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Microsoft Windows Vista

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Windows Vista
Windows Vista logo

Windows Vista Home Premium Desktop
Company/
developer: 		Microsoft
OS family: Windows NT
Source model: Shared source
Stable release: Microsoft Windows Vista SP1 (Build 6001)  (February 4, 2008) [+/-]
Preview release: Service Pack 1 (Build 6001)
 (Nov 9 2006) [+/-]
Kernel type: Hybrid kernel
Default user interface: {{{ui}}}
License: Microsoft EULA
Working state: Current
Website: Windows Vista

Windows Vista is today's major version of Microsoft Windows, the proprietary operating system developed by Microsoft. Prior to the announcement of the Vista name on July 22, 2005, it was known by its codename Longhorn, after the Longhorn Saloon, a popular bar in Whistler, British Columbia[1]. According to Microsoft, Windows Vista has been RTM November 8, 2006 with the rollout scheduled for business editions on November 30, 2006, and January 30, 2007 for consumer editions[2]. These release dates come more than five years after the release of Windows XP, Microsoft's current consumer and business operating system, making it the longest time span between releases of Windows.

According to Microsoft, Windows Vista has hundreds of new features, such as an updated graphical user interface and visual style dubbed Windows Aero, improved searching features, new 'multimedia creation tools', meaning programs such as (currently) Windows Movie Maker, and completely redesigned networking, audio, print and display 'sub-systems' - methods of completing tasks. Microsoft claims that Vista also aims to increase the level of communication between machines on a home network using peer-to-peer technology, making it very easy to share files, password settings, and digital media between computers and devices. This may cause concern for many 'power-users', as Microsoft does not have a favorable history of computer security. For developers, Vista also has an entirely new development API, called WinFX, based on the .NET framework, which aims to make it significantly easier for developers to write high-quality applications than with WinFX's predecessor, Win32. High-end editions of Vista are expected to include Microsoft's Virtual PC, so that previous versions of Windows can be run simultaneously with Windows Vista on the same machine, with a view to running applications incompatible with Windows Vista.

Microsoft's primary stated goal with Vista, however, has been to improve the state of security in the Windows operating system. Amongst the many common criticisms of Windows XP, the most significant has been its commonly exploited security vulnerabilities, and an overall susceptibility to malware, viruses and buffer overflows. In light of this, Microsoft chairman Bill Gates announced in early 2002 a company-wide 'Trustworthy Computing initiative' which aims to incorporate security work into every aspect of software development at the company. Microsoft claimed it prioritized improving the security of Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 above finishing Windows Vista, which has significantly delayed its completion.

Contents

[edit] Development

Main article: Development of Windows Vista

Microsoft started work on their plans for Windows Vista ("Longhorn") in 2001,[3] prior to the release of Windows XP. It was originally expected to ship sometime late in 2003 as a minor step between Windows XP (codenamed "Whistler") and "Blackcomb" (now known as Windows "Vienna"). Gradually, "Longhorn" assimilated many of the important new features and technologies slated for "Blackcomb", resulting in the release date being pushed back several times. Many of Microsoft's developers were also re-tasked with improving the security of Windows XP.[4] Faced with ongoing delays and concerns about feature creep, Microsoft announced on August 27, 2004 that it was making changes. The original "Longhorn", based on the Windows XP source code, was scrapped, and Vista development started anew, building on the Windows Server 2003 codebase, and re-incorporating only the features that would be intended for an actual operating system release. Some previously announced features such as WinFS were dropped or postponed, and a new software development methodology called the "Security Development Lifecycle" was incorporated in an effort to address concerns with the security of the Windows codebase.[5]

After "Longhorn" was named Windows Vista, an unprecedented beta-test program was started, involving hundreds of thousands of volunteers and companies. In September 2005, Microsoft started releasing regular Community Technology Previews (CTP) to beta testers. The first of these was distributed among 2005 Microsoft Professional Developers Conference attendees, and was subsequently released to Microsoft Beta testers and Microsoft Developer Network subscribers. The builds that followed incorporated most of the planned features for the final product, as well as a number of changes to the user interface, based largely on feedback from beta testers. Windows Vista was deemed feature-complete with the release of the "February CTP", released on February 22, 2006, and much of the remainder of work between that build and the final release of the product focused on stability, performance, application and driver compatibility, and documentation. Beta 2, released in late May, was the first build to be made available to the general public through Microsoft's Customer Preview Program. It was downloaded by over five million people. Two release candidates followed in September and October, both of which were made available to a large number of users.

While Microsoft had originally hoped to have the operating system available worldwide in time for Christmas 2006, it was announced in March 2006 that the release date would be pushed back to January 2007, in order to give the company – and the hardware and software companies which Microsoft depends on for providing device drivers – additional time to prepare. Through much of 2006, analysts and bloggers had speculated that Windows Vista would be delayed further, owing to anti-trust concerns raised by the European Commission and South Korea, and due to a perceived lack of progress with the beta releases. However, with the November 8, 2006 announcement of the completion of Windows Vista, Microsoft's lengthiest operating system development project came to an end.

