RSSMicrosoft Ships Second Vista CTP
By Nate Mook | Published October 17, 2005, 1:44 PM
As expected, Microsoft has shipped the October Community Technology Preview of Windows Vista, embarking on what the company hopes will be monthly test releases of the operating system. Build 5231 first surfaced last week and brings changes to Internet Explorer, Windows Media Player and Vista's networking.
Internet Explorer 7 has received a minor facelift, with its tabs moved below the address bar to match the interface style used by the likes of Firefox and Opera. Microsoft has additionally added a "Favorites Center" for managing links and a "QuickTabs" overview of all open Web sites.
On the security side, IE7 sports an improved phishing filter and turns off all ActiveX plug-ins by default. Users must now specifically enable the ActiveX controls they need in an effort to limit malicious code being executed by the browser. Vista's Parental Controls have also now been integrated into IE7.
An early build of Windows Media Player 11 makes an appearance in the October CTP of Vista, although it's still labeled version 10. According to Robert McLaws, Microsoft MVP and author of LonghornBlogs, "The UI is nowhere near final, but it's still sweet. Definitely worth playing around with."
Under the covers, Windows Vista's internal network has been reworked for build 5231. A new "Network Center" provides a visual status and configuration options for network connections, and replaces the current "My Network Places" and "Network Neighborhood" currently in Windows XP.
The October CTP also offers a hint of things to come. Windows AntiSpyware is now linked from Vista's Security Center, but the application is not included in the test release.
Unfortunately for Windows enthusiasts eager to play with the Windows Sidebar and its Gadgets, the feature is not included in the new CTP. Although Microsoft executives highlighted the Windows Side at PDC 2005, it has yet to make an appearance in any publicly available Vista build.
The Windows Vista October CTP is now available for technical beta testers and the 2.3GB operating system download will be posted for MSDN and TechNet subscribers sometime today. Microsoft warns that "many of the features included in the October CTP are still being developed and do not yet represent their final functionality or design."
not till long till we see a torrent file for this
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|I love to rain on Microsoft's parade ..but how many individuals /companies have Windows XP installed on their computers? NET 2 ..humbug. IE 7 ? Mozilla Redux..Vista ? Windows XP on LSD..Still under development..oxymoron for we don't know what we are doing. Final product is under construction ... alpha, beta, theta Number of fixes to be determined ...year ? man will walk on Mars or maybe Saturn.. Enough is enough ..how about bringing a stable, workable product to the industryand forget the bottom line. If Apple can do it..and still make it profitable,then what is Microsoft's excuse ? No originality ? Lack of direction ? Bill Gates?
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|"..how about bringing a stable, workable product to the industryand forget the bottom line"
That's what they're doing. That's why the release date has been pushed back so much.
"If Apple can do it..and still make it profitable,then what is Microsoft's excuse ? No originality ? Lack of direction ? Bill Gates?"
Some, including myself, would argue that Microsoft's "excuse" is that the OS has to support an infite number of hardware platforms and software environments. Apple took the easy way out by making the OS so it would only run on their hardware.
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|Oh yeah, the BIg MAC of the OS. Microsoft has created an Operating System that pleases the masses . Even though those people are stuggling with viruses , worms ,active X , Tuesday fixes .Cross-platform is an opiate . Apple gives you a product that works.how many fixes have they issued ?
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|A lot.
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|want to try it :)
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|Firefox and Opera have different tabs bar positions. Firefox copied Opera's old tabs position (tabs bar under address bar). So, which UI design copied Microsoft? ;)
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|Um, there IS a sidebar in build 5231, according to Paul Thurrot:
http://www.winsupersite....e/vista5231_desktop.jpg
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|And if you actually read his review: "Also, some major features, like the Sidebar, Windows Gadgets, and Windows DVD Maker are not yet present in this build."
Why? Because those screenshots were likely taken on the leaked 5231 build, rather than the official October CTP. Although, Paul probably wouldn't admit to downloading a leaked build ;)
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|Wow, I feel stupid.
Since the MS One-Use-DVD DRM business, I stopped reading what Paul Thurrott's articles actually had to say.
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|Without a sidebar I honestly don't know what I'll do with myself.
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|Well looks like that "IE always has holes by default because ActiveX is a virus" argument went down the tubes. Third time I'll say it--FireFox will crumble. Probably at the very least a year, more likely a year after Microsoft's NEXT major IE version.
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|Probally unless they come up with some new ideas that MS doesn't adopt for another 4 years after the rest of the world. Then again people will always exploit IE first, so you are probally better off sticking to a smaller browser app. Firefox likes memory btw not that I care, but I notice its usually takin up about 80mbs - 120mbs, something to also consider i guess
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|Sure they will. They'll drop their greasemonkey scripts, their adblock, tab extension, download, or any of a million other extensions they use just because a new version of IE is out.
Yeah. Riiiiight.... Never pegged you as a fanboy, dude. Guess I was wrong.
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|Viva la greasemonkey!
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|I have never been the biggest fan of Windows or Microsoft in general, and though I do expect Vista to be chock full of tons more security holes for us all to discover; I am really looking forward to Vista, and it seems like it will be a great improvement over XP.
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|You can't
www.linux.org
EDIT: Through, after reading this, I do wanna try Vista.
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|You seem to have posted a link for Linux, a server operating system, not designed for end users.
Nothing todo with Vista infact...
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|Yeah because we all know how much better linux is than Windows. [/sarcasm]
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|I'm using Linux to post here. Your point?
I said I'm interested in Vista. I haven't been interested in Windows since Win98
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|And his point was that Windows is designed so anyone can use it. Linux is more of an advanced platform and is useless to people that don't have excellent knowledge of the OS.
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|I don't have excellent knowledge of Linux. Far from it. But I'm not going to have a war with you.
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|Don't want to start a war? Ummmm, you started this whole thread and pointed a link straight to linux website.
But I guess I will let you be the bigger man.
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|Well i wouldn't say it's so much better than Windows but I will say IMHO that it's certainly no worse.It does everythig I need it to do just as well as Windows can. Also, the extra software i did have to get, unlike with windows, didn't cost me hundreds to aquire.
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|Wait...you post a link to linux.org on a MS OS article...and then you claim "I don't wan to start a war"?? I think maybe you're a little confused as to what you're actually trying to accomplish in this thread....
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|This is actually not 100% true...although linux is a great server OS...it certainly is usable by end users. Actually...there's a flavor of linux designed pretty much solely for end users...it's called OSX.
Although I won't argue that windows is by far an "easier" os to use for the average joe and more practical as a client OS in most situations.
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|Well, I just looked over Paul Thurrott's review and it's got a lot of features new to this build. With every new build I just get more and more excited for December (and Beta 2, public!).
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|Anyone know how to get on the CTP programme?
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|Right now, you need to be an MSDN Subscriber, TechNet Subscriber, or invited to the beta test. Eventually, Microsoft will start making the test builds public. At the moment it seems Beta 2 will likely be open for everyone to try out.
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|I don't think he meant the legal way to get it. :P
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|I'm really looking forward to Beta 2
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|Sounds good to me! Where can I download it? :P
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|http://www.easynews.com
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