Can Chris Jones save Longhorn?

Microsoft brings back "the closer" to run the Longhorn project

http://www.microsoft-watch.com/article2/0,1995,1833182,00.asp
from WinCustomize Forums

Microsoft has brought back veteran product closer, Chris Jones to manage the Longhorn project. Chris Jones was one of the primary forces behind getting Whistler (Windows XP) out the door.

He replaces Joe Peterson in managing Longhorn's day to day movement towards release.

"Chris Jones…was brought back from COSD to save the (Longhorn) product," said one source.

Longhorn has seen a number of features removed during its beta journey including WinFS, the Business Framework, the Side bar, the scripted shell, and other elements. Longhorn is currently scheduled for release in mid-2006. The first public beta is due out this Summer.

Mary Jo Foley has more..

19,227 views 46 replies
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Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top
When you think about it what MS is trying to do is STAGGERING....creating a totally new file system, GUI - all 3D, & doing it to accomodate BOTH 64 & 32 bit platforms simultaneously with slower scaled down versions for the multitude of PC's out there - that was never a concern with any Win9x or Xp programs. A monumental nightmare when you take into consideration computer technology changes at JET SPEED - I'm glad I'm not on that team with Cris Jones - no one will leave the building with any hair left! I'll bet most of those people are lucky to get 4 hrs sleep per day!
Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top
the Side bar

Is the sidebar really out of the final, or is it just that assumption has been made because I wasn't in the last preview?
Reply #6 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Why bother with Longhorn, MS has spent 4 years building a big patch for XP
Reply #7 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Perhaps a more relevant question is, does longhorn NEED to be saved?
Reply #8 from WinCustomize Forums Top
When you think about it what MS is trying to do is STAGGERING....creating a totally new file system, GUI - all 3D, & doing it to accomodate BOTH 64 & 32 bit platforms simultaneously with slower scaled down versions for the multitude of PC's out there - that was never a concern with any Win9x or Xp programs. A monumental nightmare when you take into consideration computer technology changes at JET SPEED - I'm glad I'm not on that team with Cris Jones - no one will leave the building with any hair left! I'll bet most of those people are lucky to get 4 hrs sleep per day!




WinFS is the totally new file system.....and thats been cut from long horn.

All windows is doing is a new API. They have not done a lot either way you look at it.
Reply #10 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Is the sidebar really out of the final, or is it just that assumption has been made because I wasn't in the last preview?


Yop! Good riddance as far as I'm concerned. A memory hog that was!

All windows is doing is a new API. They have not done a lot either way you look at it.


When you look at it, try removing your skewed and ignorant lens. That'll save us a lot of disinformation. Thanks.
Reply #11 from WinCustomize Forums Top
When you look at it, try removing your skewed and ignorant lens. That'll save us a lot of disinformation. Thanks.

Calling Ka806 ignorant is ridiculous. Have you actually read any of his previous posts?
Reply #12 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Yep read'em all. Claiming that all Windows Longhorn will add to existing Windows features is a new API is ridiculous and has no basis in fact. Beta 1 is not even out, hence the ignorant attribute to his pretending to know something while clearly MS hasn't gotten round to demonstrating anything yet. Besides WinFS will be added for free shortly after Longhorn ships. I, for one, would prefer to wait than force a hurried schedule implementation of the new file system on them, thereby risking the entire OS stability. However I agree with those who think MS should have delayed the release (further again) of code named Longhorn in order to allow enough time for the developing team to successfully implement the new file system and eventually make it available right at OS release!
Reply #13 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Fair enough.

WinFS will be added for free shortly after Longhorn ships.


Untrue, it'll be released (for want of a better word) about the time that Blackcomb comes out.
Reply #14 from WinCustomize Forums Top
WinFS will be added for free shortly after Longhorn ships


WinFS Beta 1 will be available shortly after Longhorn release.

Untrue, it'll be released (for want of a better word) about the time that Blackcomb comes out.


