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Longhorn Beta Begins

gcnaddict writes "Microsoft has officially sent invitations to their best beta testers and to WinHEC participants for their Windows Code Name Longhorn beta program. They also unveiled a new Beta Client which promises to be better than the current beta management systems, and will replace other means of beta distribution, including WindowsBeta and BetaPlace all in one fell swoop. While the new, highly anticipated operating system is not up for download, Beta 1 is expected to be up for grabs later this month. Unfortunately, it seems that the preliminary invitation codes are unique per user. Microsoft is expected to allow the public to apply for the beta program later this summer, and as usual, Longhorn will be a part of the Community Technology Preview program."

80 of 400 comments (clear)

  1. Beta begins? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    I didn't realize Microsoft was releasing it to consumers this early.

    1. Re:Beta begins? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

      You should dream about something more realistic, that could actually happen. Like you getting a date, Slashdot without dupe-stories or me spending a day without a computer.

  2. highly anticipated? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    Euhm, highly anticipated?

    What is CowboyNeil smoking?

    1. Re:highly anticipated? by FLAGGR · · Score: 5, Funny

      Highly anticipated by virus writers. Gotta get a head start.

  3. Everything Enabled? by opello · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Have they disabled a lot of stuff like they have in the 'rc' releases of longhorn? Or is all the 'glits' tossed in (visual effects and the like)?

    1. Re:Everything Enabled? by Synbiosis · · Score: 2, Informative

      Have they disabled a lot of stuff like they have in the 'rc' releases of longhorn? Or is all the 'glits' tossed in (visual effects and the like)?

      If previous betas (of Whistler/XP) are any indication, this beta should have about 70-80% of the features in the final product, including the interface. But considering the interface is the easiest thing to change, I wouldn't count on the 'glits' being the one found in the final product.

    2. Re:Everything Enabled? by MrZeebo · · Score: 3, Informative

      Offtopic, but how exactly can it be possible for a question to be moderated informative?

    3. Re:Everything Enabled? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Informative

      Yet how ironic is it to see your own question get modded insightful as well! It doesn't make any more sense this time now, does it?

      Now let's see if this gets modded informative too ;)

    4. Re:Everything Enabled? by dmayle · · Score: 5, Funny

      Re:Everything Enabled? (Score:5, Informative)

      Offtopic, but how exactly can it be possible for a question to be moderated informative?

      Could it be the same way a question can be moderated funny?

      Note to mods: this joke doesn't work if you don't mod this up funny ;-)

    5. Re:Everything Enabled? by toddestan · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Note to mods: this joke doesn't work if you don't mod this up funny ;-)

      I love these games! I'll take a +5 Interesting please.

    6. Re:Everything Enabled? by TodPunk · · Score: 2, Interesting

      HA! Just Interesting. How strange is it that this little off-topic thread has become an instant karma boost for all involved?

      --
      This forum Sig is licensed under the LGPL.
  4. Obligatory.. by G-Licious! · · Score: 3, Funny

    Will it run on Linux?

  5. I know I speak for Sladhotters when I say... by Krankheit · · Score: 3, Funny

    Huh? Where is the torrent? gcnaddict forgot to add the torrent link. I plan to install this on my 233 MHz Dell Latitude 64 MB of RAM. I got Windows 2000 Professional to install on my 133 MHz Dell Dimension with 32 MB of RAM (albeit Windows complained about running too low on virtual memory), so I know this laptop will run Longhorn.

    --
    Powered by caffeine and sugar; BSD
    1. Re:I know I speak for Sladhotters when I say... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      It'll run, but it'll run like Christopher Reeves.

    2. Re:I know I speak for Sladhotters when I say... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      Christopher Reeve is dead you insensitive clod! ...which I must admit only strengthens your position.

  6. Re:Windows by any other name, and ... by Slur · · Score: 2, Funny

    At this point the only fitting name is...

    LongTooth!

