NeoSmart has the goods on the release of Windows Longhorn Server Beta 3, and the availability of public ISO images for x86, x64, and Itanium versions of the English, German, and Japanese localizations of the various Windows Server flavors. According to NeoSmart, it’s the same as the April CTP, but with some bug fixes and compiler optimizations.
Windows Longhorn Server Beta 3 Public Download
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Eugenia Loli
Ex-programmer, ex-editor in chief at OSNews.com, now a visual artist/filmmaker.
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Hmm,
I recently was reading somewhere that there would be a base system with all the differerent localizations added like the unix/linux versions — so you can change the LANG on the fly, even per user?
Do I understand right that this is still not the case? Like every language is a different download?
Vista and “Longhorn” Server binaries are language-neutral, but the resources for each language can be very large, so SKUs are distributed including the localization for the regions in which they are sold, but additional languages are made available via downloadable Language Packs (MUIs – Enterprise/Ultimate or LIPs – All SKUs).
More info: http://technet2.microsoft.com/WindowsVista/en/library/85e289ca-9fd8…
This makes so much more sense than the OSS default method of shipping everything. Even with relatively fast internet connections, the wastage involved with downloading (and sometimes forcing the install of) multiple language sets when only one is needed, seems stupid to me.
On a related note, even Minix 3 now ships with a whole range of applications. I wanted to try out some basic stuff on Minix but was forced to download (I’m not going to build from sources) about 300MB of unwanted software as part of the CD image. I’m not going to install X11, why force me to download it?
Why can’t all distros throw together a basic netinst type installer, like the debian one.
</rant>
If you want to see what is in Service Pack 1 of Windows Vista, then give Longhorn Server a try – basically what you see there, will appear in SP1. It will be interesting to give Longhorn Server a go once it has been released.
The other interesting thing will be the whole issue with activation. They’ve started including it with the corporate editions, which brings to quesiton the issue of servers, hardware replacement and the frequency of that hardware replacement, and how this impacts on the need to activate.
In a desktop setting, its a non-issue as most people don’t really change their hardware that oftern, but the problems are amplified when in a server situation.
You need to have a Windows Live™ ID to get to the download. Since I have long since allowed my Hotmail account to lapse and have no intentions of signing back up with them, I’m stopped at the door so to speak.
Ah well…
–bornagainpenguin
Edited 2007-04-27 21:24
D’oh!
Shows me up for not RTFA, the WHOLE article! There are links to the various downloads available if you just scroll down a bit.
I’m downloading it now to see what it looks like–if nothing else I can try to grab the NTLDR and NTDETECT.COM for transplanting in my XP box and see if there’s any improvement on boot loading. Might be able to grab some of the Vista games as well and see what they look like or if I can copy them over to my VAOI install…
–bornagainpenguin (wishing there was a delete comment for times like this)
Edited 2007-04-27 21:25
I have just spent the last 6 hours playing with the various parts of Longhorn and just decided to write up a quick review based on my initial impressions.
http://odin749.blogspot.com/2007/04/windows-longhorn-beta-3-review….