Tag: longhorn

After seeing Longhorn, the next major release of Windows, demonstrated at WinHEC 2004 (Windows Hardware Engineering Conference) today, PC Magazine’s Richard Fisco notes that it looks similar to another popular operating system you may have heard of. “Microsoft’s demonstrations were interesting and somehow familiar,” writes Fisco. “After looking at some images and icons that grew bigger or flipped when chosen, I couldn’t help but think of the dock on Apple’s OS X.

According to Microsoft Watch, the average system and driver requirements for Longhorn, the next major release of Windows, are: “a dual-core CPU running at 4 to 6GHz; a minimum of 2 gigs of RAM; up to a terabyte of storage; a 1 Gbit, built-in, Ethernet-wired port and an 802.11g wireless link; and a graphics processor that runs three times faster than those on the market today.” While those seem like demanding specs, keep in mind that Longhorn is not expected until the middle of 2006, at the earliest.

Malaysia’s software pirates are already selling the next version of Microsoft Windows, codenamed Longhorn, years before it is supposed to be on sale. Bootleg CD copies are on sale for six ringgit (US$1.58) in the country. The software is an early version of Longhorn demonstrated and distributed at a Microsoft developers conference in October. Longhorn is not expected to ship until 2006.

Microsoft Watch has posted a number of e-mails from readers who say they are considering switching to Mac OS X due to the delay of Longhorn, Microsoft’s next major version of Windows. “Apple is already many years ahead in several areas compared to Win XP (Quartz Extreme),” writes PHP programmer Adam Chaney. “And with Panther less then 10 days from release.

At Microsoft’s worldwide partner conference this week, several Microsoft executives finally admitted that Longhorn, the next major version of Windows, will not ship until 2006, Microsoft Watch reports.

“Longhorn,” the next major version of Windows, which has already had its release slip from 2004 to 2005, will likely be pushed back even later, according to eWeek. Microsoft executives are now declining to say when they expect the software to ship. “We do not yet know the time frame for Longhorn, but it will involve a lot of innovative and exciting work,” said Microsoft Chairman and Chief Software Architect Bill Gates at a company financial analyst meeting.

At Microsoft’s annual meeting with financial analysts Thursday, founder and chief software architect Bill Gates said he was pleased with the progress of Longhorn, the next major version of Windows, but also called it “a big bet” for the company. “We don’t know the exact time frame, but it’s many years of work,” Gates said.