    --
    -- thinkyhead software and media
  7. Why will I want to upgrade? by ip_freely_2000 · · Score: 3, Funny

    I'm happy with XP.

    It never crashes
    I don't get viruses or spyware or hacks
    All the software I need works fine
    I have all the connectivity I need

    So why is expecting people to upgrade?

    1. Re:Why will I want to upgrade? by Iphtashu+Fitz · · Score: 2, Insightful

      I'm happy with XP.

      I never upgraded the machine I run Windows on from 2000. Why upgrade to XP when everything I need runs on 2000?

    2. Re:Why will I want to upgrade? by Donny+Smith · · Score: 5, Insightful

      >Why upgrade to XP when everything I need runs on 2000?

      I don't think you can "upgrade" from Win2K to XP anyway.

    3. Re:Why will I want to upgrade? by Krankheit · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Well, my grandmother is fine with Windows 98 and Firefox, but she isn't a developer. I personally run Debian Linux on my desktop Macs and PCs, and laptops, with the OpenBSD to firewall, and FreeBSD and NetBSD on servers. But as a developer, I am interested in the latest version of Windows and Mac OS X because I may want to develop for it. Right now my applications I have written use Xlib directly, so it will be difficult to port, but nonetheless, when I do start porting, I will want to have Longhorn as a target to develop for, because that is what is going to go with all the new Dells.

      --
      Powered by caffeine and sugar; BSD
    4. Re:Why will I want to upgrade? by tehsoul · · Score: 3, Insightful

      why do people buy new cars when their old one isnt broken? why did you buy a dvd player when your vcr still worked fine? people want ease-of-use and gimmicks. the middle aged computer noobs and cartuning teens will be able to eat their hearts out! even MORE useless blingbling! YAY! (win2k forever 3)

      --
      me and my thinkpad, sittin' in a tree, c-o-d-i-n-g...
    5. Re:Why will I want to upgrade? by Tezkah · · Score: 3, Funny

      So why is expecting people to upgrade?

      Because the new IE included in Longhorn includes Clippy saying "Hey, something about your grammer isn't right!" when posting to slashdot!

      Please upgrade, for the children...

    6. Re:Why will I want to upgrade? by KiloByte · · Score: 2, Funny

      Right, the spelling you included is exactly the one they would use.

      --
      The creatures outside looked from Alt-Right to Antifa; but already it was impossible to say which was which.
    7. Re:Why will I want to upgrade? by Ismilar · · Score: 3, Insightful

      So: Non developers are fine with what they have and don't need Longhorn. ..but developers need Longhorn, so that they can develop programs so that the non-developers who don't need Longhorn can use Longhorn? That makes sense (unfortunately, from Microsoft's perspective, it actually does make sense).

    8. Re:Why will I want to upgrade? by Krankheit · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Microsoft hopes people will be forced to upgrade to Longhorn to use my software. But I plan to make sure my software runs on Windows NT 4.0/Windows 95 and up. I would only install Longhorn to work out incompatibilities with changes in Longhorn.

      --
      Powered by caffeine and sugar; BSD
    9. Re:Why will I want to upgrade? by StormUP · · Score: 5, Informative

      You CAN upgrade from Windows 2000 to Windows XP professional. You cannot upgrade from Windows 2000 to Windows XP Home. See the following chart for complete upgrade options: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/upgrading/m atrix.mspx

    10. Re:Why will I want to upgrade? by FireFury03 · · Score: 4, Funny

      Because the new IE included in Longhorn includes Clippy saying "Hey, something about your grammer isn't right!" when posting to slashdot!

      Clippy: "You look like you're downloading a virus, do you need help with that?"

    11. Re:Why will I want to upgrade? by Glonoinha · · Score: 2, Informative

      The SMP code in Windows 2000 code was written under the assumption (valid, back in 1999) that any SMP machine would have two physical discrete CPUs. The code in XP's kernel has been tweaked to work better with the HyperThreaded CPU's, tweaks that 2000 didn't get (I believe it has something to do with a no-op or a wait or something.)

