Vista is Now Feature-Locked

[Todd]

I'm not sure what this means.

Does this mean that the locked feature set has been coded and is in Vista
Beta 2?

Or that it will be in RC1?

Or that somebody at Microsoft has written the feature set on a whiteboard
somewhere in Redmond, and that the development team is working feverishly to
code and test all the features before the final release version?

Todd

 

[Mark D. VandenBeg]

Probably door number 2. But you could argue that your third scenario is
still happing for XP...

 

[Chris Haaker]

Traditionally it means that no new features will be added to the final
version. Some may be removed. The final set of delivered features are now
"locked."

Chris
Build 5476
Dell Latitude D610

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

Just what it sounds like. All features are coded.

It means that no feature changes will now be permitted in Vista. No new
feature requests will be accepted for Vista and current features that cannot
be brought up to the standards for release in time for rtm will be pulled
and carried over to the next release of Windows. Vista has been feature
locked for some time now.

The question now is what level bugs will be fixed for rtm. Currently only
bugs with significant impact are going to be addressed from here to rtm.

Periodically the bar is raised even higher for bugs that will be addressed
before rtm. It is already too late to address such thangs as nuisance bugs.
I saw the bug level the other day but I was in an online meeting covered by
an NDA or I would say what it is. It is already pretty high. The schedule
now involves major bug fixing, optimization, working with partners on
drivers and such, and preparation for rtm.

 

[John Jay Smith]

its like taking a female elephant, cleaning it up, puting makup on its face,
and getting it ready for a miss universe contest.

Hello? its still an elephant!

 

[Guest]

Yes, but this elephant has see through windows! It can do tricks too, like
check your email and has new security features, so it will chase off the
burglers for you!

 

[Mike Williams]

Just what it sounds like. All features are coded.

That's been said since beta 1, and still new features come. Take
"Feature-Locked" with a grain of salt.

 

[MICHAEL]

That's been said since beta 1, and still new features come. Take "Feature-Locked" with a
grain of salt.

What new features have been added since beta 1?

The only thing I've read about, are features being
taken out/scaled down as the betas have progressed.


-Michael

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

Beta 1 was in July of 2005 and it was not said of any Beta 1 interim build
that it was feature complete. It was not said until a month after the
release of Beta 2 build 5384. The feature set in build 5472 is certainly is
final.

Features have not been added for awhile although a few that were there
already but temporarily disabled to resolve serious bugs were re-enabled in
5384 and 5456.

Vista books are now coming into the marketplace because the authors have
been assured that new features will neither be added nor existing features
have their functionalities changed.

 

[Mike Williams]

What new features have been added since beta 1?

The only thing I've read about, are features being
taken out/scaled down as the betas have progressed.

Snipping Tool
Much of Windows Media Player (which even now seems to have changes in
the offing)
Networking and Search seems to be still changing at feature level

NB a feature doesn't have to be as big as a whole new utility (eg
Snipping Tool) or even a new big dialog. There are lots of ways to add
new features.

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

A lot of new networking stuff showed up post 5270. Almost the whole of the
Media Center came on line after that also. One small feature request I made
showed up in 5270. Others with other areas of interest can cite new
additions all through the second half of 2005. Almost all of that was on
the design boards but did not make it into any interim builds until after
the initial Beta 1 build.

 

[MICHAEL]

Cool.


-Michael

A lot of new networking stuff showed up post 5270. Almost the whole of the Media Center came
on line after that also. One small feature request I made showed up in 5270. Others with
other areas of interest can cite new additions all through the second half of 2005. Almost
all of that was on the design boards but did not make it into any interim builds until after
the initial Beta 1 build.