Windows Vista Review

Its been nearly four years since Microsoft Corp. released Windows XP, and itll be at least another year before the next-generation Windows client—the newly named Windows Vista—hits the streets. However, now that Vista has reached its initial beta release, we have a chance to see what Microsoft has been doing in all that time—and how much remains to be done.

In both instances, it looks like quite a bit. Following eWEEK Labs tests of Build 5112 of Windows Vista, we can say were pleased overall with the direction in which Microsoft is taking its flagship product, but we also note that there are many wrinkles left to iron out during the year to come.

For instance, it appears that Windows Vista will be the release in which Microsoft finally gets serious about enabling regular users to run with appropriately constrained system privileges, but the quirks we encountered while using Vistas limited-privileges mechanisms left us flummoxed at times.

Companies with access to the Vista beta (MSDN subscribers have access now, and Microsoft will broaden access with Beta 2) should set aside at least one test system to begin locating possible application incompatibilities and determining whether Vistas new features merit a prompt deployment once the final version ships.

Next Page: Hardware requirements.