Windows Vista

* Windows Vista Logo
* Windows Vista Background

Windows Vista is an OS that was released on 30th January 2007 (RTM on November 30th 2006 or declared in later timezones on 31st January 2007 and December 1st 2006). It was the first OS to implement Aero and DWM, with an updated kernel of 6.0 and use the 6xxx builds. It is known to have 2 development cycles of post-reset and pre-reset, the pre-reset named as a codebase the OS Windows Longhorn, but then was reseted. In build 5112, the OS was renamed to Windows Vista and Windows Longhorn became the codename of the OS instead.

## Development

The OS started with Windows Blackcomb, an OS that was known to be released in late 2002, featuring new .NET source code in File Explorer, Avalon applications, Plex theme and WinFS. Windows Blackcomb was going fine in project, making Blackcomb Server, which was shortly cancelled. After that, Blackcomb was also cancelled, because it didn't reach the right release date and has been complete already. Then they cleared Windows Blackcomb and started with a new project, Windows Longhorn. Longhorn is a restaurant behind Whistler and next to Blackcomb, making it the middle release and the next official successor of Windows XP. Windows Longhorn started in development after the cancellation of Blackcomb, at the start of Fall 2002, with Build 3683, which introduced many of the features from Windows Blackcomb, except for the .NET source code. The sidebar has been implemented, too with the Desktop Composition Engine.

### Milestone 3

Since Alpha was Milestone 1 and 2, Milestone 3 came after build 3683. The first build was build 3706, implementing an updated Windows Explorer, Sidebar and Plex theme, including the Trust Manager and the aurora background. Later Milestone 3 builds, implemented an updated sidebar, a new PLEX themed taskbar, Windows Explorer and Media Center.

### Milestone 4

Milestone 4 didn't last long and has started in development since the start of 2003 until the start of Spring 2003. Milestone 4's first build was 4001, implementing the Pre-Installation Environment, a Wizard-themed set-up and a majorly updated OOBE. Build 4002 is the most known, implementing the new clock in the new taskbar, updates to the Sidebar and the Milestone 4 background. Build 4005, implemented More Longhorn branding and some updated widgets in the sidebar. Build 4008 implemented the new Plex title bar, more Longhorn branding, a majorly uplifted Sidebar and Parental Controls. Build 4011 (The last), implemented an updated boot screen, to have Longhorn branding, new improvements to Parental Controls, a new Sidebar interface and other new features and enhacnements, including a more highlighted context menu.

### Milestone 5

Milestone 5 also didn't last long since it started in late Spring of 2003 and ended in Mid Summer 2003. The first build known for Milestone 5 was build 4015, implementing a brand new log-in screen, an updated sidebar, updated Control Panel, Trsut Manager, Windows Explorer etc. Later builds until 4029 implemented slowly new enhancements made for the next public build. The next public build, 4029 (Not Lab06\_n), implemented a brand new clock in the sidebar, an updated Log-in screen again and many more new enhacnements that slowly resemble M6, including the update PLEX themed Set-up. Milestone 5 builds, also used a newer Aurora, with the Milestone 5 background introducing it.

### Milestone 6

Milestone 6 was the last Milestone that didn't last too long and lasted from Mid Summer 2003 to Mid Fall 2003. The first build known for Milestone 6 (Albeit not being public, but mostly known or leaked) is build 4029 (Lab06\_n), which implemented lots of new views of Windows Explorer, new M6 branding, updated Sidebar and new programs. Build 4034 was the public version of build 4029 (Lab06\_n), but with an increased build number. Build 4039, the pre-last Milestone 6 build, removed the new clock from the new taskbar and moved it to the clock widget of the Sidebar, making also more new enhacements and removing most views in many programs. Some toolbar icons in Windows Explorer have been also updated. It also implemented a dummy progressbar for the Set-up, too. Build 4042 was the last (without Lab06\_n) which was the public version, with a higher build number of build 4039.

