Longhorn Setup.exe File Released

[Big Booger]

Muhammad,
Longhorn is real, it is an alpha release which means that it has not been released officially to the public but was instead leaked by an internal tester at MS, most likely. That said, you want to know what it is about. It is the next generation of windows that will be released. This alpha release most probably will not be like the official release of Longhorn, which by the way is the code name and not the actual name of the OS. Much like "WHistler" was to XP, and "Memphis" was to windows 98.
I have used Longhorn Alpha build and can say that it is buggy. There is a 180 day time limit on the build, and it must be activated in 14 days or it becomes useless.
Some of the new features are mainly visual but I am sure the official release will be radically different. As it is now, this seems more like Windows XP SE rather than Longhorn, but this is without a shadow of doubt the Longhorn Alpha 3683. There is a "sidebar" AKA dashboard, there is a new DISPLAY control panel, with 6 new options, only 1 works however. There is a new theme, called "Plex" which is a blue flat panel look. There are a few new wallpapers.. etc..Windows Explorer has a new look as well, with headers for My Documents and the icons spin as you select them.
There is also the ability to use Windows Media Center Edition, FREESTYLE, as well, by going into the control panel and selecting add new windows components and then selecting freestyle.

When you boot it up, the boot screen still says windows XP professional, but the date has changed from 1985-2001 to 1985-2003. The logon menu has changed from the light blue with the dark blue borders to a gun metal grey, and dark blue boarders, and there is a clock now visible on the logon screen. Some things to consider about this build. It is buggy, very early in development, it runs slow. It is compatible with loads of software, and it generates errors at random. This should be used only to see what it is like, not as a primary OS. I use it just to test it out, see what is like, see how it can be tweaked, and to try to patch or find work arounds to the bugs. You could use it as your primary OS, but I wouldn't suggest it.
Also downloads do not work in Internet Explorer, due to a missing AVI file in the Shell32.dll file. Further, the windows update site doesn't work, and I must stress, many many programs don't work at all or even partially.

If you want more information, pm me and I might be able to help.
BB