simply access the core components of the operating system.
• Windows Presentation Foundation - formally known as Avalon. This is the foundation for building User Interfaces, and we are talking some seriously cool UI stuff here.
• Windows Communications Foundation - formally known as Indigo. This is the foundation for building communications and interoperability.
• Aero - This is meant to be the new fandangled UI that will really blow our socks off.