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Windows Vista Beta 1
by Arie Slob
Hello Windows users,
On the 27th July Microsoft finally announced the availability of the first beta of its next Windows operating system named Windows Vista (formerly code-named "Longhorn").
Beta 1 of Windows Vista is not publicly available. According to Microsoft it has been delivered to some 10,000 beta testers. Microsoft also made Beta 1 available for download for those with a Microsoft Developers Network (MSDN) or TechNet Subscription, which could potentially see the beta in the hands of another 500,000 people.
According to Microsoft, this first beta focuses on improving Windows' fundamentals - security, performance, manageability and deployment - and is therefore targeted at developers and IT professionals.
The 2nd Beta, which could be available by the end of this year, or beginning 2006, should include more of the end-user functionality, and therefore it is expected that Beta 2 will be more widely available.
I downloaded Beta 1, and installed it on both a laptop & desktop computer, and spend a week roaming around the new OS.
I have posted a review on the HelpWithWindows.com Web site; so if you are interested: have a look!
Overall this first Beta of Windows Vista looks and feels very nice. You have to keep in mind that Beta 1 is hardly the final code we can expect to see, so keep in mind that things will change.
The thing that did surprise me most was the performance of Windows Vista on the same hardware that I've been running Windows XP on for some years now. It is generally not the case that early betas are tuned for performance, but this beta seems to be running faster then Windows XP does on the same hardware. All the more surprising if you consider all the extra graphic effects built into the GUI.
It took Microsoft a long time to get here (Beta 1), but at least the next Windows operating system is showing some promising signs! It should get interesting by the time Beta 2 comes along!
Give your comments on this article.
Internet Explorer 7 Beta 1
 After abandoning Internet Explorer development for years, Microsoft earlier this year reconstituted the Internet Explorer development team, presumably after witnessing the success of Mozilla's Firefox browser.
Previously Microsoft had announced that a public beta of Internet Explorer 7 would be available, but apparently Microsoft officials changed their mind, and the first beta of Internet Explorer 7 was only released to developers and beta testers, and has not been made publicly available. Like Windows Vista, only people with a Microsoft Developers Network (MSDN) or TechNet Subscription and private beta testers have access to Internet Explorer 7 Beta 1.
Microsoft made no comments on the change, the Web site for Internet Explorer 7 simply states: "The first stage of the beta process for Internet Explorer 7 has begun - developer testing! The latest version of the world's most popular Web browser has been released for technical evaluation, feedback, and testing by software and Web site developers" and "Beta 1 is not intended for broad consumer trial and evaluation."
I guess the "consumer" just has to wait for Beta 2, pitty.
I will post a review of Internet Explorer 7 Beta 1 later this month.
Newsletter Summer Schedule
Many of you are having a summer break in the coming months. I will reduce the newsletter publication frequency in these months.
Here is the planning so far:
Month |
Publication Date |
August |
20 |
September |
3 & 17 |
At the end of September I will most likely travel to Redmond for the 2005 Global MVP Summit, returning home near the end of the 1st week of October. When I know a little more about my schedule I'll update the Newsletter publications dates for the remainder of September/October.
Have a good & safe summer!
Recent Support BBS Postings
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Highlights
Update for Windows XP (KB889527)
Install this update to prevent Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) packets from being dropped even though you have configured the Windows Firewall feature to allow ICMP packets.
For more information about this update, read Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 889527.
Supported Operating Systems: Windows XP Service Pack 2
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Office 2003 Add-in: Word Redaction
By using the Word 2003 Redaction Add-in, you can mark sections of Microsoft Office Word 2003 documents for redaction. You can then create a new, redacted version of the document in which this marked text is unavailable.
Supported Operating Systems: Windows 2000 SP3; Windows Server 2003; Windows XP SP1
Download [ENG - 1003 KB]
ReadMe File [6 KB]
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