Windows Longhorn

Longhorn is Microsoft's code name for the next version of its Windows operating system, to follow on from Windows XP and Windows Server 2003. It is currently expected to ship sometime early in 2006, and include many important new features and technologies.

Table of contents

1 Technologies 2 Features 3 System requirements 3.1 Aero Glass experience 3.2 Aero experience 3.3 Classic experience 4 References 5 External links

Technologies

Microsoft labels the key new technologies as "The Pillars of Longhorn", which are:

• Fundamentals: new developments to the basic structure of the operating system to integrate new concepts including the .NET framework, further support for digital rights management (DRM), an application deployment engine ("ClickOnce"), and the Trustworthy Computing initiative (trusted computing).
• Avalon: a new user interface subsystem and API based on XML, .NET, and vector graphics, which will make use of 3D computer graphics hardware and Direct3D technologies.
• Indigo: a service-oriented messaging system to allow programs to interoperate, as part of the .NET framework.
• WinFS (short for either Windows Future Storage or Windows File System): a combined relational database and filesystem, based on the next version of SQL Server (codenamed Yukon) and NTFS, which will provide abilities to represent objects and their relationships, rather than just a hierarchy of files and folders.
• WinFX: a new API to allow access to these new features, replacing the current "Win32" API (see Windows API).

Features

Additionally, Longhorn will include many other new features, including:

• a completely re-designed user interface, code-named Aero. The new interface is intended to be cleaner and more aesthetic than previous Windows interfaces. The most visible addition to the interface is the sidebar, an area at the side of the screen consisting of tiles which display dynamic information about whatever window is currently in the foreground; this is to some extent an extension of the "system tray" on the Windows task bar.
• a new command-line interface called MSH, and codenamed Monad. It combines the Unix pipes and filters philosophy with that of object-oriented programming.
• full support for the "NX" (No-Execute) feature of processors. This feature, present in AMD's AMD64 architecture, can flag certain parts of memory as containing data instead of executable code, which prevents overflow errors from resulting in arbitrary code execution. This should not be confused with trusted computing facilities provided by a so-called Fritz-chip.
• built-in DVD recording capabilities. Including Mt. Rainier support.
• a new installation program that will install Longhorn in about 15 minutes.

System requirements

Graphics requirements are defined in relation to three different desktop experiences.

Aero Glass experience

This graphics mode includes support for 3D graphics, animation and visual special effects that delivers the richest experience possible in Longhorn. Consequently, this graphics mode requires the following:

• At least 64 MB graphics memory (128 MB is recommended)
• Support for at least 32 bits per pixel
• Support for advanced 3D hardware acceleration with capabilities equal to DirectX 9
• A graphics card that uses AGP 8X or PCI Express 16-lane bus

Don't fret if you don't have this setup on your computer currently - remember, Longhorn is coming out in 2006-2007 whereas it will be hard to find graphics cards lower than those specifications.

Aero experience

This graphics mode delivers the minimum hardware acceleration for the Longhorn user experience and is the minimum required for new systems.

• Windows XP Driver Model (Longhorn Display Driver Model is recommended)
• At least 32 MB graphics memory
• Support at least 32 bits per pixel
• Support 3D hardware acceleration with capabilities equal to DirectX 9
• A graphics card that uses AGP 4X or PCI Express 8-lane bus

Classic experience

This graphics mode is equivalent to the user experience in Windows 2000. In this mode, Longhorn uses software rendering to display graphics instead of a graphics card. If the system running Longhorn does not meet the hardware requirements for Aero or Aero Glass, this mode will be used.

History of Microsoft Windows

Windows: 1.0 | 2.0 | 3.x | NT | 95 | 98 | Me | 2000 | XP | Server 2003 | CE | PPC | WM | Longhorn | Blackcomb

References

• Graphics Hardware and Drivers for Windows "Longhorn". (April 30, 2004). Retrieved June 10, 2004 from http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/device/display/graphics-reqs.mspx

External links

• Microsoft Longhorn Developer Center -- Developer information on Longhorn at MSDN.
  • The Pillars of Longhorn
  • Microsoft Longhorn SDK -- Documentation of the Longhorn APIs made public so far at MSDN.
• Paul Thurrott's SuperSite for Windows -- Detailed information regarding Longhorn, including screenshots.
  • PDC 2003 Section -- Information regarding Longhorn build 4051, released at PDC 2003.
• Longhorn Blogs -- Non-corporate, community-based initiative of Microsoft's next version of Windows