Talk of the day:

• Microsoft’s decisions
• Build numbering schemes
• Windows 7 release schedule

Who needs one name if you can have four?

Microsoft has been flicking names around like crazy in the past few years before they settled on Windows 7. Prior to Microsoft delivering Windows Vista (previously codenamed ‘Longhorn’), Windows 7 was initially baptized ‘Blackcomb’, ‘Windows Vienna’ and ‘Windows Seven’. Obviously, Microsoft’s vision on what this release was supposed to become has changed quite significantly as time passed. Windows 7 was once destined to evolve into one of the more (most?) important iterations of the Windows platform. This task was ungraciously passed down to its closest sibling, Vista, as it laid all the foundational and architectural work that was necessary for future versions. Evidentially, Windows 7’s feature scope is focused on fit-and-finish and fine-tuning of system performance. Additionally, it will also introduce a significant number of new and valuable features. This will be the topic of discussion of a future article. For now, we’ll get back to the names…

A recurring source of inspiration for Microsoft has to be Canadian ski-resorts, since Blackcomb, or “Whistler-Blackcomb” as it’s formally referred to, is actually such a resort. If my (Google-assisted) memory serves me well, ‘Whistler’ was also the codename for Windows XP during development. Windows Vista’s codename (‘Longhorn’) was a nod to the Longhorn Bar located at ‘Whistler Blackcomb’. These repeated references must mean Bill Gates was a regular visitor of the resort. Who knows, he could even have gotten drunk a time or two at the Longhorn Bar. Perhaps not.

Windows 7 is Windows 27 in disguise

There has been a lot of (relatively) unfounded commotion about Microsoft’s naming scheme for the next version of its flagship OS (and no longer ‘only’ operating system: Windows Azure is number two). The ‘7’ implies that the OS or kernel has reached version seven, which is outright baloney, of course. As numerous techies have stated, the actual version number exceeds far beyond whatever conservative statements Microsoft’s PR-department disclosed. According to my own modest and very insignificant calculations, and without taking mobile versions into account, Microsoft has come out with up to 26 distinct versions of Windows since its debut to the market back in 1985.

With all those fact(oids) in mind, I’m of the opinion that ‘Windows 7’ may well be the best name Microsoft has come up with in years. Compared to previous ‘inspirational’ names (Me, XP, Vista), ‘Windows 7’ could do away with the [unjust] flaky perception of Windows Vista by virtue of the mere contrast. Its dissimilarity in nomenclature could be enough to make the bad taste that Vista left behind fade away.

Building up numbers

Historically, the numbering-scheme Microsoft applied to the internal builds of its OS reflected the actual version number. That was, until MS decided to artificially bump the build number to accommodate its PR-needs. The most memorable example of this was near the end of Vista’s development cycle; where they bumped up the build number to 6000 upon RTM (‘Release To Manufacturing’). Currently, Windows 7 has landed at build 6948, as demonstrated on the ‘Engineering Windows 7’ blog, and will most likely be brought up to 7000 (or something) when it ships.

Is this justified? One could get into the specifics of this endlessly, but at the end of the day, it doesn’t really matter, since build numbers are an internal way of keeping track of things. They have absolutely no relevance to consumers, whatsoever.

(It’s also significant to BitTorrent users wanting to snatch the latest build from the interwebs.)

Development Progress

Microsoft, for the first time in history, is planning to only put out one beta and one release candidate, demonstrating that the componentization groundwork they’ve put in with Vista allows for easy deployment and timely releases.

For now, this is what the rudimentary schedule looks like:

• M1 (build 6519)
• M2 (build 6589)
• M3 (build 6780)
• Build 6801 (PDC 2008)
• Pre-Beta 1 (builds 6933, 6936 and 6948)
• Beta 1
  To be expected in early 2009.
• Release Candidate
• Final Build
  Approximately mid-2009 for RTM, which would make it in time for the 2009 shopping season.

Hilarious.

