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Microsoft is poised to release to testers the second Community Technology Preview of Windows Vista, paving the way for a second full-fledged beta, which is now expected in December. Among the new features that could find their way into the updated build are several Internet Explorer 7.0 enhancements, the resurrected Sidebar task pane, Windows Media Player 11.0 and new networking functionality.
Windows expert Ed Bott clarified that the new CTP 2 build was apparently made available to members of Microsofts elite beta test Technology Adoption Program, or TAP, and not to all members of Connect, a private beta testers group.
In any case, Vista CTP 2 should go to a wider group of Windows testers imminently.
Microsofts CTP product builds are not considered to be beta quality. Instead, they are interim snapshots intended to give testers a glimpse of where particular products are in between full-fledged beta releases. Microsofts developer division has been championing CTP releases for nearly a year.