Do you remember Windows Vista once?

Windows 7, with its improved user experience, leading innovation technology, and rapid execution efficiencies, has long surpassed Windows XP and other operating systems to become the most market-share operating system. But behind Windows 7 scenery, who remembers Windows Vista?

In the 2007-year January 30, Microsoft officially launched Windows Vista for individual users. The landmark operating system, which cost Microsoft tens of billions of dollars, invested in engineers and spent more than 5 years to develop, contains many innovative features, a lot of innovative technology, and even a far-reaching impact on the future.

I. Birth

Some of Microsoft's employees like skiing. Whistler and Blackcomb are two big ski resorts in British Columbia, Prov., Canada, and Longhorn are just a bar between two mountains.

Just before Windows XP was officially completed, Microsoft announced that it would begin the development of the next-generation operating system Blackcomb, and that a transitional version of Longhorn would be released in about 2003 years ' time. Whistler

In WinHEC 2002, Microsoft announced that it would include a new program interface, graphics architecture, network technology, and storage technology, and it was clear that its positioning had changed significantly-from a transition version to an important version.

Since then, there have been some unfortunate leaked versions of Longhorn compiled on the web, with innovative technologies or features such as WinFS, Avalon, Indigo, Desktop Window Manager, Windows Sidebar, and so on for the first time.

At the same time, because of the frequent vulnerabilities of Windows XP and vulnerability to malware, computer viruses, cache overflows and other issues, Microsoft has put forward the concept of "trusted Computing", which requires the company mind to work together to solve security problems.

Microsoft has put some research and development effort into developing Windows XP SP2 because of its desire to prioritize Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 security. It was eventually launched in August 2004, including a strengthened version of the firewall, Internet Explorer 6, and new Data Execution protection, Windows Security Center, and other features to support Bluetooth technology and improve Wi-Fi support. This makes Longhorn's development plan delayed.

The new resource manager, modern Installation interface, download Manager, virtual folder (library) and other more functions are appearing on the Longhorn. Thanks to WinFS's addition, Microsoft wants to use new data storage technologies to rewrite various system components and Office products office.

In May 2003, WinHEC 2003, Microsoft released some details of Longhorn to outsiders. One of the highlights of the Aero interface is the newly designed user interface, including Windows Aero (glass appearance), Windows Flip 3D, live thumbnails, new fonts, and so on.

As more and more technology or functionality is added to the Longhorn, the development plan becomes elusive, and the team loses direction.

When Microsoft Vice President, Windows development director Jim Al also strongly hope that the company can restart the development process as soon as possible, because developers will have a variety of functional features randomly integrated into the system core, and the final product lack of a clear goal, Longhorn development has been "completely finished."

On WinHEC 2004, Microsoft released Longhorn build 4074, the last publicly released Longhorn build before the restart plan, which provides a new set of system icons (Windows Aero) and a new set of system fonts (Segoe UI).

Microsoft later announced that Avalon, Indigo will be integrated into WinFX (later. NET Framework 3.0, Next-generation program Interface), and support Windows XP and Windows Server 2003. The WinFS is removed and released separately. Unfortunately, it ended up announcing a stop plan after only one Beta release.

In August 2004, Jim Al sent e-mails to employees announcing the restart of the development process, and the code base would be based on Windows Server 2003 SP1, not Windows XP. He has also made sweeping changes to make the development plan work faster.

Subsequently, Microsoft disclosed information about DirectX 10, the Windows Experience Index, and tested various Longhorn independent versions internally, such as Starter, Home, Business, Ultimate, etc.

On WinHEC 2005, Microsoft released the Longhorn build 5048, which first adopted the Windows Aero interface. However, because the function of the previous version of the sharp cuts, many people do not agree, but also some people think that this is a setback.

July 2005, Microsoft announced the official name of Longhorn Vista. The word Vista, derived from the Latin vedere, contains "vision", "outlook", and is consistent with its slogan "Bring Clarity to your world." Jim Al also excitedly said: "Vista for the new system features a beautiful picture, can maximize the imagination of people, ignite the user's passion." ”

During the Beta phase, Vista features are gradually becoming clearer, with new resource Manager, indexed search, parental controls, WinFX, sidebar, new Media Center, New Press Player, new Windows Movie Maker, Windows Defender, Windows Mail (Outlook Express), Windows Calendar, Windows Photo Gallery, new Internet Explorer, performance tuning tools, XML Paper Specification (XPS), enhanced speech recognition, Hundreds of exciting new features are being added to Windows Aero, game Management Center, DirectX 10, ReadyBoost, BitLocker, user Account Control, and more.

In the RC phase, Microsoft has made many improvements to Vista based on the various feedback from testers, and has eliminated many bugs and responded enthusiastically.

Microsoft announced on November 8, 2006 that the Vista development plan was officially completed.

Ii. Redemption

Microsoft's high hopes for the launch of Windows Vista have not been as fast as Microsoft would like to occupy the market. Because of its high hardware requirements, high memory footprint, poor backward compatibility and other issues, was rated as "flashy." At the same time, designed to enhance the security of the user Account Control, but also criticized. For a time, its reputation fell to the bottom, and even was ridiculed by rivals.

To enhance the stability and compatibility of the system, Microsoft released its Windows Vista SP1 in January 2008. Although all sorts of problems have been greatly improved in this version, but because its negative image has already been popular, has been powerless.

2008 Microsoft conducted an interesting experiment called "Mojave experiment". In the experiment, Microsoft showed testers a next-generation operating system code-named "Mojave" and asked them to compare it to Windows Vista. Surprisingly, testers are extremely Mojave, and Windows Vista is not recognized, who knows that this Mojave is Windows Vista.

Perhaps that is why Windows 7, which is not quite so different from it, can be quickly popularized. Many times the user's view of Windows Vista is artificially distorted, and is artificially affected, such as the problem of memory footprint, which is the user's misunderstanding of SuperFetch and other memory management technologies.

April 2009, Microsoft released Windows Vista SP2, not only fixed some vulnerabilities, but also added some new features to improve Windows Vista.

Later, Microsoft by virtue of Windows 7 release a snow before shame, wash the company image, out of the shadow of failure.

Iii. significance

Windows Vista, while not widespread in the end, has made a huge contribution to Microsoft's future offerings, such as the popular operating system, Windows 7, which is based on its development, such as SQL Server 2008, which incorporates some of the features of WinFS.

Windows Vista is Microsoft's first operating system with 64-bit and 32-bit support; it is the first operating system that can only be installed on NTFS partitions; it is the first operating system that attaches great importance to the user experience ...

It is now a long time to launch, and it is time to enter the history museum. But we should not forget the great contribution it has made to us, to the enterprise, to Microsoft. It is a great revolution in the history of personal operating systems.

(Hasty, if there is a mistake, welcome to criticize, the text of the view does not consider the other series of operating systems)