Source: dvorak.org/blog
Provider: Youtube

Double-click & Go-To

To remedy this, Code Sector has developed a small and free app called ‘Direct Folders’. After installation, you can double-click on an empty space in any Explorer-window (that includes the Desktop) and a list with saved folder locations will appear. This list looks like a regular right-click context-menu and is configurable in any way you prefer. Direct Folders will keep a list of your recently explored locations, which are accessible from the ‘Recent’ window.

Looking up locations in the ‘Open File’-dialog gets easier too, since you can take advantage of Direct Folder there as well.

Download

‘Direct Folders’ is available for free from Code Sector here. The pro-version is available for around 15 euros and ads a few features:

• Jump to the last used folder
• Scroll to the last used file in that last used folder
• Some other gadgets

Admittedly, the extra features aren’t especially compelling, but if you like the effort Direct Folders is trying to make, it’s certainly worth purchasing the pro-edition, be it only to support the folks at Code Sector.

Hierarchy versus Instant Search

Microsoft, Google and Apple have ushered to overhauling the organized file-system and substitute it with search functionality and Virtual Search Folders. While this system proves to be greatly practical for quick look-ups, I can’t see myself dropping files in my C:\ and assume the Operating System would take care of it. While OSes may have evolved to the point that they could handle this on their own, to me, it just doesn’t feel natural.

Would you confide in the OS (Windows or Mac) to organize the file structure of your hard-drive? It’s a questionable matter.

There’s an update to this story below.

As a faithful reader of CNET, I was astounded to witness Fried’s feat of bad journalism. While an opinionated piece is allowed to lack a certain degree of objectiveness, it obviously expresses bias towards Microsoft. Windows Vista sucks, Microsoft is useless, along with everything it does. Yes, we know the story.

“It is July 2008 and Microsoft still finds it necessary to show customers that plenty of hardware and software works with Vista, which has now been on the market for more than 18 months.”

– And that’s a bad thing, huh? Showing and reassuring your customers that a certain piece of hardware of software is compatible with Vista, by means of a simple website, is really a horrible thing. There’s no need to puke on everything Microsoft does, people.

I’m sure non-technical people will value a centralized compatibility database to ensure their investments were worthwhile. Or am I seeing just things..?

The rest of the post discusses how Microsoft failed to launch the site by the promised date. I agree it’s silly to set a date if you can’t make it. But it’s not the end of the world. I don’t think too many noticed, either.

Following in on common prejudices won’t make you popular, per sé. Certainly not when taking advantage of a common target like Microsoft.

Update July 10th: Apple was supposed to release MobileMe today, but failed to do so. Ever since, .Mac has been down and inaccessible. I wonder where the outrage is now… Oh, I know, there won’t be any. Of course, it’s Apple. See

Windows 7 eventually did not include anything like the concept laid out below. Perhaps you’re interested in my other Window 7 coverage?

It certainly seems so from the screenshots that have been popping up all over the internet lately. A lot of them are most likely souped up for conceptional purposes, but one thing certain returns steadily: the click-wheel-like interface. Usually the Windows Logo Orb is seated in the center of a wheel with numerous icons surrounding it. These images are by no means official, nor were they acknowledgded by Microsoft.

They’re certainly fancy looking, though I wonder about the practicalities of it. Translucencies in the user interface as a whole seem to be coming back, too, sometimes turning out nearly transparant, other times more opaque.

One thing is sure, Microsoft has confirmed that Windows [codenamed] ’7′ will arrive somewhere in 2010, contrary to earlier misconceptions (that suggested next year).

Some conceptional screenshots (thanks to wepokers.blogspot.com):

Windows 95 Launch Commercial featuring Rolling Stones track “Start me up”

GUI

But, most noticeably, Windows 95 introduces a major paradigm-shift with its revolutionary Graphical User Interface (further referred to as ‘GUI’). Windows’ exciting new GUI is ‘document-centric’ and far easier to use and understand than its predecessor ‘DOS’. Gone are the days of the command prompt. Point and click is the promising motto of Windows 95. The ‘Start’-button is the most prominent element in this concept, since it’s the central access hub to everything on your computer; from the Help-function, to the new Control Panel, to every single program you’ve ever installed.