      If you have a HT capable computer, it is worth upgrading to XP.

      The remote desktop functionality built into the desktop is pretty cool too, but not worth upgrading for unless you absolutely needed it or wanted it (for example if you had one of the new iPaq's with a 640x480 screen and TermServer, wanted to remote control the computer over wifi.)

      --
      Glonoinha the MebiByte Slayer
    12. Re:Why will I want to upgrade? by fshalor · · Score: 2, Insightful

      You're pretty much the exception to the rule.

      If all windows code would still run in win95, then most of *that* would run in wine.

      And if half the stuff from back in the dos--> win95 days was written RIGHT (ie, with actual exception checking and stuff) most of that would run fine in wine too.

      Sorry.. I've had some programs that were sent with flow meters which were originally written (badly) for dos. And then branded as working with "any version of windows". Yeah, it will, as long as it's not an NT based kernel. Since if it is, you get aroud 15% packet loss from the instrument due to the crap code. It's like 8% in win98, and less than 4% in win95.

      And between 0-1% in both wine, boches (as it is in dos). But the gui wont work since the person who wrote the code forgot to exception check.

      --
      -=fshalor ::this post not spellchecked. move along::
    13. Re:Why will I want to upgrade? by bsharitt · · Score: 4, Funny

      *<---------------Parent Comment

      *<---------------Your head

    14. Re:Why will I want to upgrade? by Koyaanisqatsi · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Parent is marked as funny, goes to show the level of maturity of the mods here.

      I use XP at work, my box is up for about 20 days now, I even installed MSDE (the lite version of SQL Server) withouth having to reboot.

      Viruses or spyware? Never had any, but I know when to delete that "cute screensaver", instead of cliking thorough.

      People bash MS a bit too much around here, IMHO.

      Oh well, karma be dammed.

    15. Re:Why will I want to upgrade? by UnrefinedLayman · · Score: 4, Informative

      No, the only difference is not one registry key. This is an old myth that only sloppy computer people propagate.

      http://www.everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=887565 should explain it more clearly for you.

    16. Re:Why will I want to upgrade? by drsquare · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Because DVDs are better than videos. I don't think that comparison applies in this case. I don't think Longhorn will be offering anything of any value other than increased system requirements (which is only of value to the hardware industry).

      It's a deal between Microsoft and the hardware industry: Microsoft makes money on its operating systems, the vendors make money on the hardware, they both profit and everyone else gets arse-raped.

      There'll soon be a day when you'll need a gigabyte of RAM to send an e-mail or write a shopping list. And it won't do anything that couldn't be done on a tenth of the requirements.

      Developers are lazy these days. Computer power increases so quickly the developers get sloppier and sloppier, making slower and more bloated code. They're like a gas: expanding to fill all available space. If they release an upgrade or a new version of some software, they don't just fix the broken bits and make it easier or faster to use than before, they do some of that, and then throw in some bloated eye candy that doesn't do anything.

      This means the user can choose between an old, fast, half-usable version, and a new, slow, more-functional version. They could of course make a new, fast, functional version, but there's no money to be made in that. Glitter and hype sells, functionality doesn't.

    17. Re:Why will I want to upgrade? by StormUP · · Score: 3, Informative

      For one, if you use SCSI, Windows 2000 has a bug where it ignores the write_through flag. Windows XP correctly honors this flag. Some people complain that XP has "poor SCSI performance" because of this, but it is just doing what it is supposed to have done all along -- Namely write the data directly to disk rather than cache(usually to prevent possible data loss or corruption) when the applications ask it not to use the cache. This obviously results in a performance hit, but it is DOING THE RIGHT THING. Sure, in most cases for most users this doesn't matter and most users don't even have SCSI, but this is an important feature for some applications that is BROKEN in Windows 2000.

    18. Re:Why will I want to upgrade? by bankman · · Score: 3, Insightful
      Parent is marked as funny, goes to show the level of maturity of the mods here.

      You posting this statement here says something about you as well, doesn't it?

