Windows Archive

Microsoft released the second build of Windows Longhorn at the Windows Hardware Engineering Conference (WinHEC) in early May. This latest build is much more stable than the one distributed at the Professional Developer Conference (PDC) in 2003, and includes more features as well. In this article, you will get walked through some of the features in the most recent build of Longhorn. Update: Here is another review with many screenshots.

Microsoft Corp.'s Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005—the first major upgrade to the Tablet PC operating system—provides enough enhancements to entice some new converts. The update also will tide over current fans and developers until the release of a "Longhorn" version for Tablet PCs—or whatever Microsoft has planned for the Tablet operating system on the company's long and often-winding product road map.

.NET luminaries discuss themselves, their technology expertise, and whatever else comes to mind, this time about Visual Studio.

Microsoft has launched an effort to produce a version of Windows for high-performance computing, a move seen as a direct attack on a Linux stronghold.

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer announced a few new developer tools but otherwise played a greatest-hits set before an audience of about 10,000 information technology professionals at the TechEd conference.

This is the Platform SDK for Windows XP Service Pack 2 Release Candidate 1. Developers can use this to build and test pre-release applications for Windows XP Service pack 2.

"I'm not sure what to think about Longhorn yet. On the one hand, it looks like it will potentially be a truly revolutionary new version of Windows that has all kinds of new potential built into it. On the other hand, it looks like it could be made into the most proprietary operating system ever. One in which only Microsoft can extend or do anything meaningful to it." Read the editorial by Stardock's Brad Wardell.

WindowSizer was just released, a tiling window manager for Microsoft Windows: It picks up where the Tile Windows command leaves off. Useful for viewing multiple application windows. Resizing one window resizes others to maintain a no gap, no overlap efficient workspace. Swap window positions in arrangement with drag and drop. Save common work arrangements to bring back when you like.

Muglia, a 16-year veteran of Microsoft, is tasked with building Longhorn Server, likely the most complex operating system ever designed. What's more, Muglia must keep a long train of updates and service packs for older versions of Windows rolling off the production line. He sat down with CNET News.com to talk about Longhorn, the evolving Linux threat and how Microsoft builds Windows.

As Microsoft works to get the Windows client and server security packs out the door, it's also pushing the software's existing authentication and access control facilities--namely, public key infrastructure (PKI) and digital rights management services (RMS)--to get customers to batten down the hatches.

This guide is all about optimizing XP. Version 5.0 has more changes than any previous version. The changes include: Tweaking levels added,Bad Tweaks section, Page file section improved, Services section completely revamped, Additions and subtractions to every section.

It's looking more like the next-generation Windows Server, code-named Longhorn, will get key orchestration features derived from BizTalk Server. Microsoft is working on workflow and orchestration technology, called the Windows Orchestration Engine (WinOE), for the Longhorn/Orcas time frame, several sources familiar with the company's plans said. The technology manages how processes or software services interact in distributed systems. Elsewhere, Microsoft will 'componentize' both the client and server versions of Windows Longhorn, its next-generation platform.

The software giant announced plans to release the Windows Template Library (WTL) project on SourceForge under an externally created open-source license. The WTL is a lightweight windowing C++ (define) template library that allows the creation of simple Windows GUI interfaces on Windows apps.

NeoWin has posted the roadmap for Windows Server versions. Notice in the screenshot the "Virtual Server", which probably will include an integrated runtime engine to run multiple Windows on the same machine (for similar purposes to what IBM does with Linux). Update: Neowin removed the story but the roadmap image is still up (for now). To view the image you need to manually copy/paste its URL to your browser's address bar. Direct linking won't work. Update 2: The story is back up.