Microsoft Releases Test Version Of New Windows Vista Software
REDMOND, Wash. -- Microsoft Corp. released the first major test version of the Windows Vista operating system on Wednesday, giving a limited number of programmers and technology professionals the opportunity to test drive the highly awaited -- and much delayed -- program.
The "Beta 1" of Windows Vista, formerly code-named Longhorn, was being delivered to more than 10,000 developers and others who will test the software and provide feedback. It's the successor to Windows XP, which launched in October 2001.
The beta version does not have all the features that will be in the final product scheduled to hit store shelves in late 2006. Rather, it focuses on fundamentals such as security and overall manageability.
It includes new user account protection so that users are given only the privileges required to do their work. This mirrors a similar security scheme used by Apple Computer Inc.'s Mac OS X and the Linux operating system.
The beta also includes data protection technology that is expected to reduce the risk that data can be viewed by unauthorized users -- even if it's on a stolen or lost laptop. The technology relies on encryption keys stored in a specialized chip.
It also ships with Internet Explorer 7 -- an update to Microsoft's ubiquitous Web browser that will include protection from malicious Web sites and viruses.
Vista also comes with an outgoing firewall, as well as incoming filtering. Windows XP and Service Pack 2, a major security upgrade released last summer, only have an incoming firewall.
Microsoft also said the test version includes numerous performance improvements, including faster startup and an improved "sleep" state that combines Windows XP's standby and hibernate modes. Eventually, Vista's features will include better ways to visualize data, such as seeing through windows that are stacked atop each other, more natural file organization and faster searching. Microsoft said Beta 1 includes an early look at some of those new designs.
The next beta of Windows Vista is scheduled to be released later this year. Microsoft plans to make that version available to a much wider audience.
Wednesday's release actually arrived slightly earlier than originally expected. When the Vista name was announced last week, the company said the beta would ship by Aug. 3.
But the final version has repeatedly missed deadlines. The successor to Windows XP was originally scheduled to ship in 2004 -- a target that was pushed back to 2005 and, now, 2006.
微软发布Windows Vista首个测试版
微软(Microsoft Corp.)周三发布了Windows Vista操作系统的第一个主要测试版本，允许少数程序员和技术专家测试使用这个人们企盼良久、却又姗姗来迟的程序。
Windows Vista的“Beta 1”测试版被送到1万多名开发员及其他人员手中，他们将对此进行测试并提供反馈意见。该软件的原开发代码为“Longhorn”。这是2001年10月推出的Windows XP的换代产品。
测试版并不包涵最终产品的所有功能，而是更多集中于安全性和整体可操作性等基本功能。新产品将在2006年年末上市销售。
这个测试版中包括用户帐户保护功能，用户只能根据自己所需完成的工作来获得相应权限。这种安全设计同苹果电脑公司(Apple Computer Inc., AAPL)的 Mac OS X以及Linux操作系统类似。
测试版中还包括数据保护技术，预计此技术能够减少数据被未授权用户看到的风险，甚至能够保护被盗或者遗失电脑上的数据。此技术依赖于存储在特别晶片上的密码。
新操作系统可以运行新的网页浏览器Internet Explorer 7。Internet Explorer 7是微软独家发布的IE浏览器的新版本，这个版本可以保护用户免受恶意网站和病毒的困扰。
测试版中还包括一个向外的防火墙和一个监控外来程序的过滤程序。Windows XP和去年夏季发布的重要安全补丁程序Service Pack 2中只包涵一个监控外来程序的防火墙。
微软还表示，这个测试版本的性能也在许多方面有所改善，如启动速度更快，且待机休眠状态有所改善等。
最终，Vista的性能将包括以更好的视觉效果展示信息，比如说能够透视那些重叠在一起的窗口、更为自然的文件管理方式、以及更快的搜索功能。微软称，Beta 1中包括上述新设计中的一些雏形。
下个测试版本将在今年晚些时候发布。微软计划向更多用户发布下一个测试版。
周三的发布实际上比早先预期略提前了一些。该公司上周宣布Vista这个新名字时曾表示，测试版会在8月3日发布。
不过其最终版本的推出时间已是一再延迟，最初计划的是2004年，之后推迟到今年，如今发布日期定在2006年末。