      I use XP at work, my box is up for about 20 days now, I even installed MSDE (the lite version of SQL Server) withouth having to reboot.

      Wow, impressive, a desktop box running without a reboot for 20 days and you didn't even have to reboot it to install some "lite" database system.

      A couple of pointers:
      1. Real Men don't brag about uptime until it can be measured in years.
      2. A Real System is never rebooted.

      Viruses or spyware? Never had any, but I know when to delete that "cute screensaver", instead of cliking thorough.

      What are viruses and spyware, and what is this screensaver stuff anyway? BTW, the fact that you have to worry about stuff like "cute screensaver" tells a lot about MS's security approach, don't you think?

      People bash MS a bit too much around here, IMHO.

      Actually MS is not bashed enough for the amount of crap they produce and the headaches they induce, IMHO.

      ;-)

      --
      I feel so sig.
    19. Re:Why will I want to upgrade? by DrSkwid · · Score: 2, Funny

      in Soviet Russia insightful mods you !

      --
      There are places where the networks are not touching,and there are places where they are-Boeing's Lori Gunter
  8. Sweet! by ShyGuy91284 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Where's the torrent?

    --
    In undeveloped countries, the consumer controls the market. In capitalist America, the market controls you.
    1. Re:Sweet! by ciroknight · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Did anyone else think that Microsoft's new Beta distribution system will use BitTorrent?? Saves them lots on bandwidth costs, and it's been proven to work (Blizzard's WoW betas for example). Possible? Likely?

      --
      "Victory means exit strategy, and it's important for the President to explain to us what the exit strategy is." G.W.Bush
  9. Sounds like a PR firm made the info page here... by powerline22 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Reading this makes me want to punch myself in the face with all of the marketing-speak.

    Avalon: new opportunities for developing exciting applications while reducing complexity

    Indigo: radically simplifies how the next generation of connected systems will be built.

    AERO: a new design philosophy that delivers a compelling user experience from the moment users start interacting with the computer to the moment they leave.


    Compelling? I don't want my UI to be a driving force or something like that. I want it to be easy and simple. Exciting applications? When was the last time that Microsoft Excel got your blood pumping and you wanted to scream HELL YEA! THIS IS AWESOME!!

  10. glits? by DoorFrame · · Score: 4, Funny

    I assume that where you wrote 'glits' you meant to write 'bling'.

    1. Re:glits? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      No, I'm pretty sure he meant 'gling'

  11. At least they added a new feature by noidentity · · Score: 5, Funny

    Let's just hope Microsoft doesn't remove this beta management system by the time Longhorn is released, as has happened to so many other features.

  12. let me explain something about longhorn... by C0vardeAn0nim0 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    here in brasil (and maybe other latin countries like italy too) is said that a man cheated by his wife or girlfriend has "horns". so what makes microsoft think that i'll want "long horns" ???

    --
    What ? Me, worry ?
    1. Re:let me explain something about longhorn... by 25albert · · Score: 3, Funny

      I can confirm that it is the same in French. To "have horns" means to be cheated on by his/her partner. But since the French don't speak barbaric languages and expect the barbarians to learn a civilized language instead, they will not understand "longhorn", so it won't matter.

    2. Re:let me explain something about longhorn... by jumpingfred · · Score: 2, Insightful

      the nova sold well in Latin America. Strangely people were able to understand that nova was different from no va.

    3. Re:let me explain something about longhorn... by Glonoinha · · Score: 4, Funny

      Now why I want an OS named after a breed of cattle... I can't answer.

      Maybe the guys writing it worship cows or something?

      --
      Glonoinha the MebiByte Slayer
    4. Re:let me explain something about longhorn... by Jester99 · · Score: 4, Interesting

      It's named after a bar.

