Longhorn - The Future of Microsoft Windows

[feje]

scobleizer : I'm Robert Scoble, technical evangelist on platform strategy group here at Microsoft.

Blainbar_MS : Hello my name is Blain Barton, a TechNet Presenter here in Florida, Welcome!

scobleizer : Also help out on Channel9 http://channel9.msdn.com -- you should check in there for some cool videos from people who work here

Guide_KenM : Ken McGrath here, TechNet/MSN Web and Communities Producer.

MS_Alex : Q:How come all screenshots / demos of Longhorn (like on MSDN blogs) aren't using the transparent UI shown at the PDC?

Shawn_MS : Hi, my name is Shawn Travers. I am a TechNet Presenter for Microsoft out of Chicago. Thanks for joining today! Be aware, we will definitely NOT have answers to all questions. Much information is still not baked. Other information is not publicly released.

8Leen has joined the conversation.

MS_Alex : A: The transparent effect is a result of the desktop compositing engine. In general we are very protective of the look and feel and have restricted hard/copies and screens shots from being distributed.

scobleizer : Regarding betas: right now we're in a "developer preview stage." Only MSDN Universal Members can get it right now. We'll start an official beta next week.

Blainbar_MS : here can I get information on Longhorn today? A: http://msdn.microsoft.com/longhorn/ A: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/longhorn/default.mspx

scobleizer : Also, PDC attendees and WinHec attendees will be able to get it.

scobleizer : We'll announce more about betas later.

MS_Alex : Q: will Avalon be cut from Lonhorn like winfs

scobleizer : Neal: no, Win32 API is still there.

scobleizer : MS: No. And WinFS has NOT been cut.

MS_Alex : A: They are both core parts of Longhorn A: They are both core parts of Longhorn A: They are both core parts of Longhorn A: They are both core parts of Longhorn

scobleizer : We'll talk more about WinFS at WinHec in May.

Blainbar_MS : Q: Where can you get a copy of the PDC Longhorn? A: MSDN subscribers can download Longhorn. MSDN subscribers can also call MSDN customer service and ask them to ship you Longhorn and VS.NET Whidbey PDC CDs/DVDs.

scobleizer : Beta next year, sorry. DIdn't mean to type next week.

Guide_KenM : I've just paused input to this room. Hosts are now reviewing questions and posting answers. This room will be reopened in just a few minutes.

Guide_KenM : The other room, that is...

scobleizer : Will Longhorn be 3D? Parts of it will be. WE haven't talked all that much about the 3D stuff yet. See http://channel9.msdn.com for an interview with Joe Beda, of Avalon team, where he talks a bit about 3D in Longhorn.

MS_Alex : Q: Will Longhorn be compatible to old Software/Hardware???

MS_Alex : A: Longhorn is capable of running on PC hardware available today. Existing software that runs on XP will also run on LH.

scobleizer : How will Longhorn benefit average gamer and desktop power user? Tons of ways. First of all, Longhorn makes far more usage of the Graphic Processors, so you'll see new kinds of desktop experiences.

scobleizer : Second of all, the UI has been completely reworked.

scobleizer : Let me explain some of what has been done. When you first boot up Longhorn you'll see the changes right away. The startup screen is more informative, easier to use, and freaking nicer looking. Imagine if you had a luxury hotel where you enter the hotel...

scobleizer : through the back alley.

scobleizer : With Longhorn it's a lot nicer.

scobleizer : Second, you'll see a new sidebar. This sidebar will have lots of little apps and things you can drag over to it.

scobleizer : Then, diving down a bit further, you see an address bar. YOu can now do intermediate searches on your file system. Type "B..U...D..." and your budget documents come up.

scobleizer : That's WinFS.

scobleizer : We'll only talk about the PDC build here in the chat.

scobleizer : That's the publicly available info.

Blainbar_MS : Q: Where can I get a copy of the PDC Longhorn? A: MSDN subscribers can download Longhorn. MSDN subscribers can also call MSDN customer service and ask them to ship you Longhorn and VS.NET Whidbey PDC CDs/DVDs.

scobleizer : thesleeper: what new features will be in WinHec build? Gotta wait for the WinHec to discuss those.

scobleizer : MavPhoenix: file searching will be better than any existing OS.

scobleizer : Outofcoffee: we can't discuss feature sets right now. At the WinHec we'll talk more.

scobleizer : Phobocaster: other than the Joe Beda videos and information over on Channel9, I'd rather not get into stuff that'll be discussed at Winhec.

MS_Alex : Q: Is Longhorn to be more of a corperate desktop operating system? or will be for a home PC also like Windows XP?

MS_Alex : A: Longhorn contains functionality that will provide value in the corporate and home environment

scobleizer : Dzjepp: yes, security is job #1. XPSP2 is a HUGE advance in security and we'll continue those efforts and some more in Longhorn.

