2 replies to this topic

[Nvyseal]

On Tuesday, just days after handing out Vista release candidate 1 to a select number of technical testers, Microsoft announced it will distribute RC1 to current Customer Preview Program testers and post it to Microsoft's MSDN and TechNet sites for download in the next few days.

As Microsoft reaches another major milestone in the five year run-up to Vista, Microsoft also confirmed published reports Tuesday that Brian Valentine, senior vice president in charge of Windows development and 19-year Microsoft veteran, is leaving the company. Valentine will assume a senior vice president's post at Amazon.com beginning in mid September. Last month, Microsoft announced it planned to reassign valentine to another positon after the completion of Vista and appointed Microsoft Senior Vice President Jon DeVaan to lead Windows development in the future.

One Microsoft analyst suggested the code is in good shape but he is not convinced that Vista Enterprise will be ready for volume licensed customers in November.

"RC1 is in the best shape of anything they have shipped for Vista, but in the old nomenclature I would call this at best a Beta Three and not a Release Candidate One," said Mike Cherry, lead Windows analyst at Directions on Microsoft, a newsletter in Kirkland, Wash. "I am always skeptical of a plan that is so good that you know that you are only going to have a single release candidate and then get to golden or release quality code. Instead I think they will do a second release candidate at a minimum and finish up or release to manufacturing sometime in December."

Another partner who declined to be named cited ongoing interoperability problems affecting Vista's interaction with existing hardware and software and potential price issues that consumers may have about the new high-end version, known as Ultimate.

"There are still major concerns about hardware and software interoperability, including the inability to get the tablet functionality working correctly," said the Microsoft solution provider, which is based in the Midwest. "Pricing looks high to me, especially the Ultimate package for $400. That is the cost of a low-end computer."

Source: CRN

What is your thoughts? Should RC1 have been "Beta 3" or do you think Microsoft should release another RC before going Gold?

[m.oreilly]

i assumed there would be an RC2...

[chriso_86]

400 for the ultimate!!! Who was smokin the weed when they thought up those prices!!!