Windows VISTA FAQ
Q. When was Vista originally supposed to ship?
A. Initial scuttlebutt had it that Windows XP's successor would arrive in 2003, and would be a modest update to fill time between XP and "Blackcomb," which was supposed to be the big-deal XP replacement. Then Microsoft announced that the supposedly minor upgrade, code-named "Longhorn," would appear in late 2004. This was followed by slippage and more slippage, most famously in March 2006, when the company announced that Vista wouldn't appear in a consumer version--or preinstalled on new PCs--until early 2007.
Q. When is it finally coming out? I hear dates ranging from November 30 to January 30.
A. Unlike previous Windows launches, Vista's debut has been divided into two extravaganzas, presumably in part because the upgrade will miss the holiday 2006 season due to scheduling delays.
On November 30, Microsoft unveils the corporate version of the new OS (and Office 2007), and companies with volume license agreements will theoretically be able to get Vista right then and install it on PCs they already own.
But the bigger Vista rollout can't happen until Microsoft duplicates millions of DVDs, puts them in boxes, and ships them to retailers--and until PC companies design, manufacture, and ship systems with Vista preinstalled. So for home users, small businesses, and anyone who wants to buy a new Vista PC, the date that matters is January 30. That's when Vista will officially be launched as a consumer product.
Q. Why the name "Windows Vista"?
A. Back in July 2005, when the name was announced, Windows director of product development Brad Goldberg told News.com that the name was the result of eight months of research into words that convey a sense of clarity. It's supposed to refer to the upgrade's focus on information management, security, and easy connectivity. Plus, Moon Pie was already taken.
Q. On the continuum of Windows upgrade importance from Windows 95 (a giant leap forward) to Windows Me (a step backward), where does Vista belong?
Somewhere in the middle: Call it a medium-size stride in the right direction. In terms of new features, it offers lots of small yet worthwhile improvements--but no breakthroughs. On the other hand, if the upgrade's new emphasis on security makes it less susceptible to viruses, spyware, and hacker attacks, that would be a strong argument in its favor.
Windows Vista offers better support than XP for today's powerful hardware, such as 64-bit CPUs and cutting-edge graphics cards, providing the structural basis for potent applications that could never have been written for Windows XP. As those applications begin to appear, Vista should grow into a more compelling upgrade than it is on day one.