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(Via Tom Archer) The much anticipated December Community Technical Preview of Windows Vista has been released. It’s build 5270, available in x86 and x64 versions, and the downloads are listed here. They include:
WinFX Runtime Components (RTC) – WinFX redistributables (runtime binaries) for executing WinFX applications
Windows SDK – Includes the header files, libraries and help documentation for developing the next generation of Windows applications. Note that this release (and all future releases of the Windows SDK includes the WinFX SDK).
Visual Studio Code Name “Orcas” CTP WinFX Development Tools – provides developers with support for building WinFX applications using the final released version of Visual Studio 2005. This support includes XAML Intellisense support through schema extensions for the editor, project templates for the Windows Presentation Foundation and the Windows Communication Foundation, and WinFX SDK documentation integration. New to this CTP is a preview of the Visual Designer for Windows Presentation Foundation (code name “Cider”).
Windows Vista – substantial advance in Windows with significant innovations in the developer platform. Combining Windows Vista and the Windows SDK makes it easier than ever before to build applications that are more secure, reliable, and manageable.
There’s more by following the link, but note that all of the above except Windows Vista itself are publicly downloadable. Vista is only available to MSDN Universal subscribers and official beta testers. Robert McLaws reports that it may be a couple of days before it actually appears on MSDN. ActiveWin has some screenshots and a detailed list of new features.
Update: Nate Mook has a good overview of new features at BetaNews.
As anticipated, Microsoft has released Beta 1 of Exchange 12, their mail and calendar server product, and confirmed that the final version may ship as late as early 2007. Press release:
Microsoft Corp. today announced the release of Microsoft® Exchange “12″ Beta 1 — the code name for the next version of its leading server for e-mail, calendaring and unified messaging, to a select group of testers. Exchange “12″ will reduce the cost and complexity of the messaging system by providing more control for IT administrators, more value and expanded inbox access for end users, and increased security and compliance for organizations. With the release of Beta 1 — a major development milestone that gives customers, original equipment manufacturers, independent software vendors and systems integrators worldwide the opportunity to preview and provide feedback on Exchange “12″ — Microsoft is on track to make the final release generally available in late 2006 or early 2007.
There’s a list of enhancements by following the link and at the Exchange 12 web site. Microsoft had announced in November that Exchange 12 will run on x64 64-bit systems only.
Stephen Lawson at InfoWorld:
For the first time, Microsoft Windows was the leading OS in new servers in the third quarter, as the overall worldwide server market grew a robust 8.1 percent, market research company IDC said Tuesday.
After a long period focused on cutting costs and buying servers just to run current applications, enterprises are once again investing strategically in systems to handle future workloads, said IDC analyst Matt Eastwood. IT organizations are once again being asked to support real growth, he said.
…
Sales of Windows systems accounted for 36.9 percent of all server revenue in the quarter, versus 31.7 percent for Unix and 11.5 percent for Linux, Eastwood said.
Gartner reported slightly slower server revenue growth, but both said the biggest growth was in servers priced under $25K. IBM, HP, and Dell (in order) have the largest shares with Sun now relegated to 4th place.
Much more by following the link, but also of note:
Processors with 64-bit capability are leaping to the forefront of the x86 server market, according to IDC. In the third quarter, 69 percent of all x86 servers sold had 64-bit-capable processors, compared with just 9 percent a year earlier, Eastwood said. Most of those chips are still running only 32-bit applications, but enterprises are investing for the future, he said.
Vendors switching over to exclusively x64 offerings has something to do with it too.
I’ve already mentioned the Great Plains and Enterprise Desktop Search announcements but there’s more:
Microsoft Corp. today kicked off its premier European conference for IT professionals, IT Forum 2005, in Barcelona, Spain, by announcing a range of new software technologies and applications.
…
Muglia made several product announcements during his keynote address.• As part of its commitment to 64-bit computing, Microsoft has been delivering products that are optimized for 64-bit, including the newly released SQL Server™ 2005, Visual Studio® 2005 and Virtual Server 2005 R2. To help customers take full advantage of the power of 64-bit computing, products including Microsoft® Exchange Server “12,” Windows Compute Cluster Server 2003, Windows Server™ “Longhorn” Small Business Server, and Microsoft’s infrastructure solution for midsize businesses, code-named “Centro,” will be exclusively 64-bit and optimized for x64 hardware. In a future update release to Microsoft’s upcoming Windows Server “Longhorn” operating system, code-named Windows Server “Longhorn” R2, customers will see the complete transition to 64-bit-only hardware, while still benefiting from 32-bit and 64-bit application compatibility. For the highest-scale application and database workloads, Windows Server on 64-bit Itanium-based systems will continue to be the premier choice for customers for years to come.
Now that is a shock, and not only will Exchange 12 and Longhorn Server R2 be 64-bit only, but that forces everything built on top to go 64-bit too like the SMB offerings. Harold Wong has some Q&A on Exchange 12.
Also announced:
- “Microsoft has released to manufacturing (RTM) Virtual Server 2005 R2, which will be available in volume licensing and retail the first week of December.” (This was expected, but not the prices: “Microsoft will be offering Virtual Server R2 Standard Edition for $99 (U.S.) estimated retail price and Virtual Server R2 Enterprise Edition for $199 (U.S.) estimated retail price. This new pricing represents Microsoft’s commitment to making server virtualization more accessible to customers at the lowest price point.”)
- “Windows Compute Cluster Server 2003 Beta 2 is now publicly available.” (We’ll likely hear more about this today from Bill Gates. More here and here.)
- “The company announced the December RTM of System Center Capacity Planner 2006, which brings an unprecedented level of functionality and flexibility to the process of performance analysis and planning of Exchange Server 2003 and Microsoft Operations Manager (MOM) 2005 system deployments. Microsoft also detailed plans for a midmarket offering called System Center Essentials. The new product will bring the commitment of the Dynamic Systems Initiative to midsize companies, allowing them to easily and cost-effectively secure, update, monitor and track their IT environment and better support end users.”
System Center used to be a planned product, but now it’s the new brand for Microsoft management products.