[edit] Editions

Main article: Windows Vista editions and pricing

Windows Vista ships in six editions.[6] These editions are roughly divided into two target markets, consumer and business, with editions varying to cater for specific sub-markets. For consumers, there are four editions, with three available for Western countries; Windows Vista Starter is limited to emerging markets. Windows Vista Home Basic is intended for budget users with low needs. Windows Vista Home Premium covers the majority of the consumer market. Windows Vista Ultimate contains the complete feature-set and is aimed at enthusiasts. For businesses, there are two versions. Windows Vista Business covers organizations of all sizes, while Windows Vista Enterprise is only available to customers participating in Microsoft's Software Assurance program.

In the European Union, Home Basic N and Business N versions will also be available. These versions come without Windows Media Player, due to EU sanctions brought against Microsoft for violating anti-trust laws. Similar sanctions exist in South Korea.

[edit] New or improved features

Main article: Features new to Windows Vista

[edit] End-user features

  • Windows Aero: The new hardware-based graphical user interface, named Windows Aero  – an acronym for Authentic, Energetic, Reflective, and Open. The new interface is intended to be cleaner and more aesthetically pleasing than those of previous Windows, including new transparencies, live thumbnails, live icons, animations and eye candy.
  • Windows Shell: The new Windows shell is significantly different from Windows XP, offering a new range of organization, navigation, and search capabilities. Windows Explorer's task panel has been removed, integrating the relevant task options into the toolbar. A "Favorite links" panel has been added, enabling one-click access to common directories. The address bar has been replaced with a breadcrumb navigation system. The preview panel allows users to see thumbnails of various files and view the contents of documents. The details panel shows information such as file size and type, and allows viewing and editing of embedded tags in supported file formats. The Start menu has changed as well; it no longer uses ever-expanding boxes when navigating through Programs. The word "Start" itself has been removed in favor of a blue Windows Orb (also called "Pearl").
  • Instant Search (also known as search as you type): Windows Vista features a new way of searching called Instant Search, which is significantly faster and in-depth(content-based) than that of the search features found in any of the previous versions of Windows.[7]
  • Windows Sidebar: A transparent panel anchored to the side of the screen where a user can place Desktop Gadgets, which are small applets designed for a specialized purpose (such as displaying the weather or sports scores). Gadgets can also be placed on other parts of the desktop.
  • Windows Internet Explorer 7: New user interface, tabbed browsing, RSS, a search box, improved printing,[8] Page Zoom, Quick Tabs (thumbnails of all open tabs), Anti-Phishing filter, a number of new security protection features, Internationalized Domain Name support (IDN), and improved web standards support. IE7 in Windows Vista runs in isolation from other applications in the operating system (protected mode); exploits and malicious software are restricted from writing to any location beyond Temporary Internet Files without explicit user consent.
Windows Media Player 11
  • Windows Media Player 11, a major revamp of Microsoft's program for playing and organizing music and video. New features in this version include word wheeling (or "search as you type"), a new GUI for the media library, photo display and organization, the ability to share music libraries over a network with other Vista machines, Xbox 360 integration, and support for other Media Center Extenders.
  • Backup and Restore Center: Includes a backup and restore application that gives users the ability to schedule periodic backups of files on their computer, as well as recovery from previous backups. Backups are incremental, storing only the changes each time, minimizing the disk usage. It also features Complete PC Backup (available only in Ultimate, Business, and Enterprise versions) which backs up an entire computer as an image onto a hard disk or DVD. Complete PC Backup can automatically recreate a machine setup onto new hardware or hard disk in case of any hardware failures. Complete PC Restore can be initiated from within Windows Vista, or from the Windows Vista installation CD in the event the PC is so corrupt that it cannot start up normally from the hard disk.
  • Windows Mail: A replacement for Outlook Express that includes a new mail store that improves stability,[9] and features integrated Instant Search. It has the Phishing Filter like IE7 and a junk mail filtering which is enhanced through regular updates via Windows Update.[10]
  • Windows Calendar is a new calendar and task application.
  • Windows Photo Gallery, a photo and movie library management application. WPG can import from digital cameras, tag and rate individual items, adjust colors and exposure, create and display slideshows (with pan and fade effects), and burn slideshows to DVD.
  • Windows DVD Maker, a companion program to Windows Movie Maker, which provides the ability to create video DVDs based on a user's content. Users can design a DVD with title, menu, video, soundtrack, pan and zoom motion effects on pictures or slides, in minutes.
  • Windows Media Center, which was previously exclusively bundled as a separate version of Windows XP, known as Windows XP Media Center Edition, has been incorporated into the Home Premium and Ultimate editions of Windows Vista.
  • Games and Games Explorer: Games included with Windows have been modified to showcase Vista's graphics capabilities. New games are Chess Titans, Mahjong Titans and Purble Place. A new Games Explorer special folder holds shortcuts and information to all games on the user's computer.
  • Windows Mobility Center is a control panel that centralizes the most relevant information related to mobile computing (brightness, sound, battery level / power scheme selection, wireless network, screen orientation, presentation settings, etc.).
  • Windows Meeting Space replaces NetMeeting. Users can share applications (or their entire desktop) with other users on the local network, or over the Internet using peer-to-peer technology (higher versions than Starter and Home Basic can take advantage of hosting capabilities, limiting previous to "join" mode only)
  • Shadow Copy automatically creates daily backup copies of files and folders. Users can also create "shadow copies" by setting a System Protection Point using the System Protection tab in the System control panel. The user can be presented multiple versions of a file throughout a limited history and be allowed to restore, delete, or copy those versions. This feature is available only in the Business, Enterprise, and Ultimate editions of Windows Vista and is inherited from Windows Server 2003.[11]
  • Windows Update: Software and security updates have been simplified,[12] now operating solely via a control panel instead of as a web application. Windows Mail's spam filter and Windows Defender's definitions are updated automatically via Windows Update. Users that choose the recommended setting for Automatic Updates will have the latest drivers installed and available when they add a new device.
  • Parental controls: Allows administrators to control which websites, programs, and games each standard user can use and install. This feature is available in Home Premium and Ultimate versions of Vista.
  • Windows SideShow: Enables the auxiliary displays on newer laptops or on supported Windows Mobile devices. It is meant to be used to display device gadgets while the computer is on or off.
  • Speech recognition is integrated into Vista.[13] It features a redesigned user interface and configurable command-and-control commands. Unlike the Office 2003 version, which works only in Office and WordPad, Speech Recognition in Windows Vista works for any accessible application. In addition, it currently supports several languages: British and American English, Spanish, French, German, Chinese (Traditional and Simplified), and Japanese.
  • New fonts, including several designed for screen reading, and improved Chinese (Yahei, JhengHei), Japanese (Meiryo) and Korean (Malgun) fonts. ClearType has also been enhanced and enabled by default.
  • Problem Reports and Solutions, a control panel which allows users to view previously sent problems and any solutions or additional information that is available.
  • Improved audio controls allow the system-wide volume or volume of individual audio devices and even individual applications to be controlled separately. New audio functionalities such as Room Correction, Bass Management, Speaker Fill and Headphone virtualization have also been incorporated.
  • System Performance Assessment is a tool used to benchmark system performance. Software such as games can retrieve this rating and modify its own behavior at runtime to improve performance. The benchmark tests CPU, RAM, 2-D and 3-D graphics acceleration, Graphics Memory and Hard disk space.[14][15]
  • Windows Ultimate Extras: The Ultimate Edition of Windows Vista provides access to extra games and tools, available through Windows Update. This replaces the Microsoft Plus! software bundle that was sold alongside prior versions of Windows.
  • Built-in hard drive partition management: A utility to modify hard disk drive partitions, including shrinking, creating and formatting new partitions.
  • Performance Diagnostic Console includes various tools for tuning and monitoring system performance and resources activities of CPU, disks, network, memory and other resources. It shows the operations on files, the opened connections, etc.