### Milestone 7

Milestone 7 was the only largest Milestone Microsoft has ever done for Windows Longhorn, because of the cancellation of Longhorn Server, Aero, Jade and .NET source code. This Milestone lasted from Mid Fall 2003 to Summer of 2004. The first ever build of Milestone 7 to be compiled was build 4042 (Lab06\_n), which implemented the Slate theme, updated Log-in screen and boot screen, including the implementation of Sticky Notes. Later builds, 4048, implemented the updated Slate-themed Set-up and the removal of the OOBE, because of non-functionality. Build 4051 implemented the move of the logo in the log-in screen to the top, instead from the bottom, removing the silver background in it and the introduction of the ARM64 architecture (x64) with a completely updated Segoe UI and TrueType font UI. Build 4066, which was the public build of build 4063, implemented new updated system cions for Recycle bin and Windows Explorer, including updated system ribbon icons, with the implementation of the Jade theme and the Aero Stars Theme, with a new UI in a few programs and applications, with a whole complete x64 archtiecture. Build 4074 is the most known Windows Longhorn build, implementing an entire updated DWM, updated Windows Explorer, updated Windows Messenger, the leaves wallpaper and a new redesign for the Aero theme, including the introduction of the .NET source code for Windows Explorer, with an implementation of the secret boot screen, that was removed in later builds. Later builds (after 4074), implemented new fixes, removals from the feature creep, the Mountain Tree wallpaper and an entirely updated Display Porperties window. The next public build and the last known Milestone 7 build before reset, build 4093 has been implemented, implementing the XAML themes, a new sound card tray icon to the Slate taskbar, new improvements to the Start Menu and Speech Recognition, with also more removals of the feature creep and lots of new fixes.

## Post-Reset

Development of Windows Longhorn has been reset, because of the unstableness, laserness and many parts of the feature creep, before they knew to release it. Reset has began before a few days ago from the release of build 4093, with a build of 3790, similar build number to Windows Server 2003's RTM. The second and first ever public known Post-Reset build was 5000, which is similar to the previous build, except for a higher build number (5xxx) and a new warning after booting up the OS. Build 5001 implemented back the longhorn mention with an ox presented in the Bliss wallpaper.

### Beta 1

Since after build 5001, Microsoft really wanted to return many features of the feature creep, though returning half of them to introduce the other in the next future release of Windows (Windows 7). The 1st ever known beta 1 build was build 5048, compiled in April Fools of 2005 (Not a prank). It implemented back the Jade theme as the default theme, most of the updated system icons, x64 and other, removing the Windows XP Tour, the XP themes and MSN Gaming Zone, since they were still kept during pre-reset development, including replacing the bliss wallpaper with a Skyscraper wallpaper. The next public build, 5098 has been implemented, with an updated Speech Recognition, Control Panel, Windows Explorer, Jade theme, log-in screen, Set-up, OOBE and interface, along with many new interface changes to Aero and lots of updated programs., including replacing the skyscraper wallpaper with a wallpaper, reminiscent to the bliss wallpaper, but really cropped, named as the grass wallpaper, which will be kept until Beta 2 build 5231. The last Beta 1 build, 5112, implemented lots of updates to the sound input and pipelines, including the renaming from Windows (Codename Longhorn), to Windows Vista.

### Beta 2

After build 5112, Microsoft managed to make branding as Beta 2, as Beta 1 had a huge cycle development of the Longhorn mention to the Vista mention, since they wanted the OS to be released as soon as possible after development reset. The first build, 5212 has been implemented, implementing lots of new programs, an updated Aero taskbar etc., with an updated timebomb. Also the new system tray icons in the taskbar are now also slowly taking place. Build 5219, implemented the RTM notification bubble in the taskbar, more updated system tray cions and new Windows Vista branding in Winver. Build 5231 implemented lots of updated programs, including Windows Antispyware, updated Control Panel and the updated Photo Viewer, including an updated Start Menu that looks closer to the Start Menu saw from build 5259.