Clicking the button invokes cascading menus to expand in a beveled style, like every other element in the renewed Windows user interface. Old Windows 3.1 application immediately adopt this refreshing look and fit right into their interesting new environment.

The gray bar that runs along the screen horizontally is also a new feature and is called the ‘taskbar’. It holds the Start-button, the task-buttons and the system-tray. Every running application is accompanied by a button, which allows decent multi-tasking for the first time. The system tray shows programs running in the background and the system clock at all times.

Every object can be interacted with: a left click usually selects an element, double clicking opens a document or starts a program and right clicking usually shows a contextual menu. Don’t know what a certain icon stands for? Right click it!

Desktop

Resembling a real desk, the Desktop is the home of numerous system icons, like ‘My Computer’ and ‘Network Neighborhood’. User created content and shortcuts can also be placed on the desktop, however. Shortcuts are icons that point to applications and files, making it easier to access them.

Great DOS-support

DOS is still an integral part of Windows, even though it’s initially used as a boot loader. Windows 95 has full support for DOS and can even run several command prompts at the same time, each in their own consolidated, configurable shell. You can choose to run DOS application windowed or more traditionally, in full screen. Run DOS and Windows 95 alongside each other for the best of both worlds!

Support for long filenames

Through the use of the VFAT file system, Windows finally allows support for long filenames. These can be up to 255 characters long (mixed case). Also, file extensions no longer need to be a mere 3 characters long. This support is confined to Windows 95 only, though, since this feature isn’t supported by DOS and earlier version of Windows. When encountered in these OSes, they’ll be truncated to their 8.3 cousins. For example: ‘Checklist for Trip to Venice.xls’ becomes ‘CHECKLIS.XLS’.

Plug and Play

Plug and Play or PnP is a technology that detects hardware automatically. Many peripherals can be automatically installed, doing away with the intricate hassle of driver-gathering and installation. These devices have to be especially equipped with this technology, though. Until it is broadly available, this feature will be greatly crippled. Fear not, new devices are being released as we speak.

Older computers are supported too, since the user can easily specify a driver for an unrecognized device.

Other improvements

The built-in Paint has been enhanced and WordPad has been introduced, which is pretty much a fully-fledged word processor and fully compatible with Word for Windows 6.0. An advanced media player has been included, along with support for full-motion video. Windows 95 is also deemed to be the most stable version of Windows ever, since 32-bit applications built for Windows 95 will not be able to crash the OS, as happened every so often in Windows 3.1. Full backwards compatibility has been retained, despite the completely new 32-bit platform. DOS and 3.1-era applications will continue to work flawlessly.

System Requirements

Microsoft recommends the following to run Windows 95 smoothly:

• Processor: 386DX or higher (486 recommended)
• RAM: 4 MB or more (8 MB recommended)
• HDD: 55+ MB
• Floppy: 3.5 inch high density
• Video: VGA or higher (256-color SVGA recommended)

And optionally:

• Microsoft Mouse of compatible
• Modem
• Soundcard and speakers

Windows 95 should run fine on Windows 3.1 era hardware, but better is recommended for optimal performance.

Conclusions

I’m very excited about this new OS, especially after the Windows 3.1(1) debacle. It’ll take a while before 32-bit computing becomes mainstream, but Windows 95 will be at the frontline. Who knows what greatness the next version of Windows will bring us!

Now, let us return to 2008…

• Download Taskbar Shuffle
  For Windows Vista/XP/2000/NT/98/95

After this gizmo’s installed, all you need to do to order the buttons differently is click and drag. It’s as simple as that. System tray icons can also be dragged around, if you hold the CTRL-button whilst doing so.

A great little tool for the frenzied computer user.

It’s just as ingenious as it is frighteningly nostalgic. You have been warned.