[edit] Core technologies

Main article: Technical features new to Windows Vista

Windows Vista is intended to be a technology-based release, to provide a solid base to include technologies, many of which will be related to how the system functions, and hence not readily visible to the user. An example of this is the restructuring of the architecture of the audio, print, display, and networking subsystems; while the results of this work will be visible to software developers, end-users will only see what appear to be evolutionary changes in the user interface.

Vista includes technologies such as ReadyBoost and ReadyDrive which employ fast flash memory (located on USB drives and hybrid hard disk drives respectively) to improve system performance by caching commonly-used programs and data. This manifests itself in improved battery life on notebook computers as well, since a hybrid drive can use the Flash memory to cache the data currently in use by the OS and/or other applications, spinning down the disc platters till some fresh data is required. Another new technology called SuperFetch utilizes machine learning techniques to analyze usage patterns in order to allow Windows Vista to make decisions about what application and content should be present in system memory at any given time.

As part of the redesign of the networking architecture, IPv6 has been incorporated into the operating system, and a number of performance improvements have been introduced, such as TCP window scaling. Windows Vista includes more comprehensive support for wireless networking, compared with previous versions of Windows.

For graphics, Vista introduces a new Windows Display Driver Model (WDDM), as well as major revisions to Direct3D. The new driver model facilitates the new Desktop Window Manager, which provides the tearing-free desktop and special effects that are the cornerstones of Windows Aero. WDDM's current version 1.0 is able to offload rudimentary tasks to the GPU, install drivers without requiring a system reboot and seamlessly recover from rare driver errors due to illegal application behavior. The next version is going to require an entirely new generation of GPUs, which NVIDIA and ATI are working on. Direct3D 10, developed in conjunction with major display driver manufacturers, is a new architecture with more advanced shader support, and allows the graphics processing unit to render more complex scenes without assistance from the CPU. It features improved load balancing between CPU and GPU and also optimizes data transfer between them.[16]

At the core of the operating system, many improvements have been made to the memory manager, process scheduler, heap manager, and I/O scheduler. A Kernel Transaction Manager has been implemented that gives applications the ability to work with the file system and registry using atomic transaction operations.

[edit] Security-related technologies

Main article: Security and safety features new to Windows Vista

Improved security was a primary design goal for Vista.[17] Microsoft's Trustworthy Computing initiative, which aims to improve public trust in its products, has had a direct effect on its development. This effort has resulted in a number of new security and safety features.