      XP was code-named "Whistler," a large ski mountain north of Redmond. The next version of Windows was therefore suposed to be codenamed "Blackcomb" -- the other mountain in the ski area. Except that Blackcomb's feature list got so long, they realized it'd take them five or more years to pull it all off, so they decided to split the more neccessary features into a release that'd come out sooner than Blackcomb. The obvious choice of name for this release is called Longhorn -- the bar that sits between the Whistler and Blackcomb mountains. :)

      So when you think Windows, think beer!

    5. Re:let me explain something about longhorn... by yuriismaster · · Score: 4, Funny

      Kimarhi not have long horn.

      Biran with long horn BREAK Kimarhi's horn.

      Kimarhi will have beta OS, defeat Biran's long horn.

  13. Already got this... by intmainvoid · · Score: 5, Funny

    With all the features dropped recently, can't I just participate in the beta with my copy of XP?

  14. Re:Send them back. by DoorFrame · · Score: 3, Funny

    Yes, because running an operating system makes you a slave. A SLAVE!

  15. You need to be re-educated. by Saeed+al-Sahaf · · Score: 2, Funny

    Clearly you need to be re-educated. Please navigate to Microsoft.com and follow the links.

    --
    "Who are in control, they are not in control of anything - they don't even control themselves!" - Glen Beck
  16. Wrong name by iamdrscience · · Score: 4, Funny

    Longhorn? More like shoehorn, the way they're trying to cram all these new "features" into it.

    With all the visual frosting MS is laying on Longhorn is turning into an episode of "Pimp my OS"

  17. Disclaimer and marketing hype history.. by 3seas · · Score: 3, Insightful

    "This Web site describes current aspirations, scenarios, and advancements being considered for the family of future Microsoft Windows client operating system offerings, code-named Longhorn. There is no guarantee, implied or otherwise, concerning final Longhorn release features or attributes. This statement of the Longhorn aspirations was last updated April 25, 2005."

    and what do we know of MS marketing hype history?

  18. I heard that... by daviq · · Score: 2, Funny

    maybe something might work...but that idea is far out...

    --
    Go to the w3.org and put Slashdot.org through the validator.
  19. Screenshots of build 5203 by queezle · · Score: 4, Informative
    1. Re:Screenshots of build 5203 by BioCS.Nerd · · Score: 2, Funny

      I see they still haven't fixed that bug that causes Windows to be hideously ugly when you turn your computer on...

  20. Bah! This is Microsoft, remember? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    They're starting the alpha now-- the beta test doesn't begin until it's on store shelves, and lasts until SP1 (what they SHOULD have shipped as the final product) is released.

  21. Wow, great! by ratta · · Score: 4, Funny

    How much will i have to pay to try the beta?

    --
    Wondering why i am doing so strange posts? I am trying to get a "+5,Flamebait" or "-1,Insightful" rating.
  22. Why... by Dante+Shamest · · Score: 2, Funny
    When was the last time that Microsoft Excel got your blood pumping and you wanted to scream HELL YEA! THIS IS AWESOME!!

    ...when they got rid of Clippy of course.

  23. You have not seen excited? by DebianDog · · Score: 3, Funny
  24. ahem... by dwntwnboi · · Score: 2, Informative

    from the page footer:

    "This Web site describes current aspirations, scenarios, and advancements being considered for the family of future Microsoft Windows client operating system offerings, code-named Longhorn. There is no guarantee, implied or otherwise, concerning final Longhorn release features or attributes. This statement of the Longhorn aspirations was last updated April 25, 2005."

  25. I can't wait by WormholeFiend · · Score: 5, Funny

    to see which color they picked for the Screen of Death.

  26. Most secure? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

    It says that W/Longhorn will be "the most secure version of Windows ever." Didn't they say that about W/XP?

  27. Re:i'm in! by FuzzyBad-Mofo · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Think of it as "working for MS without getting paid."

  28. Urban Legend by Junta · · Score: 2, Funny

    http://www.snopes.com/business/misxlate/nova.asp

    Favorite example:
    Would you refuse to buy a dinette set called 'Notable' because, obviously, it says there is "no table"?

