Microsoft has released the first "developer's release" of Windows 95--
code-named "Memphis"--to testers. Windows 97 is expected to include many
new features, including:
* Fat32 and all of the improvements from the OSR-2 release of Windows 95
- FAT-32 supports large hard disks with a single partition of as much
as 2 terabytes and includes updates to the FDISK, Format, Scandisk, and
Defrag utilities. Interestingly, Microsoft is also contemplating the
release of two versions of Windows 97--one that includes FAT32 and one
that does not. FAT32 support will also show up in Windows NT 5.0, due
late this year or in early 1998.
* Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) - combines advanced
power management and Plug and Play.
* Internet Explorer 4.0 - adds a new view style to the Explorer interface
and creates Active content on the desktop.
* OnNow - housekeeping chores such as backing up local drives and
defragmenting hard disks by scheduling a "wake-up call" to the desktop
after the system has been turned "off" by the user.
* Windows Driver Model (WDM) support - individual devices, such as
networking cards, sound cards, the monitor, and the modem, are now
controlled by a set of drivers that are compatible with Windows 97 and
Windows NT. New software updates are automatically downloaded over the
Internet.
Apparently, Microsoft is moving away from releasing operating system
upgrades every two years and toward a subscription model where upgrades
are downloaded automatically as they are introduced