User Account Control is perhaps the most significant and visible of these changes. User Account Control is a security technology that makes it possible for users to use their computer with fewer privileges by default. This was often difficult in previous versions of Windows, as the previous "limited" user accounts proved too restrictive and incompatible with a large proportion of application software, and even prevented some basic operations such as looking at the calendar from the notification tray. In Windows Vista, when an action requiring administrative rights is requested, the user will be first prompted for an administrator name and password; in cases where the user is already an administrator, the user is still prompted to confirm the pending privileged action. User Account Control asks for credentials in a Secure Desktop mode, where the entire screen is blacked out, temporarily disabled, and only the authorization window is active and highlighted. The intent is to stop a malicious program 'spoofing' the user interface, attempting to capture admin credentials.

Internet Explorer 7's new security and safety features include a phishing filter, IDN]with anti-spoofing capabilities, and integration with system-wide parental controls. For added security, ActiveX controls are disabled by default. Also, Internet Explorer operates in a "protected mode" which operates with lower permissions than the user and it runs in isolation from other applications in the operating system, preventing it from accessing or modifying anything besides the Temporary Internet Files directory.[18] Microsoft's anti-spyware product, Windows Defender, has been incorporated into Windows, providing protection against malware and other threats. Changes to various system configuration settings (such as new auto-starting applications) are blocked unless the user gives consent.

Another significant new feature is BitLocker Drive Encryption, a data protection technology included in the Enterprise and Ultimate editions of Vista that provides encryption for the entire operating system volume. Bitlocker can work in conjunction with a Trusted Platform Module chip (version 1.2) that is on a computer's motherboard, or with a USB key.[19]

A variety of other privilege-restriction techniques are also built into Vista. An example is the concept of "integrity levels" in user processes, whereby a process with a lower integrity level cannot interact with processes of a higher integrity level and cannot perform DLL–injection to a processes of a higher integrity level. The security restrictions of Windows services are more fine-grained, so that services (especially those listening on the network) have no ability to interact with parts of the operating system they do not need to. Obfuscation techniques such as address space layout randomization are used to increase the amount of effort required of malware before successful infiltration of a system. Code Integrity verifies that system binaries haven’t been tampered with by malicious code.

As part of the redesign of the network stack, Windows Firewall has been upgraded, with new support for filtering both incoming and outgoing traffic. Advanced packet filter rules can be created which can grant or deny communications to specific services.

[edit] Business technologies

Main article: Management features new to Windows Vista

While much of the focus of Vista's new capabilities has been on the new user interface, security technologies, and improvements to the core operating system, Microsoft is also adding new deployment and maintenance features.

  • The WIM image format (Windows IMage) is the cornerstone of Microsoft's new deployment and packaging system. WIM files, which contain an image of Windows Vista, can be maintained and patched without having to rebuild new images. Windows Images can be delivered via Systems Management Server or Business Desktop Deployment technologies. Images can be customized and configured with applications then deployed to corporate client personal computers using little to no touch by a system administrator. ImageX is the Microsoft tool used to create and customize images.
  • Windows Deployment Services replaces Remote Installation Services for deploying Vista and prior versions of Windows.
  • Approximately 700 new Group Policy settings have been added, covering most aspects of the new features in the operating system, as well as significantly expanding the configurability of wireless networks, removable storage devices, and user desktop experience. Vista also introduced an XML based format (ADMX) to display registry-based policy settings, making it easier to manage networks that span geographic locations and different languages. [20]
  • Services for UNIX has been renamed "Subsystem for UNIX-based Applications," and is included with the Enterprise and Ultimate editions of Vista. Network File System (NFS) client support is also included.
  • Multilingual User Interface - Unlike previous version of Windows which required language packs to be loaded to provide local language support, Windows Vista Ultimate and Enterprise editions support the ability to dynamically change languages based on the logged on user's preference.
  • Wireless Projector support

Business customers who are enrolled in the Microsoft Software Assurance program are offered a set of additional tools and services collectively known as the "Desktop Optimization Pack". This includes the Microsoft SoftGrid application virtualization platform, an asset inventory service, and additional tools for maintaining Group Policy settings in a fashion similar to a revision control system.

[edit] Developer technologies

Windows Vista includes a large number of new application programming interfaces. Chief among them is the inclusion of version 3.0 of the .NET Framework, which consists of a class library and Common Language Runtime. Version 3.0 includes four new major components:[21]

  • Windows Presentation Foundation is a user interface subsystem and framework based vector graphics, which will make use of 3D computer graphics hardware and Direct3D technologies. It provides the foundation for building applications and blending together application UI, documents, and media content. It is the successor to Windows Forms.
  • Windows Communication Foundation is a service-oriented messaging subsystem which will enable applications and systems to interoperate locally or remotely using Web services.
  • Windows Workflow Foundation provides task automation and integrated transactions using workflows. It is the programming model, engine and tools for building workflow-enabled applications on Windows.
  • Windows CardSpace is a component which securely stores digital identities of a person, and provides a unified interface for choosing the identity for a particular transaction, such as logging into a website.

