Windows Now

InformationWeek is reporting that Gartner is now saying that Longhorn won't get here until late 2006, and possibly even later. Keep in mind that they are talking about the server version of Longhorn, not the client version (the client version is ahead of the server version at this point).

I'm not going to get into the “ship date guessing game.” We have internal schedules here, but one thing I've learned about the software industry: the more complex the project, the harder it is to stick on any pre-set schedule.

The more I work at Microsoft (seven months now) the more I realize just how big this project is. Mostly we've discussed only the high-level developer features (WinFX, WinFS, Indigo, etc) and some of the end user experiences (Aero) but you haven't heard about the tons of work being done on the TCP/IP stack, the new driver models, the kernel work, the security work, and others.

Yeah, it's frustrating waiting for Longhorn. I'm frustrated too.

Some have asked me “did Microsoft reveal Longhorn too early?” I don't think so. Longhorn is big. We need to work with thousands of driver writers. Thousands of software developers. Standards bodies. Hundreds of other software companies. And we need to be very open with them far before we ship.

It's how Microsoft is trying to be a more mature platform leader. Instead of doing this work behind secret closed doors, we're giving everyone a good chance to work with us to make a better experience for customers. Yes, it's risky. But, you only have a chance or two a decade to really change things for the better. When was the last time we shipped a dramatically different user experience? Windows 95 is the last one I remember.

Yeah, it's a long wait. But, if you're a software vendor who wants to build something on Longhorn, the wait really isn't that long. Why? Think about Adobe. They were on stage with us at the PDC. How long do you think it takes them to build a new version of Photoshop? Two years. So, by giving them (and you) as much advance notice of the new APIs we're providing, we can help them (and you) build killer software for Longhorn and we don't need to worry about NDAs and secrecy anymore, which is a good thing.

So, let's get busy. What do you need to build software for Longhorn? Who wants to be on stage with Gates and Ballmer at the launch event? What can we do to help you get there?

OK, before the PDC I asked all of you to “hate Longhorn.” Here's my list of things that I believe advanced users need in Longhorn. Translation: these things bug the crap out of me. Why can't we do better with settings?

1) Longhorn doesn't accurately set my resolution. My monitor and video card is capable of 1600x1200. So, why is it set to 800x600? That's great for a 1995 computer, but it's almost 2004 now. Let's set the monitor to the highest possible resolution. If people want to reduce it, that's fine. Also, set LCDs to the PROPER resolution. XP doesn't do this. My brother's machine is an example. So, I right click on the desktop, click on “settings“ tab. Change resolution to 1600x1200. Hit OK. Ahh, much better.

2) I hate not having icons on the desktop. Do we really need to cater to beginners who are intimidated by seeing tons of clutter? Instead, why not set everything to “advanced mode” but have a switch that would let a beginner turn off features until he's comfortable? So, I turn them on. Right-click on desktop. Click on “customize desktop” button. Click the check boxes next to “My Documents, Network Places, Computer, Internet Explorer.” Oh, and I turn off the “Run Desktop Cleanup Wizard every 60 days.” I will clean my own desktop up, thank you very much. Click OK. And OK again. Now I can see icons. Alright!

3) Why do we need a screen saver turned on by default? Modern screens don't need to be “saved.“ This setting takes up processor power (particularly on servers where this setting is TOTALLY EVIL). So, right click on desktop. Choose Properties. Choose “Screen Saver.“ Pick “none.“ Click OK.

4) My screen refresh rate is set too low. 60 Hertz hurts my eyes. It's like the screen is pulsing. So, right click on desktop. Choose Properties. Choose Settings. Choose Monitor. Set Screen Refresh Rate to 100 Hertz. Click “Apply“ to test. Works great. Click OK. Click OK. Ahhh, much better.

5) The Start Menu isn't how I like it. So, right click on Start Menu. Choose Properties. Unselect “Group Similar Taskbar Buttons.“ Click Apply. Then click “Start Menu.“ Why is there a “Classic Start Menu?“ Oh, some of you like your old crappy menu. Got it. Anyway, I ignore that (I don't want old, I just want better!) and I click “Customize.“ First off, I like small icons. Less mousing around that way. More efficient. Second of all, I like more programs on the start menu than six. I double it to 12 for now.

6) I hate double-clicking. Why? Because I like consistency! And, why should I double-click when one is enough? Think about it. Why should I double click on things that are in my file system, and single-click on things in my browser. In fact, how the hell am I supposed to tell the difference between those things anymore (since the browser is integrated into the operating system)? So, let's change that. Double-click on “My Computer“ which opens up a window that shows my computer. Use the “Tools“ menu. Select “Folder Options.“ Why it's hidden there, I'll never know. Select “Single-click to open an item (point-to-select).“ Set “Underline icon titles consistent with my browser.“ Why this isn't a default I'll never know (why do we cater to beginners in one part of the OS, but then cater to luddites who like it “the old way“ in another part?)

But we're not done yet. To really make single-click work great, you also need to turn off underlining and make it so that linkable areas are only underlined when your mouse is hovering over them. This is the single biggest thing we could do to improve readability on web pages and in the OS. So, single-click on Internet Explorer and open that up. Use IE's Tools menu and select Internet Options. Select the “Advanced“ Tab. Scroll down and select “Hover“ under the “Underline Links“ settings group. While we're there, why don't we make some other changes to make IE really great:

1. Select “Use inline AutoComplete“ -- this will help you fill out forms and other items.
2. Select “Apply my pop-up window settings to all programs using Internet Explorer.“
3. Select “Enable Personalized Favorites Menu.“ I like having personalized favorites.
4. Uncheck “Show friendly HTTP error messages.“ I like being able to see real HTTP error messages which helps me debug my servers.

