Longhorn's first performance

The latest Windows versions, despite being heavily embellished with graphics and search features, have yet to show any significant improvement in job handling.

Microsoft's latest version of Windows Longhorn has been quite impressive, with icons designed in Apple's OS X style and providing more robust ways to find files. However, this new OS has yet to demonstrate a breakthrough in the ability to support work or promised features such as increased security and more "smooth" connectivity with mobile devices.

Let's take a look at the latest 64-bit version of Windows that Microsoft provides for developers (Longhorn build 5048) and refer to the illustration of the next release coming soon. Microsoft has also released the first beta of Windows Vista OS (renamed from Windows Longhorn). August 3 last.

Over the years, Microsoft has tried to achieve three important improvements: the Avalon graphics engine, Indigo technology, allowing programs on PC or other devices to "talk" to each other and a data storage layer. Can create a search index (also called WinFS file system). In the past five years, when faced with the end of 2006 milestone that I set myself, Microsoft has decided not to bring WinFS into Longhorn. The company will introduce WinFS as an add-on at an appropriate time.

So what are the two 'promises' left in Longhorn's original design? A new screen interface called Aero may be just a sign of Avalon graphics in this pre-beta version. Buttons, window frames, title bars and icons are all in the form of 'dynamic', 3D and sometimes transparent objects. Aero brings new life to the Windows interface. Besides, Indigo technology supports improved web services that end users will not notice.

But even if WinFS is not on the upgrade list, Microsoft also took advantage of the NTFS file system that appeared in Windows XP to 'retool' the Explorer utility, enabling users to filter documents by the author, camera type (for photos), or music genre or album name (for music files). The operating system allows creating virtual lists based on these searches, for example, you can see all images on your computer or all Microsoft Word files, regardless of where they are stored and you do not have to type in the search command line. specialized.

Longhorn will also connect better with smartphones (Microsoft does not say whether the phone needs to use Windows Mobile OS), cameras and music devices, improve features integrated into the Explorer utility. and help to move files as well as synchronize data between your PC and these devices more smoothly. However, an absent visitor can easily be recognized in the pre-beta versions of Longhorn, which is a new version of Internet Explorer (although Microsoft said it is about to release an IE7 beta) or a new version of utilities included.

In addition, improvements have been announced, such as the ability to monitor outgoing data (Windows XP's firewall function only monitors incoming data) against spyware, a type of user account. new and more secure PC boot process, but Longhorn has only a few "little" security tools like Windows XP Service Pack 2.

While security is still an unresolved issue, build 5048 gives Longhorn a sharper graphical interface.

MORE EYES

The new Avalon graphics engine includes a programmable interface, allowing Microsoft and third party software vendors to write applications for the latest graphics cards to be able to adjust the screen like rotating, creating a background, blurring the door. Windows as well as creating menus, title bars or other shaded elements, and finally creating Windows looks similar to Apple's OS X OS.

The PC World Magazine testing team tried to activate the features in this Longhorn build 5048 and found them to be very well improved. However, integrating graphics acceleration effects in Windows is a luxury upgrade, not a required improvement if you want to increase operational efficiency. Although the effects in Avalon do not require very strong hardware, a graphics card that is compatible with Longhorn Display Driver Model is required.

Microsoft has yet to announce the minimum configuration that Longhorn requires, but make sure that the new systems on the market run Longhorn and advise users to equip computers with 512MB RAM and 'modern' CPUs. than what Windows XP needs. And by the end of 2006, most PCs will run 64-bit operating systems. Reflecting this trend, all Longhorn versions come in 32-bit and 64-bit versions (Microsoft says it is still wondering whether to put both 32-bit and 64-bit versions on a Tablet PC or a solution system. Media Center or not).

The ability to search, index and file groups is not yet evident in 5048 build. WinFS is expected to create a wide data index system for Windows and other applications on both PC or devices. connect. But WinFS was removed from Longhorn, so the ability to create indexes was narrowed even though Microsoft did not face completely this problem. The familiar folders like My Documents and My Pictures still allow users to organize content according to file attributes, such as by date, size, author, title, subject, keyword, compression rate. (audio file), or camera type (image file).

Unfortunately, Microsoft has not yet expanded the virtual directory list and other indexing capabilities in Longhorn with third-party applications. These programs will have to wait until WinFS appears, at least after Longhorn officially announced for a while.

Perhaps aware of IE's failure to secure security has led millions of users to switch to FireFox by Mozilla Foundation, and to avoid a similar migration to Mac OS X or Linux, Microsoft announced a new initiative. Security is like adding a new user account type. With this account, users can change the system (such as installing device drivers) while still limiting the possibility of spyware penetration.

Buyers of new 64-bit computers will no longer doubt Longhorn's well-crafted interface and support many new devices, especially if security is further improved. If Longhorn has a few more improvements, Windows XP users will have more reasons to upgrade.