These technologies will also be available for Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 to facilitate their introduction to and usage by developers and end users.

There are also significant new development APIs in the core of the operating system, notably the completely re-architected audio, networking, print, and video interfaces, major changes to the security infrastructure, improvements to the deployment and installation of applications ("ClickOnce" and Windows Installer 4.0), new device driver development model ("Windows Driver Foundation"), Transactional NTFS, mobile computing API advancements (power management, Tablet PC Ink support, SideShow) and major updates to (or complete replacements of) many core subsystems such as Winlogon and CAPI.

There are some issues for software developers using some of the graphics APIs in Vista. Games or programs which are built solely on Vista's version of DirectX, 10, will not work on prior versions of Windows, as DirectX 10 is not backwards-compatible at any level.[22] According to a Microsoft blog, there are three choices for OpenGL implementation on Vista. An application can use the default implementation, which translates OpenGL calls into the Direct3D API and is frozen at OpenGL version 1.4, or an application can use an Installable Client Driver (ICD), which comes in two flavors: legacy and Vista-compatible. A legacy ICD, the kind already provided by independent hardware vendors targeting Windows XP, will disable the Desktop Window Manager, noticeably degrading user experience under Windows Aero. A Vista-compatible ICD takes advantage of a new API, and will be fully compatible with the Desktop Window Manager.[23] At least two primary vendors, ATI and NVIDIA, are expected to provide full Vista-compatible ICDs in the near future.[24] However, hardware overlay is not supported, because it is considered as an obsolete feature in Vista. ATI and NVIDIA strongly recommend using compositing desktop/FBOs for same functionality.[25]

[edit] Welcome Center

Welcome Center can display an overview of the new features, set up new users, and set protection options for the PC. Welcome Center is run from the System and Maintenance menu of the Control Panel menu and by default, is run upon first boot of Windows Vista.

Some Welcome Center options can connect online via the Internet to Microsoft websites for accessing or downloading various files to the user's computer.

[edit] Deprecated features

Main article: Features removed from Windows Vista

Some notable Windows XP features and components have been replaced or removed in Windows Vista, including Windows Messenger, the network Messenger Service, HyperTerminal, MSN Explorer, Active Desktop, and the replacement of NetMeeting with Windows Meeting Space. Windows Vista also does not include the Windows XP "Luna" visual theme, or most of the classic color schemes which have been part of Windows since the Windows 3.x era. The "Hardware profiles" startup feature has been removed as well, along with support for older motherboard technologies like the EISA bus, APM and Game port support. IP over 1394 (TCP/IP over IEEE 1394) has been removed.[26]

WinHlp32.exe, used to display 32-bit .hlp files (help pages), is no longer included in Windows Vista as Microsoft considers it obsolete,[27] though it is available as a separate download. Microsoft prohibits software manufacturers from re-introducing the .hlp help system with their products.

Telnet.exe is no longer installed by default, but is still included as an installable feature.[28]

[edit] Business technologies

While much of the focus of Vista's new capabilities will be centered on the new user interface, Microsoft is also adding a large number of new features to make a compelling case for businesses still running Windows NT, 2000, and XP desktops.

  • The WIM image format is the cornerstone of Microsoft's new deployment and packaging system. WIM files, which contain an image of Windows Vista, can be maintained and patched without having to rebuild new images.
  • Approximately 800 new Group Policy settings have been added, covering most aspects of the new features in the operating system, as well as significantly expanding the configurability of wireless networks, removable storage devices, and user desktop experience[20].
  • Services for UNIX has been renamed "Subsystem for UNIX-based Applications", and is included with the Enterprise and Ultimate editions of Vista. Network File System (NFS) client support is also included.

[edit] Developer technologies

Microsoft labels the new key technologies in this version of Windows as "The Pillars of Vista", sometimes referred to as "The Pillars of WinFX":

Presentation
The Windows Presentation Foundation or WPF, formerly code-named Avalon; a new user interface subsystem and framework based on Direct3D (DirectX), and vector graphics, which will make use of 3D computer graphics hardware and Direct3D technologies. See Windows Graphics Foundation.
Communication
The Windows Communication Foundation or WCF, formerly code-named Indigo; a service-oriented messaging system which allows programs to interoperate locally or remotely similar to web services.
Workflow
The Windows Workflow Foundation or WF; was announced in August 2005, and allows task automation and integrated transactions using workflows.

WinFX is a set of technologies that Microsoft is intending to make available for Windows XP and Windows Server 2003, and are therefore not technologies exclusive to Vista, but rather developed in time for the Vista release. Allowing an easier introduction of these technologies to developers and end users may be a reason for backporting them.

There are also significant new development APIs in the core of the operating system, notably the inclusion of the .NET Framework, completely re-architected audio, networking, print, and video interfaces, major changes to the security infrastructure, improvements to the deployment and installation of applications ("ClickOnce" and Windows Installer 4.0), new device driver development model ("Windows Driver Foundation"), Transactional NTFS, and major updates to many core sub-systems such as Winlogon and CAPI.

