Microsoft unveils Freeze Dry for Windows Vista


Recommended Posts

Windows Vista will include a new technology known as Freeze Dry designed to maintain application states and unsaved documents even when patches are automatically applied and PCs are rebooted.

Speaking at the Australian Tech Ed conference on the Gold Coast in Queensland this week, senior product manager Amy Stephan offered a preview of the Freeze Dry technology.

Many IT managers plan to automatically install patches and updates on machines during periods when they are inactive, such as overnight or on weekends. However, as some patches require machines to reboot, users who leave documents open and unsaved run the risk of losing that data if the machine is automatically updated.

Freeze Dry eliminates that problem by automatically saving application state and documents and then restoring them once the system restarts, Stephan said.

Microsoft has promoted the general concept of saving application state in earlier discussions of Windows Vista, formerly codenamed Longhorn, but hasn't previously revealed the Freeze Dry moniker.

A new point release of Vista is expected at the Professional Developers Conference in Los Angeles later this month. Officials said this week that beta 2 of the operating system is on target for a wider release before the end of the year.

The software giant isn't the first company to try and grab the Freeze Dry name. In 1999, Hewlett-Packard released a Java compression technology called FreezeDry, and took out a US trademark on the name. However, the technology failed to attract widespread attention, and HP let the trademark lapse in July 2002.

Angus Kidman attended Tech Ed as a guest of Microsoft.

Copyright ? 2005 CNET Networks, Inc. All Rights Reserved>

Source:> ZDNet Australia

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sounds like Acronis True Image, Partition Magic or Ghost. I've been using Acronis for over a year and have backup images of several OS including 5112 that I can restore and have up in about ten minues. This sounds like it works on specific files and programs. Pretty cool.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think it's a good idea, as long as it's compatible with all applications.

586466325[/snapback]

If it's not I guess you'll get Freezer Burn? Has MS copyrighted that name yet?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well I am excited! This will make my job incredibly easier. Not only help keeping computers upgraded, but secure. AND I don't have to make sure no one is running anything! BRILLIANT!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm not trying to start a flamewar or onr of those "Who copied who" threads. Just pointing out some facts.

This has been available with almost any Linux session-manager for years now. Everytime I log out or reboot, my session is automatically saved. All open apps and documents are reopened upon login.

It's a cool thing and I'm glad to see it coming to Windows.

Once again, not trying to incite flames.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm not trying to start a flamewar or onr of those "Who copied who" threads. Just pointing out some facts.

This has been available with almost any Linux session-manager for years now. Everytime I log out or reboot, my session is automatically saved. All open apps and documents are reopened upon login.

It's a cool thing and I'm glad to see it coming to Windows.

Once again, not trying to incite flames.

586472405[/snapback]

Of course not, and I assume you do the same on linux websites whenever they get a 10 year old feature...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I remember a FastZap cartridge I had for my C64 that you could hit a button and it would save your computers state to a disk. Then you could boot up the computer and load the file and it would return it to that state.

I think this is similar to what they are doing, but on an application level.

I am surprised no one has released a product that does this, like a USB or PCI card. The file would always be the same size as your memory.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This topic is now closed to further replies.
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.