Microsoft Delays Internet Explorer 8 to Early 2009
Microsoft last week announced that it has delayed the final release of its next web browser, Internet Explorer (IE) 8, from late 2008 to early 2009.
“We will release one more public update of IE 8 in the first quarter of 2009, and then follow that up with the final release,” Internet Explorer General Manager Dean Hachamovitch wrote in a posting to Microsoft’s IEBlog last week. “Our next public release of IE (typically called a “release candidate”) indicates the end of the beta period. We want the technical community of people and organizations interested in web browsers to take this update as a strong signal that IE 8 is effectively complete and done.”
According to Hachamovitch the IE team shifted through instrumentation of over 20 million IE sessions and hundreds of hours of usability lab sessions, scrutinized thousands of threads from user forums and examined the issues that people are raising (not to mention all the times users opt to “Report a Webpage Problem…”).
It looks like website compatibility issues (because of IE8’s standards-compliant render engine) is the number one reason for most of the remaining issues.
Microsoft’s Senior Vice President Bill Veghte had told analysts at the company’s Financial Analyst Meeting in July that “This is the product that we’ll release to the Web later this year”, indicating a late 2008 release.
WindowsNewsletter
Windows 7: What’s in store?
Microsoft provided a glimpse of its next client operating system, now officially known as Windows 7.
The first question people (usually) ask is: Does it look like Vista? Right now the answer is “Yes”. But you should remember that the current build of Windows 7 is a pre-beta, so a lot will change between this build and the version that will ship to consumers when Windows 7 will be released.
Another question that comes up regularly: Is this a major Windows Update? You’ll get conflicting answers, even when listening to senior Microsoft staff. In a post on the Engineering Windows 7 blog last August, Microsoft corporate vice president Steven Sinofsky wrote: “When we started planning the release, the first thing some might think we have to decide is if Windows 7 (client) would be a “major release” or not. I put that in quotes because it turns out this isn’t really something you decide nor is it something with a single answer. The magnitude of a release is as much about your perspective on the features as it is about the features themselves. One could even ask if being declared a major release is a compliment or not. As engineers planning a product we decide up front the percentage of our development team will that work on the release and the extent of our schedule-with the result in hand customers each decide for themselves if the release is “major”, though of course we like to have an opinion. On the server blog we talked about the schedule and we shared our opinion of the scale of the releases of Windows 7 client and server. Our goal is about building an awesome release of Windows 7.”
So let’s take a quick look at some of the features & changes in Windows 7:
User Account Control improvements. Windows Vista’s most hated feature is being completely overhauled to be more customizable. Four settings will be available (Figure):
- Never notify me - The user is not notified when a program tries to install software or make changes to the computer. The user is not notified when they make changes to Windows settings or when programs try to make changes to Windows settings.
- Only notify me when programs try to make changes to my computer - The user is notified when a program tries to install software or make changes to the computer, including Windows settings.
- Always notify me - The user is notified when programs try to install software or make changes to the computer. The user is also notified when they make changes to Windows settings or when programs try to do so.
- Always notify me and wait for my response - The user is notified when programs try to install software or make changes to the computer. The user is also notified when they make changes to Windows settings or when programs try to do so.
Updated Windows Explorer. Windows Explorer (Figure) is being updated with a number of new features, including a new toolbar, and a new icon view style called Content (Figure). The search box has also been updated, and is now resizable (Figure).
Extended ReadyBoost. First introduced in Vista, ReadyBoost in Windows 7 adds support for concurrently using multiple lash devices (such as USB keys, Secure Digital cards, and internal flash devices) and for caches larger than 4 GB.
Improved “Out Of Box” experience. Microsoft made several improvements to Windows 7 so a user’s first experience when running the OS for the first time will be improved. Windows 7 expands on Vista’s setup routine; for example when installing Windows 7 on a PC that includes a Wireless Network, setup will prompt you to join a network during the setup phase.