[edit] XP features dropped

Some notable Windows XP features and components have been replaced or removed in Windows Vista. Perhaps the most significant of these is the replacement of NetMeeting with Windows Collaboration and the removal of MSN Explorer. Windows Vista also does not include the Windows XP "Luna" visual theme. The "Hardware profiles" startup feature has been removed as well, along with support for older motherboard technologies like the EISA bus and APM.

[edit] Features delayed

  • WinFS is the codename for a planned relational database layer built on top of NTFS, and is loosely based on SQL Server 2005. In August 2004, Microsoft announced that WinFS would not be included in Windows Vista. This was due to time constraints in developing the technology; Microsoft will probably release WinFS in 2007 as an update. Microsoft has been working on this technology since the mid 1990s.
  • Due to scheduling issues, the Windows PowerShell, code-named Monad will not be included in Windows Vista. However, Microsoft has announced that it will be available as a separate download in the fourth quarter of 2006[29]
  • Owing to significant difficulties in getting third-party developers to support the system (particularly due to the lack of support for writing for the Trusted Operating Root using .NET managed code), the Next-Generation Secure Computing Base architecture was abandoned for Windows Vista.[30] Some aspects of the NGSCB initiative, such as support for Trusted Platform Module chips, are still present, though its role is now limited to being a provider of cryptographic functions which will support BitLocker Drive Encryption.
  • Support for Intel's Extensible Firmware Interface was originally slated to be included with Vista, but has been removed due to what Microsoft has described as a lack of support on desktop computers[31]. The UEFI 2.0 specification (which replaces EFI 1.10) wasn't completed until early 2006, and as of mid-2006, no firmware manufacturers have completed a production implementation. Microsoft has stated that it intends on incorporating 64-bit UEFI support into a future update to Vista, but 32-bit UEFI will not be supported[32]

[edit] Hardware requirements

Microsoft has provided recommendations for hardware configurations that will be needed to run Windows Vista. Computers which can run Windows Vista will be classified as Vista Capable and Vista Premium Ready[33] — while a Vista Capable or equivalent PC needs to have at least 800 MHz processor, 512 MB RAM and a DirectX 9 class graphics card, it will not be capable of supporting the high end Vista graphics, including the Aero user interface. A Vista Premium Ready PC will take advantage of Vista's "high-end" features but will need at least a 1 GHz processor, 1 GB main memory, and an Aero-compatible graphics card with at least 128 MB graphics memory and supporting the new Windows Display Driver Model.

Microsoft offers for download a Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor from the Microsoft Website, to determine the ability of a PC to run Vista in its various guises. The utility is currently a beta product, and only runs on Windows XP.

Vista CapableVista Premium Ready
Processor800 MHz1 GHz
Memory512MB RAM1GB RAM
GPUDirectX 9 capableDirectX 9 capable GPU with Hardware Pixel Shader v2.0 and WDDM Driver support
GPU Memory32 MB RAM128 MB RAM
HDD20GB40GB
HDD free space15GB15GB
Other drivesCD-ROMDVD-ROM
"Windows Aero" mode
"Standard" mode in "Home Basic"
"Basic" mode
"Windows Classic" mode

[edit] Graphics

Vista's graphics requirements are defined in relation to the different desktop experiences.

Games or programs which are built on Direct3D 10 will not work on prior versions of Windows, as Direct3D 10 is not backwards-compatible with Direct3D 9.[34]

"According to a Microsoft Blog[35], there are 2 OpenGL paths under Vista. An application can use the default implementation, frozen at OpenGL version 1.4. An application can use an ICD as well, which comes in two flavors: legacy and Vista-compatible. A legacy ICD functions as specified above: the activation of one will turn off the desktop compositor. A Vista-compatible ICD, made by IHVs using a new internal API path provided by Microsoft, will be completely compatible with the desktop compositor. Given the statements made by the two primary OpenGL ICD vendors (ATi and nVidia), it would be reasonable to expect both to provide full Vista-compatible ICDs for Windows Vista."

At WinHEC 2006, Microsoft again talked about how it was planning a major change to the Windows Display Driver Module (WDDM) to allow for better scheduling of tasks (multitasking) on GPUs. WDDM 1.0, which will ship with Windows Vista, only allows rudimentary task scheduling. The upcoming WDDM 2.0, which Microsoft has not put an introduction date on, will require a new generation of GPUs.[36]

[edit] Windows Aero

Main article: Windows Aero

Windows Aero is built on the new desktop composition engine called Desktop Window Manager, adding support for 3D graphics, translucency, window animation and other visual effects. This mode is also known as Aero Glass.

  • Intended for mainstream and high-end graphics cards.
  • 64 MB of graphics memory recommended for 1024x768, 128 MB for 1600x1200+.
  • At least 32 bits per pixel.
  • 3D hardware acceleration with capabilities equal to DirectX 9.0c.
  • A memory bandwidth of 2 GB/s is recommended.
  • Capable of drawing ~1.5 M triangles / second, one window being ~150 triangles.
  • A graphics card that uses AGP 8X or PCI Express x16 bus.
  • Windows Display Driver Model (WDDM) Drivers.