The next phase for Beta 2, is now to implement lots of new references of Vista from the RTM, starting with build 5259, it implemented the Start Orb, a whole updated Set-up and OOBE, Start Menu, a search box to the Start Menu, the new canyon wallpaper (An alternative, compared from the one in RC), an updated Aero and Jade taskbar, lots of new updated programs, the new aurora logo, Windows Experience Index etc. The next build, 5270, implemented new improvements to Control Panel, as opposed with the new banner and improvements to applets, new rich Network and Battery icons in the taskbar, RTM icons, except for the folder ones, updated Windows Explorer and replaced the entire Jade theme with the Aero Basic theme. Build 5308.6 implemented an updated boot screen and the Start Orb is now finally showing up after it. Many new changes were also made, such as many new refinements to the log-in screen, slowly resembling the RTM, Ease of Access, an updated Start Menu, updated Personalization into the Control Panel etc. with an updated Set-up, OOBE, Sidebar and other. Later builds implement an improved Ease of Access buton, an updated Winver resembling the RTM, lots of new improvements to Control Panel, new refinments to a few of the programs and other. Build 5384 is the last Beta 2 build, implementing an updated Sidebar and Control Panel improvements.

### RC (Windows Vista Release Canditate)

After Beta 2, in Summer of 2006, Microsoft decided to now make Release Candidate builds of Windows Vista, in order to finish entirely the OS from its stuck development. Build 5435 implemented an updated Sidebar that resembles the final release, the watermark in the log-in screen, an updated Updated Set-up and many new counterparts that resemble the final release. Build 5456 is the next, which implemented the Aero cursor (not enabled by default, until later builds of 5466) and other new improvements to programs and Control Panel. Build 5466 implemented the Sky Blue color in the default Aero Basic window title bar, new improvements to Control Panel, new and updated widgets for the Sidebar and the busy aero cursor applying to most parts of the log-in screen, making it now resemble the RTM. Later builds, implement the finalized boot screen, the final iteration of the Start Menu, the show hidden icon system tray and fly out, the alternated canyon wallpaper and any other.

Later RC builds, implemented the final iteration and shading of the folder icons and the final iteration of the new widgets to entirely resemble the RTM.

### Pre-RTM (Before Release)

Before the release, a Pre-RTM build has been released in October of 2006, build 5840, which changed entirely the xp sound scheme to the one heard from Vista, with changing the canyon wallpaper and finalizing it to the aurora wallpaper saw from the final release.

### RTM

After build 6000, Microsoft wanted (since it can be divided with 16) to finally release the OS after awhile in Novemebr of 2006 and then worldwide on January 30th 2007.

## Service Packs

### Service Pack 1

Service Pack 1 has been implemented (Build 6001) in 2008, which enabled the Aero theme by default, fixed many counterparts, changed the copyright date from 2006 to 2007 and changed the Set-up wallpaper, to match respectively with the log-in screen.

### Service Pack 2

Service Pack 2 has been implemented (Build 6002) in 2009, which decreased the often times of the UAC pop-up and fixed a lot the performance and made the system requirements available and for older PCs, while they were the same, with fixing many counterparts and upgrading DirectX. .NET Framework has been also upgraded to 3.0.

### Service Pack 3 (Security Roll-up)

Service Pack 3 or the Security update of Windows Vista (Build 6003) has been implemented in 2019, which increased security and introduced modern privacy for suspicious files, malware and viruses, while the OS was out of support at that kind of time, when it ended on April 11th 2017.

## Myths

Many people believed that since the development of Windows Vista, Windows Longhorn was using its own sound scheme, while that is incorrect. While testing a VM of any Longhorn build, you will see that the sound scheme is still the Windows XP sound scheme until build 5840. This sound scheme was used inside a Samsung product and Samsung never themselves back then with Microsoft talked with them to put their own smartphone's sound scheme into Windows Longhorn. If this happened, then the sound scheme could be correct. Most Windows Expert fans do make the sound scheme seem real, while its not in the reality. Though that's not the fault of Windows Expert's fans, but Windows Expert himself (and others, we're not forcing him) to start doing some research. Its ok if you won't read this!

