Microsoft Windows Longhorn (Vista beta & RC)

Drone · May 17, 2021

Windows Longhorn was the pre-release codename for Windows Vista and was the successor to Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 (built from NT 5.2 codebase). Development on the OS started in May 2001 and went through two unique development cycles separated by a development reset in 2004. The reset occurred as Microsoft's development staff had lost focus on the project as a whole and what was required to be done in order to bring it to market. Features were being written into the OS at an alarming rate with a significant lack of QA or vision of true requirement. This combined with Microsoft's trustworthy computing initiatives caused the reset.

Several features of Longhorn planned that were actually shipped include the glass replicating Aero theme (which followed the Slate and Jade themes from earlier builds), along with the Windows Sidebar - although this was shipped as a standalone utility where as most builds (at least in pre-reset) shipped this as part of explorer.exe. Numerous improvements to the Windows Explorer, along with an updated Internet Explorer 7, Windows Media Player 11, instant search, new 3-d games and other items made it into the final version of Windows Vista.

WinWorld: Windows Longhorn Pre-Reset (winworldpc.com)

WinWorld: Windows Longhorn Post-Reset (winworldpc.com)

Microsoft Windows Longhorn Build 3683-5098 collection 92 files : Microdoft : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

The Windows Longhorn/Vista Archive - 3683-6002 - Windows Longhorn Build Archive : Microsoft : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

FreedomEclipse · May 17, 2021

Drone said:
a significant lack of QA or vision of true requirement.

Sounds very familiar

this-windows-10-joke-just-won-the-internet-491641-3.jpg

bogmali · May 17, 2021

Re-opened with a caveat removing links from the OP, can't have them here. Contact OP for DL links.

Atomic77 · Jun 7, 2021

Windows Vista was a interesting operating system. I actually had a computer using it a long time ago.

64K · Jun 7, 2021

Atomic77 said:
Windows Vista was a interesting operating system. I actually had a computer using it a long time ago.

You must have not gotten Vista on release. There were quite a few problems with Vista on release. To be fair to MS not all of the problems were their fault though. Some hardware manufacturers didn't have the drivers for Vista ready to go early on and some PC manufacturers didn't have enough RAM installed in new PCs to run Vista properly. Quite a few people also found the UAC to be annoying.

I was one of the early adopters and after about 2 weeks I just reinstalled XP and kept that until Win 7 got released.

Atomic77 · Jun 11, 2021

I think I got on Vista right at the end of its life cycle. I had a store bought Gateway Computer Tower with Vista on it as far as I can remember.

qubit · Jun 11, 2021

I remember Vista was going to get a high performance database-based filing system, which I found intriguing. However, they couldn't get it to work properly so left it out and it's still missing in action to this day.

I'd really like to know how it would have worked.

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Video Card(s)	NVIDIA MX 330 / Radeon Vega 8
Storage	1TB +SSD
Display(s)	23.8 inch touch screen 17.3 touch screen
Case	DELL AIO / HP LAPTOP
Mouse	Dell Wireless /LOGITECH
Keyboard	Dell Wireless / HP LAPTOP
Software	WINDOWS 11

Microsoft Windows Longhorn (Vista beta & RC)

Drone

FreedomEclipse

~Technological Technocrat~

bogmali

In Orbe Terrum Non Visi

Atomic77

64K

Atomic77

qubit

Overclocked quantum bit

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