During Vista's early alpha testing stages, the ATI Radeon 9800 Pro and the nVidia GeForce FX 5900 were the only cards compatible with Aero Glass. Since then, support has been extended to most DirectX 9 Graphics cards. Aero will require Direct X 9.0 or higher. At this point, the nVidia FX family and up, and ATI Radeon 9500 and up are supported. Windows Aero is not planned for inclusion in the Home Basic and Starter editions.

Windows Aero and Flip 3D require Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) to be passed.

[edit] Standard

"Standard" is a variation of Windows Aero without the transparencies, window animations, and other advanced graphical effects such as Flip 3D. Like Aero, it uses the Desktop Compositing Engine, and has generally the same video hardware requirements as Windows Aero. This is the default mode for the Windows Vista Home Basic Edition. The Starter (developing markets) edition does not support this mode.

[edit] Basic

This theme uses the new desktop composition although it has an aspect similar to Windows XP's visual style with the addition of subtle animations such as those found on progress bars, with increased stability and smooth window re-draw. It does not feature transparency or translucency, window animation, Flip 3D or any of the functions provided by the DWM.

Jim Allchin noted in a May 23, 2006 meeting that a new theme is in development that will replace this[37].

  • Requires Windows XP Display Driver Model (XPDM) or WDDM drivers.
  • Graphics card requirements are the same as Windows XP or 2000.

[edit] Windows Classic

The most basic user interface offered by Vista, which is very similar to the appearance of Windows 2000.

  • Does not use the new Desktop Compositing Engine; Flip 3D, live window previews, and tearing-free window dragging are therefore not supported.
  • Requires Windows XP Display Driver Model (XPDM) or WDDM drivers.
  • Graphics card requirements are the same as Windows 2000.
  • An option for corporate deployments and upgrades.

[edit] Criticism

A number of criticisms have been placed upon Windows Vista, including the inclusion of a number of technologies aimed at restricting the copying of digital media and the usability of the new User Account Control]security technology. Reviewers have also noted similarities between the Vista interface and that of Apple's Mac OS X operating system.

One of the most common criticisms concerns the integration of new forms of Digital Rights Management into the operating system, specifically High-Bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP), which reduces the quality of high-definition video content if the video card and monitor are not HDCP-enabled, of which, as of May 2006, there are none[38]. These criticisms may be misplaced, however, as it is still unclear as to whether all high definition media will be subject to HDCP protection, and even if it is, Microsoft will not be the only vendor enforcing support as Digital Rights Management is largely decided by content providers, not platform providers.[38]

The new User Account Control (UAC) security technology also causes concern among reviewers. While Yankee Group]analyst Andrew Jaquith believes that critical security vulnerabilities may be "reduced by as much as 80 percent", he also noted that while "the new security system shows promise, it is far too chatty and annoying"[39]. Veteran Microsoft reporter Paul Thurrott agrees, contending that the implementation of UAC in Vista build 5342 is a "sad, sad joke" given the number of dialogue boxes that one must wade through to do simple tasks[40]. However, Thurrott appears to have retracted those comments, claiming in his Windows Vista Beta 2 review, that UAC had been "completely overhauled" and is "less annoying," although he acknowledges that Microsoft is "still struggling to find a balance between security and annoyance."[41]

Another criticism is a claim by some that Windows Vista emulates specific features in Apple's Mac OS X. Scott Spanbauer of PCWorld jokes about a perceived "striking similarity" between Vista's Aero visual effects, icon design, buttons and those of Mac OS X's Aqua[42]. Paul Thurrott of WindowsITPro, made similar comments in his review of build 5308, while also suggesting that some of the new applications "appear to be directly, ahem, influenced by similar applications in OS X"[40] John Rizzo of eWeek has noted that Vista is incorporating features which OS X has had for some time, such as fast searching and Smart Folders functionality[43]. This has led some to the conclusion that Aero is a deliberate imitation of Aqua[44].