MacWorld Expo and CES. It seemed as if these were the only two topics grabbing the headlines this past month, huh. I don’t feel much for CES and  — if I’m honest — MacWorld wasn’t very exciting either, despite the extraneous coverage on blogs and podcasts alike. Yet, permit me to sidetrack to Apple for a moment…

But before I do that, here’s a list of what I’ll be babbling about. Yes, the links are anchors (it’s been a busy week):

• Some Apple nagging (read on)
• KDE 4 Unleashed (go)
• iTunes Movie Rentals, not for Europe? (go)
• Delicious 2.0 didn’t come this week after all (go)
• Vista EULA changes again (go)
• Vista SP1: Feb. 15? (go)
• Windows 7 Development Kicked Off (go)
• Blu-Ray captivates 93% of market (go)
• Digg Revolt (go)
• Eee PC will soon run Windows (go)
• Massive WiMax Network for India (go)
• SSD not catching on (go)

From the few announcements I could remember from MacWorld, I was particularly disappointed in Apple’s decision to charge for the so called ‘January Software Update’, which includes apps that were previously developed for the iPhone and would now make their debut on the iPod Touch.

Mail, Maps, Weather, Notes and Stocks are to be added to the iPod Touch’s scarce Home Screen for 20 USD (or 18 EUR). Now, the only applications I’d really consider are Mail and Maps. The Wifi Triangulation is another sweet feature I’d love to try.

Even though it’s tempting, I’m not sure I want to pay for something that ought to be free in the first place. This software wasn’t even developed from scratch. I reckon I’ll hold off on the paid update and waddle along with my trusty mobile version of GMail…

Without intending to make this an overdue MacWorld reporting, I found the MacBook Air pretty un-impressive. The design-aspect is not the issue, you’d be an ass not the like the exterior of this baby, but hardware-wise the Air seems a bit over-hyped and underpowered. If I were in the market for a sub-notebook, I’d opt for a 13" Dell XPS or a regular MacBook. There’s no way I’d have accessories dangling down from a single USB-port.

KDE 4 Unleashed

KDE 4.0 was released earlier this week boasting half-baked implementations of potentially innovative technology. With QT4 as its underpinnings, KDE is leaping ahead more elegantly with the new Oxygen Visual Style. The new desktop shell dubbed Plasma makes its debut, along with the Phonon multimedia system and the Solid Hardware Layer. The KDE project hopes to have laid the stepping stones for a whole new experience, which they hope will be delivered in the future, albeit incrementally from this point onward. While most of the new stuff is still a bit rough around the edges, it’s obvious that when this thing becomes stable it’ll make Linux a nicer to place to reside in.

I, myself, have always preferred Gnome over KDE, mainly because of KDE’s intricate system of (Windows-like) bars and menus. I understand it’s packed with advanced stuff and all, but it’s just too clouded for the likes of me.

Perhaps KDE 4 will make this turn around somewhat in order to reach a broader audience.

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iTunes Movie Rentals, not for Europe?

Apple seems to be having trouble getting their newly released Movie Rentals in iTunes to Europe. Unlike the US, Europe is a cluster of individual countries, with each their own set of rules and laws. This heterogeneous environment makes it difficult for Apple (or anyone else) to provide a consistent service across the board.

Where I live (Belgium), we’re pretty much locked in by the one and only cable company, which reigns over the digital television realm. They provide the TV, the Electronic TV Guide, the Prime movie channels and the Pay-per-View services. There’s hardly any competition in this area, so it’d be extremely welcome if Apple would offer movie rentals over here. It would at least fire up some competition, which is always good for the consumer. It’s just not reasonable to pay 4 to 5 EUR for the sakes of renting a single movie (that’s between 6 and 7 USD!).

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Delicious 2.0 didn’t come this week after all

I love and use Delicious daily, but there’s no denying the interface is — mildly put — bland. I wholeheartedly agree with the ‘keep it simple‘-principle, but simple doesn’t equal to mid 1990′s… There has been word of Delicious 2.0 for quite a while now and everyone was pretty much expecting it to launch this week.

Alas. Maybe next week.