Blainbar_MS : Q: Where can I get Longhorn Developer FAQ

Blainbar_MS : A: This is great! http://msdn.microsoft.com/Longhorn/support...aq/default.aspx

Shawn_MS : Q: will long horn be more stable then xp?

Shawn_MS : A: It is impossible to say at this point. Of course, our hope an intention with every new release is to create an OS that is more reliable as the previous release. We believe that will be the case with Longhorn.

Shawn_MS : .

scobleizer : http://www.msdn.com/Longhorn is where you can get tons of developer info about Longhorn.

scobleizer : cpuKiller: more of the DCE (Desktop Compositing Engine)? You'll see more of that at WinHec and in Beta1 next year.

MS_Alex : Q: Can you guys tell us what has been cut from Longhorn to meet ship dates?

scobleizer : FiZi? will Longhorn come bundled with MSN? Not sure. Should it be? MSN is working on Longhorn-specific technologies, though.

MS_Alex : A: No, I'm sorry we can't provide that information. What features in particular do you think are important that we don't cut?

scobleizer : aznboi04k: will there be different versions of Longhorn? Yes. What are they? I can't disclose that yet, sorry.

Blainbar_MS : Q: When will Longhorn ship?

Blainbar_MS : A: The first public Beta will be available in summer of 2004. After that, we?ll release Longhorn when we?ve been able to address Beta issues and we?re sure you?ll love it.

scobleizer : Blainbar: When will Longhorn ship? We have target dates, but they come second to quality measurements, including feedback from beta testers. So, we don't know right now when it'll ship.

scobleizer : Bill Gates said he'd like to ship it in 2006, though.

MS_Alex : Q: What does longhorn add to windows tablet edition? any new inovations?

MS_Alex : A: Future versions of Windows Tablet Edition will take advantage of new platform functionality provided by Longhorn.

MS_Alex : A: We can't talk about specific features though

scobleizer : Neal: will XAML be standard. XAML is a declarative .NET language designed specifically for Longhorn. It will be only one of the .NET langauges that you can use to build Longhorn applications.

scobleizer : Q: How dramatical will the UI change be?

scobleizer : A: Very.

scobleizer : You can see some of the changes planned over on the MSDN Longhorn Developer Center.

Guide_KenM : We're going to change the format of the chat. We're going to switch gears now and turn this into a feedback session.

8mad_scientist has joined the conversation.

Guide_KenM : Thanks for all the great questions, we now would like to take feedback and ask what you'd like to see addressed.

scobleizer : Can we continue this over on http://channel9.msdn.com ? That way we can get you more accurate answers.

scobleizer : We don't want to set expectations that can't be met.

scobleizer : I wanted to clarify one thing, I thought Bill Gates had said we wanted to ship in 2006. That's not true, just reading his quotes.

Shawn_MS : I want to say first off that I appreciate you taking the time to join this chat today. We've had a number of excellent questions. Currently, we have a number of questions that are too detailed and deep to answer at this point.

scobleizer : Some things, it's clear we're getting some really great questions here. Unfortunately it's hard to answer them in a live chat accurately. So, how about we try something new that we haven't tried before. How about we use Channel9 for your questions and...

scobleizer : we'll get you answers to those in a timely and accurate fashion.

scobleizer : Channel9 is a great new site just opened up this past week. http://channel9.msdn.com

scobleizer : In the interim, we're watching this chat room for your feedback on the publicly-available information on Longhorn. What would you like to see us do?

scobleizer : And we'll make sure the product teams see this chat.

[Dazzla Veteran]

On the one hand they say the beta will be next year, then later on they say:

Blainbar_MS : A: The first public Beta will be available in summer of 2004.

Do they even know themselves?

[KTamas]

On the one hand they say the beta will be next year, then later on they say:

Do they even know themselves?

hehe, i think no :)

[Orange Battery]

interesting to see what they think, thanks for posting that :)

[Redestium]

That chat got out of hand quick.

[John Veteran]

That chat got out of hand quick.

I guess, I got there late and thought it was a joke :no:

[Jason]

It was a joke, too much rubbish being typed.

[Ivand]

Thanks for posting

[Hexlord]

And these guys are paid, like what, thousands of dollars every month??

[cpu killer]

How will Longhorn benefit average gamer and desktop power user? Tons of ways. First of all, Longhorn makes far more usage of the Graphic Processors, so you'll see new kinds of desktop experiences.

scobleizer : cpuKiller: more of the DCE (Desktop Compositing Engine)? You'll see more of that at WinHec and in Beta1 next year.

scobleizer : Q: How dramatical will the UI change be?

scobleizer : A: Very.

I love him! He answered every single question I asked except: "Is it really possible to activate DCE and its effects in current builds? And if so, why has Microsoft held back information regarding such?"

:). Loved this, looking forward to future LH chats.

[Dazog]

Why have a chat if u cant talk about the Chat topic?

PATHETIC

MS needs to quit offering chats

With

"we can't talk about that" comments from the someone who doesn't even work on the Project, Scobilizer, he is just a Pr man with a diff job title.

The end