Beta 1 never used a unique boot screen system sound (a glorifying angelic sound with on-going rhythm). This sound was used in a Speech Recognition tutorial back in 2006 and was never confirmed to be the real beta 1 start-up sound. It used the xp start-up sound instead yet.

Beta 2 also similar to beta 1 used the xp start-up sound, instead its unique start-up sound (a canyon themed sound). This canyon themed sound is used in one of Windows Vista's themes (jingle) and was never confirmed to be the real beta 2 start-up sound at all.

Many people have created concepts of the Longhorn 2003 commercial, with the phrase of (Look were we started.) These though commercials are not real and are concepts that were made in later years after Windows Vista's release. Also Microsoft didn't claim these to be real, as they didn't have any estimated schedule commercial to be released for Longhorn, except for the one that was shown since the 2003 concert.

## Commercials

The normal Windows Vista commercials, were simply 3, one the first official one with the first look of the phrase (The "Wow" starts now), the 2nd talking about the features of Windows Vistaa and the higher HD version posted later. (The 3rd isn't listed in the gallery and will be linked in the references instead for proof).

Windows Vista Commercial - The "Wow" starts now.Windows Vista Commercial
## Criticism

Windows Vista has been criticized for its system requirements, making XP laptops and desktops look crappy and ditching them to buy new laptops and desktops for its system requirements. As saw from Vitsa6002's Windows Vista Dies Remastered video, the part of "There's a reason why you belong here Vista" has been heard as a phrase in many people and many people agree on that part as this OS is optional for people to upgrade as estimated XP support will end in April of 2014, so they have still the chance to upgrade to Vista or buy a new laptop to upgrade to it. Because of this, SP1 has been made, but people were still criticizing the OS because of the system requirements not being fixed, making it yet a shamed OS in many people. When SP2 was released, many people really liked it, because it fixed many of the performance, instead of going to the counter parts and fixed the issue were UAC was popping up too often, making people recommended to upgrade to Windows Vista at that kind of time. Though there wasn't that much time, as then Windows 7 came out shortly at the fall of 2009 and many people upgraded to Windows 7 instead, instead of Windows Vista. It was also criticized, because of the visual effects and the lag the screensavers make and lots of detail to the widgets and the ability to not move them, including the part from when maximizing the window title bar with the Aero Glass theme enabled, the title bar will show blank. Though, after all that, the OS is one of the legends that were ever made, but the other or the modern ones are still loved and cannot end out of support already, they need an a 2nd chance and its ok if we treat them as humans, because they're here for a reason and system requirements need to get strict for a sad and accurate reason at the same time.

## References

1.Fake Longhorn sounds: (93) Microsoft Codename Longhorn Fake Sounds - YouTube

2.Fake Longhorn sounds, claimed real in this video: (93) All Windows Longhorn Sounds ᴴᴰ - YouTube

3.Fake Windows Vista beta 1 startup sound: (93) Windows Vista Beta 1 Startup sound (Animated) - YouTube

4.Fake Windows Vista beta 2 startup sound: (93) Microsoft Windows Vista Beta 2 Startup Sound (animated) - YouTube

5.Windows Longhorn development (Pre-Reset) Education by Mjd: (93) The Windows Longhorn Upgrade Saga! (Upgrading Through Pre-Reset Builds) - YouTube

6.Windows Longhorn development (Post-Reset) Education by Mjd: (95) The Windows Longhorn Upgrade Saga [Part 2]! (Upgrading Through Post-Reset Builds) - YouTube

7.Windows Vista 3rd commercial: (96) Windows Vista Commercial - The "Wow" starts now. - YouTube

8.Windows Vista Korean commercials: (96) Windows Vista Korean Commercials - YouTube