    --
    XML is like violence. If it doesn't solve the problem, use more.
  29. Questions for those with access to the beta by earthbound+kid · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Did they fix the "Shut do..." menu? Did they get rid of the 16-color icons sprinkled into the last version? Are they still putting the menu bar under the location bar, but above the toolbar for no discernible reason? Does the UI still suck?

    I know the last alpha or whatever that people had screenshots of was supposed to be for testing driver or whatever, but holy crap, it was a total UI train wreck. Just ugly, with styles mashed together at random, for no reason.

    So, has it been fixed? Or will that be in Longhorn SP2?

  30. Re:can anyone tell me a single compelling reason.. by Professor_UNIX · · Score: 2, Insightful
    why joe average user would want or need longhorn?

    Because it will be bundled with every new computer they buy. Eventually the Windows XP update source will be shut down so you won't be able to get security patches. You'll either need to upgrade or risk having your machine be easily exploitable.

    Oh oh oh!! I have an even better one... Microsoft could deactivate your copy of Windows XP or shut down their Windows XP activation process so you can't re-activate new installations once you upgrade your machine. That would be pretty devious of them and probably get them in trouble with the government again, but we're completely at the whim of Microsoft when it comes to installing XP on new machines (unless you have some corp licensed copy or a cracked copy of course).

  31. A very incomplete list off the top of my head by martian67 · · Score: 2, Informative

    * Replacement of Win32 with.NET, even explorer.exe is running as managed code in the leaked betas. I can't even begin to list the advantages of this..NET is great, and with Mono making great strides in the language specification, any language will be able to compile intermediate.NET code, and code from different languages will operate together without a care. * Avalon--presentation system that is completely hardware-accelerated and vector-based. One video showed two Notepads rotating around while still completely usable at the same time a video played in Media Player. Old apps will be compatible. * XAML and other technologies--I've said it before, but it was just such a cool example. During an MSDN video (freely available at the site), the dev used Win32 Emacs to write a 10-15 XAML app that let him update his blog, complete with resized vector graphics and a video of moving clouds looping on the background of the window, all using the command-line.NET compiler. * WinFS will still exist. They're just cutting a few features that will probably be re-introduced in a service pack anyway. WinFS is incredibly exciting--one WinFS dev went to the command line and did a query for certain employees within the last week, and it came up in less than a second. No more brute-force searching. Also, no file drives. And yet, they're retaining folder and drive structures in case you want to operate that way. * Aero--this is their top-secret interface yet to be unvieled. See, Longhorn has multiple tiers of visual operation. If you can't handle the effects, it scales back to a lesser tier, going all the way down to an unaccelerated 2D inteface like that of Windows 2000. Aero is the top tier and is supposed to be, according to them, "photorealistic" and will be a new interface for Windows taking advantage of 3D acceleration. They said they don't want to reveal any of it until release because they fear it will be ripped off by competitors (a fair judgment considering all the ripped-off Start menus and taskbars on standard Linux desktops...).

    1. Re:A very incomplete list off the top of my head by Wade+Tregaskis · · Score: 3, Interesting

      "One video showed two Notepads rotating around while still completely usable at the same time a video played in Media Player. Old apps will be compatible."

      MacOS X 10.2, August 23, 2002.

      http://www.atzenbeck.de/research/wildWindows/
      http://homepage.cs.latrobe.edu.au/wjtregaskis/Rota ted%20Windows.sitx

    2. Re:A very incomplete list off the top of my head by Furan · · Score: 2, Informative

      That was Longhorn in 2003. The shell is not managed. WinFS is not shipping with the OS. And .net is not replacing win32.

  32. Re:can anyone tell me a single compelling reason.. by Jesus_666 · · Score: 2, Funny

    We're talking about Joe Average User; of course he has a cracked version. Non-cracked/non-corporate Windowses are only used by corporations...

    --
    USE HOT GRITS WITH STATUE OF NATALIE PORTMAN (NAKED AND PETRIFIED)
  33. Wow. by Kingpin · · Score: 4, Funny


    Quite impressive as XP obviously isn't even out of beta yet.

