Longhorn feature set dramatically changed..

from WinCustomize Forums

Longhorn isn't going to be quite the Longhorn we had thought it was going to be.  Faced with looming deadlines Microsoft has had to make some dramatic changes to the Longhorn goal.

So where are they at? For one, WinFS is not going to make it into Longhorn.  It'll come in later.  This being one of the big additions to Longhorn is going to be quite a blow.

The second big change is Avalon. Avalon is the part of Longhorn that third parties have particular interest in as it includes the new compositing engine that could allow users to customize the Windows GUI in ways previously unthought of. 

The good news on Avalon is that it is going to be made into a separate piece that will be able to be installed on Windows XP and Windows 2000. The bad news is that having it become a separate component means that if they don't make their milestones, it too could become like WinFS and be delivered later.

What worries us about putting time constraints on Avalon is that it'll not be done the way it should. If rushed out half-assed, you could end up with something that ends up a "one size fits all" solution.  Where third parties would have to do incredibly hacky things in order to be able to really make use of it.  I'd rather see Avalon come post-Longhorn than to have to write drivers or something to be able to get in there and make use of the Avalon features.

This is especially true if it's going to be something that can be later installed on XP and 2K ala .NET.

5,906 views 16 replies
Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top
What will be the point of Longhorn then? They should just delay the release and deliver it complete, not crippled of its most interesting features...
ObjectDock - Access shortcuts and frequently used applications from an animated dock.
Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top
That really sucks.

Now I'm seriously debating getting Longhorn right when it comes out. WinFS sounded like a very nice feature.
Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I read about this earlier this morning. I think the whole idea of changing the schedule is bad. Putting it on XP is not exactly a great idea from what I read.

I say keep it all on Longhorn 2008. Way off but way better.

I wonder how Apple is looking at this news?

Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top
The good news on Avalon is that it is going to be made into a separate piece that will be able to be installed on Windows XP and Windows 2000. The bad news is that having it become a separate component means that if they don't make their milestones, it too could become like WinFS and be delivered later


Please make correction, it will be available for Windows XP and Windows2003 not for Windows2000.
Reply #7 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I see no point in longhorn anymore, not unless it ships as a complete package. Honestly I have no idea how large corps like MS work, but if they cant finish these projects with as much time as they have, and plan on using, with as much money as they have, theres a problem, and its not Longhorn.
Reply #8 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Developer joetheblow said: I wonder how Apple is looking at this news?

I'm sure they are very excited. Steve Jobs jubilantly stated at WWDC 04 that while Apple's transition to the next-gen operating system is complete, Microsoft is still awaiting that jump, and it may go over worse for them.

OS X Panther is still the only next-gen OS out there, and will be 'till at least 2006, apparently.
Reply #10 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Apple can be happy knowing that no one really cares about their OS in the grand scheme of things. MS won a long time ago and market share proves it. I always wonder if OS X is so much better why aren't there more people switching? It's because it isn't, XP gets the job done more than adequately for the vast majority and now with Avalon and Indigo its life will be even more extended and usher in LH.

Let’s not forget what Apple was switching over from, OS 9, which was a horrible OS. Anyway, enough Apple talk this is a Windows site.
Reply #11 from WinCustomize Forums Top
and i wonder who made u a mod? >
Apple is the only one with the advanced OS but they don`t care about marketshare since they`re a pretty healthy company (5 billion in cash & short termed investments)
iLove Apple, yet i`m a Win user. LH's delay of WinFS and the tinkering with Avalon and Indigo might be the push to make me switch. If the new iMac proves worthy, Apple here i come
Reply #13 from WinCustomize Forums Top
::braces for a good old fashioned Mac/PC flamewar::

ANYways, this announcement pleases me. I like WindowsXP, and don't really want to upgrade. But I want more skinning/graphics features. So, I'll take WinXP+.
Reply #14 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I was really looking forward to the whole package. As many have noticed, upgrades don't always go over very well. If you think SP2 was hard, wait until you see WinFX or Avalon.

If that is going in winXP+ then what is the point of Longhorn? WinXP+ sound like WinME to me. The 'millennium edition' of Windows 98 was not so great. Waiting for 2000 was worth it and XP was worth even more.

I say just keep the schedule running. Improve XP? Of course, but don't turn it into Longhorn XP (Windows ME for short)

All the features that they were talking about being used would take tie and money to get everyone on board. Creeping it out every 2 years won't work for an operating system. Give us the Full Monty!
Reply #15 from WinCustomize Forums Top
^Windows 2000 was out long before ME.

They never said anything about XP+ that's just what people are tagging it, it's still going to be XP but with optional downloadable features, much the same way .NET is an optional download. Longhorn will be fine, I’m sure they aren’t showing their full hand yet in terms of what will and won’t be in it, 2006 is a ways off still. My advice to everyone is to relax and be happy that XP will be getting a breath of fresh air and that your paid investment is lasting a good number of years.
Reply #16 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Yeah, and if any of you have been following it, Windows Longhorn isn't a complete rewrite to begin with. A lot of it is based on the Win2K3 codebase and much of it is componentized anyways so that it could be modular.

It would have been nice if Microsoft could have brought out a brand new product all at once but perhaps in this day and age that's not completely realistic anymore. I like the Mac OS X but if you've followed it and used it...it was basically a beta level OS until Panther 10.3.3 came along. Apple has slowly added enhancements to their OS and continues to do so. I don't fault MS for doing the same thing. It's all relative anyways. When XP came out, it was technically superior to anything on the OS (UI arguments aside). It's apparent that Mac OS X has taken quite a few pages out of Windows XP which each iteration. I don't mind MS adding the Avalon component. It could cause problems...but it could also be ok since it's on an already decently stable platform.