[edit] See also

[edit] Notes and references

  1. ↑ Paul Thurrott (June 22 2003). Windows "Longhorn" FAQ. Windows SuperSite. URL accessed on 2006-05-20.
  2. ↑ A press release detailing the release schedule was posted to Microsoft's PressPass website on March 21, 2006: Microsoft Updates Windows Vista Road Map
  3. ↑ Galli, Peter (2001-07-30). Pushing Forward - the next version of Windows. eWeek. URL accessed on 2006-07-07.
  4. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named winxpdevpriority
  5. ↑ Steve Lipner, Michael Howard (March 2005). The Trustworthy Computing Security Development Lifecycle. Microsoft Developer Network. URL accessed on 2006-08-09.
  6. ↑ Template:Cite press release
  7. ↑ A Closer Look at Windows Vista Part II: Enhanced Search. National Instruments: (2006).
  8. ↑ Windows Internet Explorer, Printing Advances Printing in IE7.
  9. ↑ Windows Mail Features Explained, See Reliability Section Windows Mail.
  10. ↑ Windows Mail was demonstrated by the development team in this Channel 9 video.
  11. ↑ Selected Scenarios for Maintaining Data Integrity with Windows Vista. Microsoft: (2006). URL accessed on 2006-08-24.
  12. ↑ Windows Update, Easier and Less Distruptive Windows Update in Windows Vista.
  13. ↑ Windows Vista, SAPI Talking Windows
  14. ↑ TWAR05002_WinHEC05.ppt at download.microsoft.com. URL accessed on 2007-01-25.
  15. ↑ Windows Vista, The System Assesment Tool WinSat.
  16. ↑ blogs.technet.com. URL accessed on 2007-01-25.
  17. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named gatesrsa
  18. ↑ Protected Mode IE has been described in detail at the Internet Explorer team blog: Protected Mode in Vista IE7 and More details on Protected Mode IE in Windows Vista.
  19. ↑ BitLocker Drive Encryption: Executive Overview. Microsoft: (2006-04-05). URL accessed on 2007-06-19.
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 What's New in Group Policy in Windows Vista and Windows Server "Longhorn". TechNet. Microsoft. URL accessed on 2006-05-18.
  21. ↑ .NET Framework 3.0 Technologies, Microsoft
  22. ↑ Booker, Logan (2005-09-15). DirectX 10: More harm than good for graphics?. Maximum Power Computing Atomic. URL accessed on 2006-05-28.
  23. ↑ VedBrat, Kam (2006-02-22). more comments.... MSDN Blogs. URL accessed on 2006-05-28.
  24. ↑ Trevett, Neil (2006). OpenGL on Vista. Khronos Group. URL accessed on 2006-11-09.
  25. ↑ Nguyen, Tuan. OpenGL Now Natively Supported in Windows Vista. URL accessed on 2007-01-25.
  26. ↑ Discontinued Support for IP over 1394. Microsoft: (2004-12-08). URL accessed on 2007-06-22.
  27. ↑ Microsoft Removes WinHlp32.exe from Vista. Microsoft: (2006-06-27). URL accessed on 2006-08-31.
  28. ↑ Tekmaven (2006-05-02). Windows Vista does not include Telnet...or does it?. URL accessed on 2007-06-22.
  29. ↑ Snover, Jeffrey (April 25 2006). Windows PowerShell (Monad) Has Arrived. Windows PowerShell team blog. MSDN. URL accessed on 2006-04-26.
  30. ↑ The Future of NGSCB. Unlimited Freedom. (May 12 2004). URL accessed on 2006-04-16.
  31. ↑ The removal of EFI in Vista was announced at the Intel Developer Forum on March 9 2006: Microsoft bombshell: no EFI support for Vista.
  32. ↑ EFI and Windows Vista. WHDC. Microsoft: (April 20 2006). URL accessed on 2006-05-13..
  33. ↑ Microsoft and PC Manufacturers Make It Easier for Customers to Get Ready for Windows Vista. PressPass. Microsoft: (May 18 2006). URL accessed on 2006-05-18.
  34. ↑ Logan Booker (September 15 2005). DirectX 10: More harm than good for graphics?. Maximum Power Computing Atomic. URL accessed on 2006-05-28.
  35. ↑ Kam VedBrat (February 22 2006). more comments.... MSDN Blogs. URL accessed on 2006-05-28.
  36. ↑ Dan Warne (June 1 2006). Windows graphics system to be overhauled. APC Magazine. URL accessed on 2006-06-02.
  37. ↑ Brandon LeBlanc (May 23 2006). Dinner with Jim Allchin. The Hive. URL accessed on 2006-05-26.
  38. ↑ 38.0 38.1 M. Dowler (October 21 2005). Windows Vista, HDCP and Digital Rights Management. PC Stats. URL accessed on 2006-05-08.
  39. ↑ Joris Evers (May 2006). Report: Vista to hit anti-spyware, firewall markets. PC World.
  40. ↑ 40.0 40.1 Paul Thurrott (April 19 2006). Windows Vista February 2006 CTP (Build 5308/5342) Review, Part 5: Where Vista Fails. SuperSite for Windows. URL accessed on 2006-05-19.
  41. ↑ Paul Thurrott (May 20 2006). Windows Vista Beta 2 Review: Part 1: The Big Picture. SuperSite for Windows. URL accessed on 2006-05-24.
  42. ↑ Scott Spanbauer (April 2006). Windows Hacks: Vista Comes Into View. PCWorld. URL accessed on 2006-05-08.
  43. ↑ John Rizzo (July 31 2005). Apple's Tiger vs. Windows Vista: Who Comes Out Ahead?. eWeek. URL accessed on 2006-05-08.
  44. ↑ Windows Vista resembles OS X. MacNN: (March 9 2006). URL accessed on 2006-05-08.

[edit] External links

[edit] Microsoft

  • Microsoft — 'Microsoft Windows Vista homepage'
  • Microsoft PDC05 — 'Archive of PDC 2005 Presentations'
  • Microsoft — 'Windows Longhorn Driver Development (and hardware device support)'
  • Microsoft Technet — 'Windows Vista Resources for IT Professionals'
  • MSDN — 'Microsoft Vista Developer Center'
  • WHDC — 'Hardware Design for Windows Vista — News for Driver Developers and Hardware Engineers'

[edit] Reviews and screenshots

[edit] Criticism

[edit] Communities and blogs

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