Microsoft Posts (Then Pulls) Windows Vista Product Guide

A week after providing its massive Windows Vista Product Guide to its Technology Adoption Program (TAP) members, Microsoft posted the documentation on the Web. The product guide is a 313-page overview of the features of Microsoft's next-generation OS.

"The Windows Vista Product Guide provides a comprehensive overview of the innovative features and functions that make Windows Vista the next-generation Windows client operating system and successor to Windows XP," Microsoft's Fred Pullen wrote in a blog entry. "This guide also provides information about the benefits Windows Vista offers diverse users, as well as information about the different editions (SKUs) available."

The Windows Vista Product Guide is available only in XML Paper Specification (XPS) format. Therefore, to read it, you'll need either Vista or XP with its new XPS Viewer. You can find direct download links to the Windows Vista Product Guide and the XPS Viewer on Fred Pullen's blog.

Direct download links to both the Windows Vista Product Guide and the XPS Viewer can be found on Fred Pullen's blog.

Update
Yesterday, I linked to Fred Pullen's download of the Windows Vista Product Guide. According to Pullen, he's had to pull (ahem) the download. "Although we had permission from one of its sponsors to post the Windows Vista Product Guide to the TS2 Community Site, it isn't quite ready for public consumption so I was asked to remove the link," he notes in his blog. "If you were lucky enough to download the 'sneak peek' preview, enjoy! We'll provide access to the guide after it becomes publicly available."

End of Article

There is a standalone version of the XPS Viewer available for Windows 2000, called "XML Paper Specification Essentials Pack (Beta 1)."

Check it out here:
http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/xps/viewxps.mspx

kpaetow April 11, 2006 (Article Rating:

)

Cool. Microsoft is just now publishing a document on an OS (that's still 3 quarters away) that might have been relevant 3 or 4 years ago.

Excuse my pessimism, but the closer Vista's release gets and the more I think about it, I can't help but feel Vista is almost totally irrelevant. Perhaps, I'm wrong.

mwrisner April 11, 2006 (Article Rating:

)

Windows Vista! Now with eight product editions and even more retina-burning blue! As a bonus for users with $500 video cards, you get OS X's plastic highlights! These are "innovative features!"

Windows is a toy OS.

bonch April 11, 2006 (Article Rating:

)

From the linked website:

"The Windows Vista Product Guide provides a comprehensive overview of the innovative features and functions that make Microsoft® Windows Vista™ the next-generation Windows client operating system and successor to Windows XP. ... Definitely a must-read! ... So, where’s the guide? ... it isn’t quite ready for public consumption so I was asked to remove the link."

Oh. My.

"Isn't quite ready for public consumption?" Honestly, Microsoft, how many years has Vista been in development? You need a compelling reason for people to upgrade, and NO ONE SEEMS ABLE TO PROVIDE IT except to say "It will be more secure", which is the mantra you've trotted out ever since Windows 3.1--and look where we are today.

This is getting ridiculous. If Microsoft had approval ratings, I'm sure they'd be lower than GW Bush's right now. And THAT is sad indeed.

lotsamystuff April 11, 2006 (Article Rating:

)

""Isn't quite ready for public consumption?" Honestly, Microsoft, how many years has Vista been in development? You need a compelling reason for people to upgrade, and NO ONE SEEMS ABLE TO PROVIDE IT except to say "It will be more secure", which is the mantra you've trotted out ever since Windows 3.1--and look where we are today."

Honestly, a simple web search will tell you the new features in Vista:

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsvista/features/default.mspx

anonymous April 11, 2006 (Article Rating:

)

"It will be more secure", which is the mantra you've trotted out ever since Windows 3.1--and look where we are today.

Well, XP is definitely more secure than 3.1 or 3.11 or 95 or 98 (probably even 2k). Give the company a break, will you? The list of features is available at the link anonymous provided. You can also check out the review of the feature complete version at Paul's winsupersite. What more do you want? By the way, you'll be glad (or disappointed?) to hear that Windows live is doing well.

shark47 April 11, 2006 (Article Rating:

)

"Windows Vista! Now with eight product editions and even more retina-burning blue! As a bonus for users with $500 video cards, you get OS X's plastic highlights! These are "innovative features!"

Windows is a toy OS."

Im starting to think that you have a hidden Windows fetich.

salival April 11, 2006 (Article Rating:

)

I have to TOTALLY agree with bonch and lotsamystuff. Windows Vista has gone beyond joke status and hit the realm of sad. Eye candy and a few overhyped features are not compelling reasons to upgrade. Because of the wide business base, WinXP will continue to receive security updates for the foreseeable future.

Vista was neutered of its best feature long ago when WinFS was stripped from the OS. Meanwhile it has been made irrelevant by the likes of Copernic Desktop Search along with Google's offering ... even MSN beat Windows to the punch in this area.

All of which is why Microsoft is developing a sad excuse for a "nex generation" operating system.

mwrisner April 12, 2006 (Article Rating:

)

It's getting a little TOO common that Microsoft documents get posted and then "pulled." Are they trying to get public feedback on things before officially committing to them?

bonch April 12, 2006 (Article Rating:

)

"Give the company a break, will you? The list of features is available at the link anonymous provided. You can also check out the review of the feature complete version at Paul's winsupersite. What more do you want?"

I want Microsoft to give me 30 seconds of why I should upgrade to Vista.

Hey, it's something even Microsoft bloggers can't do ( http://minimsft.blogspot.com/2006/03/interesting-incoming-comments.html) :

"In the meantime, some homework: why is Vista better than XP?

If your non-techie friend or financial advisor or Mom asked you that question, what are you going say?

"I only ask because recently I was watching a video of a speaker at Microsoft. During the Q&A, he asked that question of a lady Microsoftie in the audience. Not only could you tell her brain was momentarily frozen (uhhhhhh), you could feel that the entire crowd hit a panicked brain freeze. The lady then came up with an almost apologetic answer saying the Vista is more stable, safer, and faster than XP.

"Ooo, ouch. Not great talking points. And no one kicked in anything better."

Huh. Vista is stable, safe and fast? What's wrong with XP?

Seriously. Give me a compelling reason.

lotsamystuff April 12, 2006 (Article Rating:

)

See More Comments 1 2

You must log on before posting a comment.

If you don't have a username & password, please register now.