    --
    Unable to read configuration file '/bigassraid/htdig//conf/14229.conf'
    Geocrawler error message.
  34. Re:Send them back. by satoshi1 · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Then they'd bad-mouth it and say how awesome their Ubuntu machine is.

    Um. Yup. That's what'd I do. And I'm not even a Linux zealot ^_^

  35. Copy Of Invite And Link To Screenshots by monkeyman_67156 · · Score: 5, Informative

    Dear Microsoft Beta Tester,

    We are pleased to offer you an early preview of Windows, Code-Name "Longhorn," by extending this invitation to join the Longhorn beta program. Your participation is completely voluntary. Longhorn Beta Program participants will preview software for the next generation of Windows as well as Internet Explorer 7 for Windows XP and Windows Server 2003. If you choose to participate you will have the opportunity to provide Microsoft with feedback as we continue work on these exciting new releases.

    What is Windows Code-Name "Longhorn"?

    The next version of Windows, Code-Name "Longhorn," promises to be the most secure and intuitive Windows release to date. It delivers on the promise of allowing people to use their computers more effectively and confidently to achieve their goals and pursue their passions. It offers new tools to help protect the integrity of your system and your information, easier ways to find, visualize and organize your information, and provides better integration across applications, devices and systems.

    Longhorn will provide advancements in the following key areas:
    - A strong focus on the fundamentals of the operating system, including advancements in reliability, performance, deployment, and ease of use.
    - Major improvements to help PC users to work smarter and provide exciting new experiences for home users.
    - The next-generation developer platform to make it easier for developers to create breakthrough applications.

    What you can expect if you choose to participate:

    You will be notified by email this summer when the software becomes available to test. The beta software will be available via download. If you elect to receive mailed releases, only major milestone releases (Beta1, Beta 2, etc) will be sent to you.

    Participants can expect access to Windows, Windows Server, the Windows Driver Kit the Platform Software Development Kit as well as Internet Explorer 7 for Windows XP and Windows Server 2003. We may make other software available as well, and it's important to note that some of the above software may not be available immediately after the program gets underway.

    http://anyweb.kicks-ass.net/computers/os/windows/l onghorn/lh5203/install/index.html

    http://anyweb.kicks-ass.net/computers/os/windows/l onghorn/lh5203/post/index.html

    http://xerocool.innereyes.com/general/longhorn_520 3_screenshots.php

    ed2k://|file|lh5203screens.rar|12596567|016AAB080E 47E029C881677C8CE15B56|h=5UIG4BNLHRXSATG6CZWF5WZV5 QR2Y3M2|/

  36. trade invitation by elmartinos · · Score: 5, Funny

    Will trade 50 gmail invitations for one longhorn invitation

    1. Re:trade invitation by bcmm · · Score: 2, Funny

      I'm wondering which of those is more worthless.

      Some invitations you can from almost anyone or the right to use a buggy version of Windows XP...

      --
      # cat /dev/mem | strings | grep -i llama
      Damn, my RAM is full of llamas.
  37. When? by Mad+Ogre · · Score: 2, Funny

    When can I get my burned copy of the "Corporate" edition?

    --
    MadOgre.com
  38. VMware by Low2000 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Can anyone tell me if current beta tests of longhorn run under VMware and if so, under what settings? Thanks

  39. Re:Sounds like a PR firm made the info page here.. by ThyPiGuy · · Score: 4, Funny

    With comments like that you can't be taken seriously. If you actually ever sat down and used excel to its full potential you would find that it has some incredible features. I use it everyday, and no, it has never once crashed. And yes, some times I do want to scream, hell yea this is awesome. The Microsoft bashing is getting to be a little excessive. Everyone else doing it doesn't make it cool or right. Get a grip.

  40. Re:It's not for consumers... by Hosiah · · Score: 2, Funny
    "It's not for consumers..."

    You could pretty much say the same for every MS product.

    *grin, duck, run*