Multi-touch. Windows 7 will include integrated support for multi-touch displays and support the “Surface” multi-touch technologies.
HomeGroup networking. Windows 7 HomeGroup makes it easier to create a home network where PCs share pictures, music, videos, documents, printers, and other resources with each other. Computers running Windows 7 automatically identify and connect with each other (Figure).
Location Aware Printing. When you change network locations, such as when taking your work laptop home for the evening, the default printer setting can change to relect the best printer for that new location. When you print at work, Windows 7 will print to your work printer. When you print at home, Windows 7 will automatically select and use your home printer.
ClearType Text Tuner. A ClearType Text Tuner can be found in the Windows 7 Control Panel. In the past, Microsoft Powertoys provided access to a ClearType Tuner which has now been integrated into Windows 7. This will let users configure their display to their personal liking (Figure).
Sidebar Removed. Microsoft removed Windows Sidebar from Windows 7, but the Windows Gadgets infrastructure remains. In Windows 7, Gadgets can only be viewed on the desktop. As such, the Gadget Gallery found in the Windows Sidebar on Vista is now available from the desktop right-click menu.
Windows Solution Center. Microsoft replaced Windows Security Center with a new utility called Windows Solution Center. Besides monitoring Firewall, Automatic Updating, Virus and Malware protection, Internet security settings and User Account Control settings, the new Solution Center will also monitor PC maintenance and performance, backup, troubleshooting, Network Access Protection (NAP), and much more (Figure).
Microsoft Paint. Windows 7 includes a dramatically improved version of Microsoft Paint (finally!), the first major upgrade to this software since it first appeared in Windows (Figure). This includes the Scenic Ribbon to replace the old menu’s, similar to the ribbon in Microsoft Ofice 2007. Controls in Paint are touch-ready, so you can even use your finger to paint and choose colors or shapes (when you have a touch screen).
Internet Explorer 8. Windows 7 will include the latest version of Microsoft’s Web browser.
Windows Media Center. Windows 7 will include a new version of Windows Media Center.
Microsoft WordPad. Word Pad also takes advantage of the Scenic Ribbon. Other improvements to WordPad include highlighting, line breaks, additional text colors, bullets, indents, print preview enhancements, picture insertion, and zoom, making WordPad a capable word processor (Figure).
Calculator. Calculator has a new look and some brand-new features. You’ll find calculation history, unit conversion (Figure), calculation templates, date calculations, and controls that are optimized for touch.
Sticky Notes. Sticky Notes support ink and text input. You can paste text into Sticky Notes, resize them on the desktop, and use note colors to personalize or organize Sticky Notes.
Windows 7 is slated for a 2010 release. Microsoft has not yet announced details for a (public) beta, nor any precise system specifications. What is known at this time is that for the client version both 32-bit & 64-bit versions will be made available.
by Arie Slob
Windowsbbs.com
Nov. 10, 1983: Gates Opens Windows a Bit Early
November 10, 2008 — 25 Years of Perfection… MY love Windows
1983: Microsoft chief Bill Gates unveils the Windows operating system for PCs. Don’t hold your breath waiting until you can buy a copy … unless you can hold your breath for two years.
Gates, Microsoft’s president and board chairman, held an elaborate event at New York City’s posh Helmsley Palace Hotel. The debutante at this ball was an operating system with a graphical user interface.
If you were struggling with the arcane and unfriendly MS-DOS, you were ready to get something that was easier to drive. Typing commands at the C prompt may have been a piece of C:\ake for programmers and geeks, but it was a pain in the wrist for the run-of-the-mill office chair jockey.
Microsoft started working on a product first called Interface Manager in September 1981. Early prototypes used MS Word-style menus at the bottom of the screen. That changed to pulldown menus and dialogs (a la Xerox Star) in 1982.
