Windows Vista Beta 2 goes public

[Ian]

ZDNet have reported that Microsoft have released an open beta of the Windows Vista operating system. This is the biggest jump in software technology since Windows 3.1 to 95.

Any eager testers can download the beta from Microsoft directly:

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsvista/getready/default.mspx

The company kicked off what it called its "Customer Preview Program," a testing period in which the software maker hopes millions of tech enthusiasts will kick the tires on the new operating system.

"Microsoft today kicked off the Windows Vista Customer Preview Program (CPP), providing the broadest access yet to pre-release test versions of Windows Vista," the company said in a statement. Microsoft is aiming to wrap up testing and development of Vista later this year in hopes of a broad launch in January. The company released Beta 2 last month to a more limited group of testers and had promised the broader test would come shortly.

 

[Anon_F]

The download is only 3.5GB
Or for a few ££ you can get it on DVD

 

[HGV2]

Thanks for that, but think i will let others test it & then get the real non bug free version later

 

[muckshifter]

Thanks for that, but think i will let others test it & then get the real non bug free version later

This is the biggest jump in software technology since Windows 3.1 to 95.

And was that a bloody headache too ...

"no, I'm sorry, you need a new system"

"no, I'm sorry, that *insert peripheral here* needs Win95 drivers"

"no, I'm sorry, they do not have drivers for Win95, you'll need to buy a new *insert peripheral here* as they cannot be bothered to write Win95 drivers"

"no, you'll need a CDrom drive, oh, it's only £150.00, we do fit them for free" ... don't tell 'em about the 25 floppy version.

"no, I'm sorry, that *insert Program here* will not work under Win95, you'll need to buy the Win95 version ... sure, it will cost £395.00"

... and so on.

I've had a look at Vista ... I'll PASS on this Beta too.

 

[HGV2]

For more on Windows Vista try:http://newsvote.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/5059110.stm
Nice of Bill to let us test for bugs, what next microsoft going open source

 

[muckshifter]

Once downloaded Microsoft recommends that users burn the data onto a DVD.

Microsoft also warned that users who get hold of this early version of the software may not be able to upgrade it to the version that makes it into the shops.

Instead they may have to buy the new software and install it all over again.

Nothing new then ...

 

[muckshifter]

Microsoft officials decided the week of June 5 to cut another feature from Windows Vista:
PC-to-PC synchronization. Microsoft officials said they cut the feature due to quality concerns, but the functionality is still "something we plan to deliver to our customers in the future," according to a company spokeswoman.

Like maybe 'rent-it' if they can get it to work.


OH, and PC-to-PC synchronization is = Windows Vista will provide a Sync Center application that makes it easy to synchronize data between the PC and other devices, including PDAs, MP3 players, laptops, and the like. Sync Center can also provide PC-to-PC synchronization services with other Windows Vista-based PCs on the same network.

Hmmm, could do with that now on XP ...

 

[crazylegs]

I have been testing vista for the last 6 weeks on my test rig at work...It likes a fast machine....its resource hungry....and there are many driver problems.....So just like Win Xp, no change there then....

 

[Me__2001]

downloading this now, gonna see if i can get it running under virtual PC and give it a good test

 

[chelseafc2005]

Hi and welcome from windows vista. So far it seems nice not slow on my system....yet . It seems nice. It is very good for the eye it looks alot better than xp. There are a few things that will take a bit of getting used as it has changed. There are soem nice new bundled programs like windows dvd maker. I am using the 32 bit version even though my comp has 64 bit capabilities i thought that it would be a pain in the arse to get the drivers in 64 bit. Now i just need to get boinc again. Also does anybody know if vista uses the capabilites of dual core processors?

 

[muckshifter]

Vista is aimed at 64bit PC, it has to, it need their power.

