Model:  Windows VISTA Build 5259

Article By:  Miguel

Article Date:  01/29/06

A while back, I gave you a sneak peak at a very early Alpha build of "Longhorn" which left much to be desired. However, after my visit to CES 2006 and seeing a later build of Windows VISTA on display at the show, I felt a dire need to play with it personally and show our readers some screenshots as well as cover some of the features you can expect when it is set for release. Release date, according to some extensive
research and credible sources, is as early as Dec-06 or as late as 1st quarter of 2007. However, judging by this Beta 2 release I will be showing you, there is certainly much more work to be done.  Let's take a sneak peak at what they have in store.

This article will not only focus on some of its latest new features, but also elaborate on the hardware requirements, which has been something I think has been blown out of proportion and only deterring many from actually considering an upgrade from Windows XP.

Before we get to the install and software, it's important to note the test bed specs. 

The Install

Keep in mind that these install menus will definitely change and won't look as simplistic as they do here. The install, although smooth and without errors, took a painfully long time as expected.  I timed the entire process up until I was in Window for the first time.

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I was greeted by the msg above, which was not only unexpected but quite amusing.  The full install took exactly 1hr and 42mins.  Yes, that's pretty bad but you should note that this build did not fit on a CD but rather a DVD that was exactly 1.6GB in size.  However, I don't see it taking nearly this long to install when the final product is released.

The GUI

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The graphical user interface is certainly a step beyond Windows XP.  From its semi-transparent and glass-like interface, to its 3D features (with supported hardware), it is  quite visually appealing.  Surprising, was the absence of the new bliss screen we showed you in a very early build of "Longhorn".  I wasn't particularly fond of it to begin with so perhaps they are working on a more appealing desktop wallpaper.  At least they did have some nice new ones available like the one above.

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The start menu shows some changes as well.  No longer do you have the word "start".  Just a button-like windows logo.  Like the rest of the GUI, the menu is semi-transparent and does have many more options available by default.  The picture chosen for the user account is displayed differently to give it that 3D feel.  Now, an interesting change is how it handles all installed programs for example, the "All Programs" menu.  Rather than opening another large menu cluttered with install programs, it is accessed all within the same start menu (white area above).  A nice touch, but I guess I have to get used to it as I'm quite used to the Windows XP feel.

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The windows and the GUI itself is based on the Windows Aero feature designed to provide spectacular visual effects.  Windows are clearly marked for management and have a "glow" to them when the mouse is hovered over the buttons as demonstrated above.

I love the way it handles open windows on the taskbar.  Windows VISTA uses Live taskbar thumbnails that do look great and allow you to know exactly which window you need to maximize.  Great for multiple website windows.

Windows Flip & Flip 3D

Speaking of open windows, VISTA brings many new features to help manage them with ease. 

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Live thumbnail views are also available when you use the ALT + Tab keyboard buttons to switch between windows.  You'll see full resolution thumbnails of all open windows to get you to where you want to be quickly.

Quite possibly, the most visually appealing feature will be VISTA's Flip 3D.  It still in development and didn't work very well but it was a treat to run and test it.  When you activate Flip 3D, it will instantly switch to a 3D view of all open windows.  The screenshot to your right show the same open windows shown on the left with Flip 3D activated.  However, you must note that in order to take advantage of this feature, you must have DWM enabled.  Most video cards that support Direct X 9 will have this feature enabled by default.  I'll talk more about hardware requirements a bit later.  It is not as bad as people have been led to believe.

The Control Panel on Windows VISTA is loaded with many options and features.  Unfortunately, not all are working at this time.  For IT professionals and Administrators, the Administrative Tools menu includes an Authorization Manager and Security Configuration Management console.  As far as networking goes, there's a user-friendly Network Center and the "People Near Me" feature which is a technology that enables you to see and be seen by people on your network to engage in a variety of network activities such as Windows MeetingSpace.  Plenty of focus on wireless networking is also present.

With the growing number of broadband internet users, security is of highest priority.  Unfortunately, a Windows operating system has many flaws and security and spyware prevention is almost impossible, even with quality third-party tools.  People know the Windows registry too well and they always manage to stay a step ahead when a fix is released.  Fortunately though, VISTA will appear to have an anti-spyware solution available as part of the OS.  Whether or not it works as well as some of the excellent third-party tools currently on the market remains to be seen.

Next: IE7 & Hardware Requirements