Windows Vista Beta 1

Microsoft has released Beta 1 of Windows Vista (the Operating System Formerly Known As Longhorn).  It's available as an MSDN download.  If you just want to know what Vista is all about, I recommend these two pages.

For a very brief overview: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/07/28/_vista_beta1/

For a pretty good in-depth review: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,,1840816,00.asp  Don't miss the SlideShow, which you start by clicking its icon near the beginning of the article.

I am looking forward to any and all improvements to my operating system.  I see lots of good stuff in what I've read on the above web sites.  I do find it interesting that:

• Microsoft has had to scrap so many features originally slated/announced for Longhorn.

• Microsoft released Beta 1 of a product for which the UI is apparently not at all finished and so many other features that aren't available/don't work yet.  I thought that was more the definition of an Alpha release.  But I can see Microsoft wanting to get something out there to generate excitement; they have plenty of nay-sayers/detractors that are quick to read something negative in everything they do.