Yes it it is also targeted at dual-core.

http://www.amd.com/us-en/Processors...30_118_9331_12862^13301,00.html?redir=CPGWV01

 

[chelseafc2005]

yes i knew that vista was aimed at 64bit but i decided to go with the 32bit version right now as there arent enough drivers made in for the 64bit os and most software is 32 bit. Can i use 32bit software in 64 bit os?

 

[muckshifter]

yes i knew that vista was aimed at 64bit but i decided to go with the 32bit version right now as there arent enough drivers made in for the 64bit os and most software is 32 bit. Can i use 32bit software in 64 bit os?

Of course you can ... shame you did not install the 64bit version, I think you will find a lot more drivers in Vista already for it. I have not loaded it on my main 64bit, not until final.

 

[chelseafc2005]

well if i stick with the 32bit one i dont know what im missing so im ok no crashes yet the only thing that doesnt work too well is itunes and importing music is it the case of apple v windows

 

[KGB-911]

Ever since the first windows opperating system, the reliability has dropped... and dropped... and dropped. Vista is no exception.

I have installed Vista on an 80GB IDE HD (dont want to mess anything up on my SATA drive) it does not like doing much, sure, it looks nice and i like the way that the windows fade in and out. But, i am not impressed with the speed. My sistem is a P43.0 / 1GB RAM and a goof GFx card, but it still didn't lilke it.

It was running very slow after using it for 2 hrs without restarting, i was installing a few things like iTunes & Office.

It refused to load the start menu, froze for ages when i loaded Firefox.

I will try again in a couple of BETAs time...

 

[jamelt]

I had it installed but I removed it; my verdict: It's not 100% usable yet. Don't bother unless you absolutely have to know what it is like before January 2007.

It looks great but besides that I didn't see anything to phenomenal. The start menu is improved. The indexed search is nice to have without spyware. It ran perfectly fine on my computer, rather fast, but I do have 2GB of RAM and a AMD Athlon X2 4400. I use my computer for Media Center so that wasn't entirely ready. I use it for programming and I didn't want to take chances with that.

The 3D desktop is OVERRATED. XGL on Linux is much, much better and I've used them both. XGL actually takes advantage of the 3D capabilities; in Vista all you have is this application scroll feature. Maybe I haven't experimented with Vista's 3D GUI long enough, but I wasn't too impressed.

The Aero looks great! Too bad that Wow! factor only lasts about 30 seconds.

It looks like it will be a great release when its ready but you know the deal you never realize the benefits of a new operating system until a year afterward and you get mad and use the older one and you realize: "This is truly inferior to the new O/S." And its also the software that comes in the future that you realize the benefits, but right now its not worth the trouble of installing.

--by the way, if you get some error [80070421] while installing, you might've did what I did and burned the DVD with Nero 6.6, I burned and downloaded 3 copies before I burned it with Alcohol and it worked like a charm.

 

[Anon_F]

Vista, more bugs than a bbc wildlife programe

Well it's good of you all to help MS find the bugs so they can deliver a full and bug free operating system to the general public & before they sell it to me, cheers

 

[Techy]

Ever since the first windows opperating system, the reliability has dropped... and dropped... and dropped. Vista is no exception.

Are you mad?

i tell you what, you build a windows 3.1/95/NT/98/98SE/2000 box and i'll build an XP box and we'll see which one has the least problems and which one lasts the longest.

Microsoft have come along way over the years and it's been a bumpy ride to say the least, but since NT Windows has got better and better!

Not saying it's perfect, but what is? linux? HA!

 

[hjhack]

10/3/06 I installed Vista a week ago. Posting pictures to yahoo takes half as long. Pleasant, efficient desktop layout. I think it is well designed and is more robust than xp and navigation is better. Newest download is rc1 (release candidate1). My machine has 1gig ram with decent graphics card. Told that performance not good with less than 500meg ram or pre 2003 pc's. I like the desktop picture from Arches National Park. Has usb plug in ram boost capability and windows pane management is improved. I highly recommend it.