By 1983, Microsoft was facing competition from the just-released VisiOn and the forthcoming TopView. Apple had already released Lisa, but Digital’s GEM, Quarterdeck’s DESQ, the Amiga Workbench, IBM OS/2 and Tandy DeskMate were all still in the future.
At the November 1983 unveiling, Gates promised an easy-to-use graphical interface with dropdown menus, tiled windows, mouse support, device-independent graphics, the ability to run several applications at the same time and even get them to cooperate with one another. It was supposed to be ready in April 1984, and the cocky young Microsoft chief predicted it would be running on 90 percent of all IBM-compatible computers by the end of 1984.
He was off by only 90 percent. Windows 1.0 didn’t achieve retail launch until Nov. 20, 1985, more than two years after its immodest debut. What was modest were the sales figures.
Few third-party applications were available, but the Windows 1.0 package included MS-DOS Executive, Calendar, Cardfile, Notepad, Terminal, Calculator, Clock, Reversi, Control Panel, PIF (Program Information File) Editor, Print Spooler, Clipboard, RAMDrive, Windows Write and Windows Paint. All this was supposed to let everyday users manage their everyday activities.
But things were changing fast. Apple had already unleashed the Macintosh on the world in January 1984. And Windows 2.0 didn’t show up until 1987.
Source : Wired
SO What is WIndows 7
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It’s the next version of Windows for PCs, and it’s the result of working hand-in-hand with our partners and with people who use Windows in the real world every day. We’re paying particular attention to the things they’re telling us are important to them and will make their PCs work the way they want them to—things like enhanced reliability, responsiveness, and faster boot and shut-down. We’re also trying to make their everyday tasks easier, like connecting and syncing devices, browsing the web, and managing a home network.
Of course, we’re also working on new capabilities, so people will be able to do things with Windows 7 that were difficult (or perhaps impossible) to do with PCs before. Finally, we’re working hard to ensure that Windows 7 will run on any PC and work with any program that works today with Windows Vista, so upgrading from Windows Vista will be easy.
We hope this helps you find what you’re looking for. Please check back soon.
Microsoft Confirms “Windows Cloud” OS
At its Professional Developers Conference (PDC) event later this month, Microsoft will publicly unveil its “Windows Cloud” Internet-based OS, the company confirmed.
Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer announced the plans at a Software plus Services partner event in London last Wednesday. “We need a new operating system designed for the cloud and we will introduce one in about four weeks, we’ll even have a name to give you by then. But let’s just call it for the purposes of today “Windows Cloud”. Just like Windows Server looked a lot like Windows but with new properties, new characteristics and new features, so will Windows Cloud look a lot like Windows Server.”
A Microsoft representative did not directly confirm the reports. When asked for clarification, however, he said, “I can confirm the statement I provided echoes what Steve said.”
“As we’ve discussed publicly, Microsoft is investing heavily in its Software + Services vision, particularly as it relates to the services platform to deliver a set of solutions that address our customer’s needs,” the spokesman said. “In addition to our current, widely adopted service-based applications, such as Microsoft Online Services and Office Live Workspaces, we are working with many of our customers, partners and our broad developer community to understand their needs for extensible, scalable services platforms. We have publicly discussed a roadmap of commitments for our services strategy, most notably from Ray Ozzie at MIX 08 and the Financial Analyst Meeting.”
“We are excited to talk more about our progress and opportunities for customers and partners at the Professional Developers Conference in a few weeks, but we don’t have any further details to share at this time,” the Microsoft spokesman said. “You can go to the PDC website for more information.”
Cloud computing might be considered as the back end of Web 2.0 applications, or as software as a service. The term cloud computing comes from the use of a cloud image to represent the Internet or some large networked environment as an abstraction for the complex infrastructure behind it. In cloud computing IT-related capabilities are provided “as a service,” allowing users to access those services from the Internet (”the cloud”) without knowledge of, expertise with, or control over the technology infrastructure that supports those services. In essence this is distributed computing.
by Arie Slob
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