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Micosoft Co-President, Platform Products & Services Division Jim Allchin - Courtesy Microsoft
Quality is key with the release of Windows Vista

Microsoft wants to make sure that it is releasing a quality product with launch of their next desktop operating system. Windows Vista is Microsoft's first major OS release since the second half of 2001 so all eyes will be on this launch. With that in mind, the company is willing to delay the launch of Vista if it means that they ship a better product.

Microsoft has steadily improved the stability and performance of Vista which each Customer Technology Preview (CTP) and the company plans to hold the line on additional features after the next CTP release. This will give the company more time to focus on squashing issues that are already present within the operating system. Here's more from Microsoft's co-president Platforms, Products & Services Division, Jim Allchin.

When we do something like Windows that’s literally going to [have] hundreds of millions of users using it, we want to build the highest-quality piece of software we can within a reasonable time frame. But at a certain point we make a determination: is this good enough for hundreds of millions or not? And if you rush something like that, then you end up harming everyone—our partners, us, our customers, so it has to be top of line.

More here.

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even so...
By Larrymon2001 on 1/29/2006 12:50:26 PM , Rating: 2
With all the improvements, this system will STILL be the major operating system that will be targeted by hackers and crackers writing malicious software for it. Even with these enhancements, there will still be loopholes and bugs. Let's not forget that image viewer bug in XP recently. Also, Vista is getting some negative criticism for its huge changes (enormous system requirements, no native OpenGL support, DX10 with no intrinsic backwards compatibility, etc.)




RE: even so...
By baddog121390 on 1/29/06, Rating: 0
RE: even so...
By Enoch2001 on 1/29/2006 1:38:21 PM , Rating: 2
Yeah but all that doesn't matter; it will still be the de facto OS for PC users once it comes out. May take a while, just like it did with XP - but it will happen whether we like it or not.

And if I remember correctly, Windows XP had some pretty hefty hardware requirements compared to the typical Windows 98 user's box back then.


RE: even so...
By phaxmohdem on 1/29/2006 1:40:48 PM , Rating: 2
But it looks pretty...


RE: even so...
By nlhowell on 1/29/2006 2:35:53 PM , Rating: 2
From my understanding, no Microsoft OS has ever had native OpenGL support; it's always provided by the graphics card manufacturer. Same thing with DX; there aren't any generic drivers. The difference know is that Microsoft is shipping DX with Windows (which they also did with XP, if I'm not mistaken).

As far as backwards compatibility is concerned, I'm not sure that the old DX interfaces won't still work; it's been fine with all the versions up to now.

The system requirements are a little hefty for sub-$1000 computers now, but in the first half of 2007 (which is the current speculated release date), I think it'll be acceptable.

Remember, there's always the Classic (by that do they mean Win2000 or Luna?) interface for people who's systems can't handle Aero or Aero Glass (or whatever it is that they're calling them now).


RE: even so...
By Furen on 1/29/2006 4:42:03 PM , Rating: 2
The problem with Vista, if I remember correctly, is that DirectX support is pretty much intertwined with the drivers and manufacturers wont have complete control of how the driver interfaces with the hardware, Microsoft will. This is a problem because if one wanted to add OpenGL, for example, one would have to do it through DirectX, which will probably have pretty hefty performance penalties.

It sounds like Microsoft is trying to assert its dominion on the OS market once more and, since DirectX is completely propietary, other operating systems cannot support it like they do OpenGL.


RE: even so...
By mindless1 on 1/30/2006 2:38:28 AM , Rating: 2
There's also the idea that just because you have a system powerful enough to run the GUI, that doesn't necessarily mean you'll want to. Most power users already disable a lot of superfluous junk in XP as it's mostly counterproductive and causes a minor lag even on premium hardware. Not a problem per se, but why would one deliberately run anything that is just a silly eyecandy if they have games, arts, and plenty of other things their eyes can see?


No OpenGl = Micro$ucks BIG TIME
By UzairH on 1/29/2006 7:52:03 PM , Rating: 2
COME ON YOU GREEDY BAS****S!!! Why remove the ability for GPU makers to run native OpenGl drivers? ITS THEIR MUTHURFVCKING HARDWARE! Let the hardware manufacturers and end users decide the API, ALRIGHT?

This move by M$ can be seen as nothing less than trying to remove OpenGl from the scene, thus killing portable games, heretefore possible with OpenGl eg Quake, Doom 3, etc.

Anyway from a purely logical, intellectual viewpoint an OS maker has no right to impose the driver API on hardware makers as well as the end users. Sure M$ might claim that OpenGl will still be able to run, but only on top of DX10, with much reduced performance. UNACCETPABLE.




By android1st on 1/29/2006 10:35:17 PM , Rating: 2
How many gamers and tech dudes would try Linux if more games and graphics configurations were supported? I know I would, and I'm sure there are loads of others as well. It's really time to go after this market.

Microsoft is going to struggle selling Vista to anyone that isn't buying a Dell.


By mxzrider2 on 1/30/2006 2:57:07 AM , Rating: 2
i sorta agree with u except that microsoft can suopport graphics companied with developer pack that can move around that shit with there drivers. think of shit before u post. besides most games run on dx if i remember correctly. and untill game devoplers make it different the most used gaming os will be microsofts.


RE: No OpenGl = Micro$ucks BIG TIME
By tauron on 1/30/2006 2:58:13 AM , Rating: 2
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:OpenGL

There's an ambiguity regarding of how Vista will handle Open GL.

I think it'd better wait for a while for some more information before draw a conclusion...

OpenGL is also valuable for some important software besided games too, so i don't think MS can easily remove out of the equation.


whats the difference?
By arswihart on 1/29/2006 3:11:59 PM , Rating: 2
What features do we care about in Vista? Better style? What else?




RE: whats the difference?
By arswihart on 1/29/2006 3:19:22 PM , Rating: 3
you yo time
By Xorp on 1/29/2006 3:30:03 PM , Rating: 2
They can take as loooooooooooong as they want with Vista. I love my current XP configuration and don't mind waiting for Vista to be perfected.




RE: you yo time
By Gigahertz19 on 1/29/2006 3:44:19 PM , Rating: 2
Same here, even after Vista comes out I'll probably wait a few months to upgrade. XP runs fine for me.


No problemo
By judasmachine on 1/29/2006 2:07:15 PM , Rating: 2
I'll gladly wait, if they actually release a mature product. I can dream can't I?




Vista. It's you.
By truth on 1/30/2006 4:21:56 AM , Rating: 1
You will run Vista. You will like it.

This is a war. A war against terr... er viruses, worms, trojans, spyware, malware, rootkits.
You have to do your part. Upgrade.

Fear. Fear change. Fear the things you don't know about. Be afraid.

Whatever you do, don't change OSes. Don't even try another OS. Just repeat what you've heard, what you've read. It''s not for you. Everything but your 'most popular' OS is elitist.

Don't give up what you know and step out of your 'safe' little world. Don't question the choices you are given. Pick the flavor of beige that you like best from those presented to you.

Listen to your peers. Do what everyone else is doing. Don't be different. Conform. Swallow. Smile.




"If you look at the last five years, if you look at what major innovations have occurred in computing technology, every single one of them came from AMD. Not a single innovation came from Intel." -- AMD CEO Hector Ruiz in 2007









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