Big Booger
July 28th, 2005, 14:58 PM
Windows Vista Beta 1 Review (Part 1)
My unhappy reaction to the Windows Hardware Engineering (WinHEC) 2005 build of Longhorn is now, shall we say, infamous. I wasn't trying to make a statement per se. But I did refer to the next major version of Windows as a "train wreck," so I guess it makes sense that people would latch onto that statement.
A little work on Microsoft's behalf could have prevented this problem. For example, a pre-WinHEC briefing in which the expectations of me and other Windows enthusiasts were suitably moderated would have been a great start. As it was, I went into WinHEC with high hopes, especially given the news that we would receive our first Longhorn build in a full year.
As I noted in my review of Longhorn build 5048 (see my review), however, my hopes were ill-placed. Build 5048 was a major step back from the previous build we had received (4074), from functional and features standpoints.
OK, that was three months ago. A few weeks ago, Microsoft briefed me about Windows Vista Beta 1, suitably setting my expectations. And Beta 1--and the pre-Beta 1 builds I've used over the past weeks--are much, much more impressive than Build 5048. Microsoft may have made some boneheaded mistakes in the past, but they're clearly learning.
On a much grander scale, Longhorn is finally improving again. Beta 1 doesn't feature the end-user functionality that will make this release compelling to actual human beings, but it does include enough new technology to stir my technology-loving heart. I still have my fears for Longhorn--er ah, Windows Vista--but before we get to that, let's take a little tour through the Beta 1 experience.
MAKE SURE TO READ THE REST OF HIS REVIEW (http://www.winsupersite.com/reviews/winvista_beta1_01.asp)
It is quite a lot to read but definitely interesting.
My unhappy reaction to the Windows Hardware Engineering (WinHEC) 2005 build of Longhorn is now, shall we say, infamous. I wasn't trying to make a statement per se. But I did refer to the next major version of Windows as a "train wreck," so I guess it makes sense that people would latch onto that statement.
A little work on Microsoft's behalf could have prevented this problem. For example, a pre-WinHEC briefing in which the expectations of me and other Windows enthusiasts were suitably moderated would have been a great start. As it was, I went into WinHEC with high hopes, especially given the news that we would receive our first Longhorn build in a full year.
As I noted in my review of Longhorn build 5048 (see my review), however, my hopes were ill-placed. Build 5048 was a major step back from the previous build we had received (4074), from functional and features standpoints.
OK, that was three months ago. A few weeks ago, Microsoft briefed me about Windows Vista Beta 1, suitably setting my expectations. And Beta 1--and the pre-Beta 1 builds I've used over the past weeks--are much, much more impressive than Build 5048. Microsoft may have made some boneheaded mistakes in the past, but they're clearly learning.
On a much grander scale, Longhorn is finally improving again. Beta 1 doesn't feature the end-user functionality that will make this release compelling to actual human beings, but it does include enough new technology to stir my technology-loving heart. I still have my fears for Longhorn--er ah, Windows Vista--but before we get to that, let's take a little tour through the Beta 1 experience.
MAKE SURE TO READ THE REST OF HIS REVIEW (http://www.winsupersite.com/reviews/winvista_beta1_01.asp)
It is quite a lot to read but definitely interesting.