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Vista EULA changes again

Back when Windows Vista was unleashed on the public for the first time, Microsoft stood its ground and persisted that only Business and Ultimate editions of the OS would allow virtualization. This caused a widespread ‘what the heck?’ feeling to spread across the Windows community and rightly so. The reason for MS’ decision was entirely economical, of course, as opposed to their own public statement in which they twisted it into a security issue.

Tech enthusiasts galore just do virtualization of Vista anyway, since there’s no real technical restriction to hold you back. The theoretical illegality aside, it was more a mindset-thing than anything else.

Finally Microsoft is giving up their pigheadedness about this issue, so at last, anyone can virtualize Windows without having to purchase yet another license.

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Vista SP1: Feb. 15?

Microsoft has churned out yet another Technical Refresh of SP1′s Release Candidate. Some are speculating it’ll be finalized by February 15th, though this date hasn’t been verified by MS.

I agree that now is the time to get SP1 out the door, even though it won’t be groundbreaking, at least it’ll add some stability and performance — which could haul over businesses and withholding consumers. Others might just as well wait until Windows 7 ships. And in turn, they would have to wait for SP1 of that release… And.. And..

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Windows 7 Development Kicked Off

Windows 7 screenshots have also popped up. T
he images of the M1-build we’re seeing, look much like Vista. Obviously this build is merely experimental and in no way representative of the end product.

The final release date has also been shoved a year earlier. It is now forecasted to be released late 2009, whereas MS previously projected an end 2010 timing.

It’s looking like Microsoft is trying to make up for the lost time with Vista. They’re probably trying to re-acquire the credence they lost and build on top of the deep-going work they performed with Vista. It’s too early to see where this project is heading, though.

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Blu-Ray captivates 93% of market

After Warner Bros’ breaking with HD-DVD it seemed inevitable Blu-Ray would win the format war. And it’s certainly starting to look that way too. Engadget reported a spectacular decline in HD-DVD’s market share (hardware players) from 49% to 7%.

I have backed HD-DVD for a long time, for no particular reason other than pure cost, but it seems HD-DVD is up for a quick demise into the realm of forgotten technology. It’s only a matter of time until Microsoft and other pro-HD-DVD companies have to lay down the sword and back Blu-Ray. I guess it’s over. It passed quicker than anyone could’ve thought. But is that a good thing, per sé?

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Digg Revolt

Kevin Rose announced Digg was altering the way their algorithm works in order to allow more diversity. They’re incorporating a diversity rank, which renders group voting (a group of friends digging up a story) impossible. Moreover, the algorithm will keep stories with a digg-count of over 100 in the ‘Upcoming List’. This caused a lot of uproar from the regular diggers.

I’ve never participated a lot in Digg. I dig the concept, but it is pretty impossible to get a story popular if you don’t have a large circle of Digg-friends. This is causing a lot of people to look for alternatives, like the three months old Mixx.com.

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Eee PC will soon run Windows

A couple of days ago, Asus released a version of the Eee PC running Windows in Japan. The tiny notebook will run Windows XP and will be called the Eee PC 4G-X. The specs haven’t changed at all, though this means the US and other countries will be up soon.

I think my hands would be too big for the Eee’s keyboard. With or without Windows .

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Massive WiMax Network for India

The largest Indian telco is planning to build the biggest mobile WiMax network thusfar. It’ll be capable of serving up to 250 million people. The Indian government requires that 20 million broadband connections are in place by 2010.

Sniff.

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SSD not catching on

While the futuristic Solid State Drives may have many benefits, the extraneous costs aren’t persuading consumers, it seems. Honestly, are added costs of up to 1,300 USD (MacBook Air) an incentive to invest in this technology?

While you can shake an SSD to death in operation, I’m sure conventional hard drives will continue to be built into laptops as the primary means of storage. At least for the time being. 1,300 could buy you another laptop, or a TV…
(Did you know switching on Windows Paging can kill a SSD in a matter of hours?)

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Still hoping for Delicious 2.0 to come out soon .