I thought the Blackcomb project had been dropped or now served as a codename for a future Windows Server release.
About WinFS final build: from what I read MS wasn't so inclined to give any date. From what I gathered it could well be a year or two following Longhorn release when WinFS goes final. I stand corrected.
Reply #15 from WinCustomize Forums Top
if chris can't, they'll put a call out for grace. you older folks may understand that lame attempt at humor.
Reply #16 from WinCustomize Forums Top
could be that Longhorn is just full of broken dreams and hopes. They have pulled a few things out of the release so until we see them in later builds who knows where they are going with this ? I pretty much like the new indexing features but aside from that all I have seen is a few tweaks to the explorer shell. I'll have to wait for the release candidate copy's to be shown off before I'll decide on an upgrade - but I have Windows XP MediaCenter 2005 so I can't really think of upgrading until a 'longhorn' mediacenter build is released which I believe is just called Windows Media Center 2006 ?
Reply #17 from WinCustomize Forums Top
A couple things...

WinFS, despite its name, is not a new file system. The Longhorn file system will still be NTFS. WinFS is a OS component that indexes files for easy search like Google Desktop Search or Apple's Spotlight do.

Second, there is no guarantee that Longhorn will sell all that well on anything but brand-new computers. Half of all Windows installations are Windows 2000 despite XP being available for 4 years now.
Reply #18 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Half of all Windows installations are Windows 2000 despite XP being available for 4 years now.


I find that hard to believe.

No, check that. I find it impossible to believe.

Do you have evidence of this?

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Reply #19 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Heh you damn right Im ignorant.
BUT i do know whats what and I have been around.
And I DO know that microsoft is one of the last companies to fail in the face of the hype it produces.
Microsoft has said a lot of things will be in Longhorn. And After reading and reading, a lot of things have been cut.
What besides the damn API is coming out with Longhorn. I have not read on anything big that MS is doing with Longhorn.
No Im not going to wait on betas and waste my time, no Im not gonna wait on longhorn to be released, buy the damn thing and realize that nothing new is in there. Im going on what MS is telling me, the customer. When MS goes around and flaunt their next project, I look at what they say, and set that as my bar, and i notice that lowering the bar about 20 feet is an accurate depiction of how the product will turn out.

So yeah you can try the betas, and you can actually wait for the OS to come out and preach MS love by yelling out "JUST WAIT JUST WAIT". But if you dont read what MS is actually saying their longhorn, then you shouldnt mention my ignorance
Reply #20 from WinCustomize Forums Top
A couple things...

WinFS, despite its name, is not a new file system. The Longhorn file system will still be NTFS. WinFS is a OS component that indexes files for easy search like Google Desktop Search or Apple's Spotlight do.


This I would think to be true, because It will be hard as hell to implement a whole new filesystem after the OS has been release. In fact its damn near impossible because when reformat a partition as a new filesystem, it has to get wiped.
Reply #21 from WinCustomize Forums Top
And this is the first time that I claim that all longhorn has is the API. Cause seriously thats all it looks like Longhorn is changing. I was real excited for Monad, but that got the axe .

Guess OSX and leapord will still be leagues ahead when longhorn comes out.
Reply #22 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Guess OSX and leapord will still be leagues ahead when longhorn comes out.


And Linux of course.
Reply #23 from WinCustomize Forums Top
hehe whoops i meant to say linux instead of leapord =P
And by linux i meant distros not the kernel =P
Reply #24 from WinCustomize Forums Top

In fact its damn near impossible because when reformat a partition as a new filesystem, it has to get wiped.

Fat32 can be converted to NTFS without a reformat...

Chances are that the same will apply with any new MS file systems in the future...

Reply #25 from WinCustomize Forums Top
So yeah you can try the betas, and you can actually wait for the OS to come out and preach MS love by yelling out "JUST WAIT JUST WAIT". But if you dont read what MS is actually saying their longhorn, then you shouldnt mention my ignorance


Hey don't get all worked up about like nothing! By the time Beta 1 is released Longhorn will be about 35% complete. And I did read about Longhorn, enough to know that the partial GUI is quite a recent development in several years of developing. I sense a lot of frustration in your posts, it clouds your judgement. But make no doubt I know you will make the final purchasing decision.

WinFS, despite its name, is not a new file system. The Longhorn file system will still be NTFS. WinFS is a OS component that indexes files for easy search like Google Desktop Search or Apple's Spotlight do.


Absolutely incorrect. WinFS is a new file system and has nothing to do with the upcoming faster desktop search engine. It may only make it more efficient once available for implementation in Longhorn, which at first will be shipped with NTFS (which you rightly pointed out).

Second, there is no guarantee that Longhorn will sell all that well on anything but brand-new computers. Half of all Windows installations are Windows 2000 despite XP being available for 4 years now.


False. Although this statement of yours needs to be checked, it may only apply to business customers. Definitely not the general average customers.