New Windows Standard Theme in Windows Vista

Many community members have expressed concerns over the visual experience of the Windows Basic theme, and, we heard you loud and clear. In fact, we too wanted something better, and we've overhauled this theme with an all new version. For those who haven't been following the discussion, let me brief you on the issue.

Source and screenshot: http://blogs.technet.com/windowsvista/arch.../06/440510.aspx

Post Beta 2 Vista Improvements

As we come into the home stretch in the Windows Vista development cycle, we've got a lot of stuff left to do to make this the best Windows release ever. As we do this, we wanted to take a moment to thank you for your feedback and give you an idea of the ways you're helping. We've gotten feedback from all types of people - general consumers, IT Professionals, enthusiasts - you name it -- from all around the world.

Some of the development teams came to me and asked that we share a sampling of the changes that we've made based on your feedback.

While some of these changes may seem small, when you realize that they will affect hundreds of millions of people -- and in some cases, those people will notice the benefit every time they use the operating system -- well, in all it's really pretty awesome. Here are just a few of the changes we've implemented as a direct result of your feedback from Beta 2. Many of these changes are in recent post-Beta 2 builds, and all will definitely be included in our RC-1 release.

http://blogs.technet.com/windowsvista/arch.../28/443839.aspx

burn the iso file.

don't open/extract it with winrar

http://www.jkg.in/34-how-to-obtain-the-win...al-for-free.htm

1. Go to this website and pick a country and click "go"

2. Input your hotmail email and password and sign in.

Beta 2 keys work for RC1

This post has been edited by fariz: Sep 12 2006, 07:13 PM

http://www.iexbeta.com/wiki/index.php/Wind...2FDVD_Authoring

try Ashampoo Burning Studio, it's as good as Nero 6

This post has been edited by fariz: Sep 14 2006, 11:01 AM

from Paul Thurrott

Exclusive: Here Comes Windows Vista RC2

Microsoft this Friday will ship the final pre-release version of Windows Vista and, unexpectedly, will name the release as Release Candidate 2 (RC2). Previously, Microsoft had publicly asserted that it would not ship an RC2 milestone release of Windows Vista. But don't let the name fool you: RC2 is really just a standard interim build of Vista and will not be given out to millions of users as was RC1.

The RC2 build is 5743, and Microsoft is currently testing it internally. As with the previous interim build, 5728, RC2 will be given out to beta testers, MSDN and TechNet subscribers, and a random, limited selection of Consumer Preview Program (CPP) members.

anyone free on 14/11?

http://www.microsoft.com/malaysia/events/sneakPreview/

leaked, as usual..

Windows Vista R2 "Fiji"

-The UI will be updated with things that were originally promised for Vista, along with a more powerful sidebar, which will be more than just a dock for widgets (a.k.a. gadgets)

-.Net Framework will be updated to 3.5 (or maybe even 4)

-WinFS will be applied over NTFS to give us Virtual Folders (or maybe just Saved Searches)

-All bundled application will be updated to newer versions

-Tighter integration with Windows Live. Probably through 'Codename Nemo', a media center application thats integrated with Messenger, Spaces, and probably lots of other Windows Live Services.

- We might see Monaco, a music authoring tool, similar to Apple's Garageband.

- Default playback of HD-DVD (maybe even Blu-ray), Vista currently identifies these disks but cannot play them without an external decoder.

-A more advanced Speech Recognition

-NGSCB will be implemented to make the system more secure.

-New themes, icons, wallpapers, games, and minor tweaks to almost everything.




Windows Vienna

-The current interface will be completely stripped, no more explorer shells, and taskbars. No start menu. Probably no toolbars, or menus (which already started with Vista).

-Speech Recognition will become a major input device (though it may not replace the keyboard and mouse) and will be supported by most third party applications

-Many projects from Microsoft's R&D will come into play, especially from their VIBE research center. A pie-menu is rumored to be used.

-WinFS (or its sucessor) will replace NTFS. No more drives, or files/folders location to worry about. File Management will be done through applications, which will automaticlly index and sort the files they support.
-Even bundled applications will evolve a lot (compare WMP6 with WMP11).

-Search will part a huge part in Vienna, (even in Vista Search can be used to find a file/application without browsing for it)

-Applications with non-managed code will run in a sandbox mode (like IE7 does in Vista), so that security exploits in a single application doesn't affect the entire OS.

Source: http://jameskyton.wordpress.com/2006/12/29...iji-and-vienna/

you can switch interface.. don't use Aero

Yahoo To Preview Messenger For Windows Vista

Yahoo will give users a preview of what it will be like to use a new and improved version of Yahoo Messenger on Microsoft's Windows Vista at the 2007 International Consumer Electronics Show this year. Yahoo will show off an early version of Yahoo Messenger optimized for Vista, with new features that take advantage of some of the user interface enhancements Microsoft has added to the OS.

"It feels very much at home as though it's living and breathing in Windows Vista," said Joshua Jacobson, a Yahoo senior product manager, of the version of Messenger built for Vista. The company plans to release a beta of the application in the second quarter of 2007, and a final version should be available four to six weeks after that, pending feedback, he said.

Source: PCWorld

Preview: http://messenger.yahoo.com/windowsvista.php

The first Vista Ultimate Extras are now available. Hold Em Poker and BitLocker and EFS Enhancements form part of 22 new Windows Updates released tonight for Windows Vista and Ultimate.