Click over to the Content Tab and let's set some things there

1. I want to use AutoComplete for forms. So, click on the “AutoComplete“ button and select the “Forms“ checkbox and click OK.
2. I have no idea what the “Microsoft Profile Assistant“ does. Why is it there? Get rid of it, or make this feature do something.

Click over to the “Privacy“ tab.

1. WTF? The popup ad blocker isn't on by default. Will you please turn that on by default? Anyway, check that. Hit OK.

Click over to “Security“ tab.

1. I note that Active Scripting is on by default. The Web is simply too dangerous a place anymore. I turn this to prompt.

Click OK and we're done with that part.

7) I go back and open up my computer and I really hate the “big icon“ view. Again, why do we need to cater to beginners? After years of tinkering, I've found the details view to be far better. Why? Because you can actually see your files and when they were created and how big they are. Also, because you have them in a list mode, you can see far more files in one screen. That makes you more productive. So, use the “View“ menu and select “Details.“ One problem, though. Windows doesn't remember you like Details. So, you need to change that in the settings. So, use the Tools menu, select “Folder Options“ and click on “View.“ First, let's turn on a bunch of stuff that'll help you. You're advanced, right?

1. Select “Display file icon on thumbnails.“
2. Select “Display the contents of system folders.“
3. Select “Display the full path in the title bar.“
4. Select “Show hidden files and folders.“
5. Uncheck “Hide extensions for known file types.“
6. Uncheck “Hide protected operating system files.“ (Don't do for mom)
7. Select “Show Control Panel in My Computer.“
8. Select “Show drive letters.“

Click OK.

8) Urgh, we changed it, but now Windows sometimes defaults to the older “big icon“ view. I ALWAYS want detail views. So, gotta open up “My Computer“ again. Select Tools Menu and “Folder Options.“ Then “View.“ Click on “Apply to All Folders.“ Hit OK. Why can't Windows just make all my settings global instead of forcing me to do this step?

9) Open my file explorer as an explorer window. Most beginners don't even know about this one. Here, try it. right-click on “My Computer“ and choose “Explore.“ Do you like how that shows a tree of all your computer's resources on left? I do. This makes me TONS more productive. Here's how to turn it on permanently:

1. Open My Computer.
2. Select “Folder Options.“
3. Click on “File Types“ tab.
4. Click on the “Folder“ file type to select that.
5. Click on the “Advanced“ button.
6. Click on “Explore“ to select it.
7. Click on the “Set Default“ button.
8. Explore should now be bold.
9. Hit OK.

Now, close My Computer and reopen it. Isn't that better? (The Aero guys will probably make this a little less useful, but I hope not).

10) The Start Menu is too simplified. Again, Microsoft is catering to beginners. But, why not offer an “advanced“ button that instantly switches all the above on? Here's some things I do to my Start Menu:

1. I right click on the Start Button. Choose Properties. Click on “Advanced“ Tab.
2. Under Start Menu Items, change the following to “Display as a menu:
• Computer
• Control Panel
• Hardware and Devices
• My Documents
• My Music
• My Pictures
• My Contacts
• Network Connections
• System Administrative Tools
3. Turn on the “Favorites Menu.“
4. Turn on the “Network Places“ item.
5. Click OK. Do you like the Start Menu better now? It's a bit more cluttered, but it's far more productive because you can find everything you need in one spot instead of trying to find it or remember a command to pull something up later.

Do you agree or disagree with these things? By the way, these things also apply to Windows XP. These are things that fundamentally drive advanced users nuts. Why can't there be an “set Longhorn to advanced mode“ button that would change all of these things to the way advanced users like to use their computers?

A very interesting interview with eWeek's Steve Gillmor came out today: Sun's Jonathan Schwartz takes on Longhorn.

Makes tons of good points. This will be an interview that'll be useful to talk about for some time.

It's funny. I'm a Longhorn Evangelist working at Microsoft. I carry around a Visa card in my wallet from Target that has the Java runtime in it. Jonathan believes that's leverage that's going to let Sun get a new customer and developer base in the computing industry.

Our view is, um, a bit different.

But, I want to see what other people say about this interview before I get involved. What do you think about Sun's vision vs. Microsoft's vision? What's good about both? What's bad?

Matthew Mastracci: “what use is the data on my WinFS drive if it can't interoperate with my Linux box?”

Interesting question. How should one expose the meta data in WinFS to other computer systems? Heck, start with Windows XP. That one is used by a lot more users than Linux. Then move to Mac OSX. Then Linux and other Unix's.

Serving files is one thing. But how much of the “WinFS experience” (which is quite cool) should be shared with older or non-Longhorn OS's?

>Another question: why isn't Microsoft driving these common
>schemas though a common standards body? 

Another interesting question. We're members on a ton of standards bodies. But, what standards bodies are appropriate for Longhorn technologies? For which technologies? In a perfect world, what would you like to see Microsoft do?

Here's the important question: why? What is the “win-win” for investing the time and work to give these to a standards body? How will Microsoft recoup its investment? Remember, at the end of the day, Microsoft is a business and needs to see a return on investment.

Also, I'm not all that convinced that standards bodies actually do that much. Certainly not during innovation phases. Was the Apple II given to a standards body? Was the Macintosh? Was Netscape (not during the early years). Was Photoshop? Was Flight Simultor? Doom? Was Aldus Pagemaker? Why not?

How will giving technologies to a standards body help Longhorn?

Paul does some of the best “preview looks” at Microsoft's OS's of anyone and his latest doesn't disappoint.

Dino Esposito, in MSDN Magazine, has a first look at writing and deploying apps in the next generation of Windows.

Ray Ozzie, on his blog today, responds to his friends asking him why the world needs Longhorn.

By the way, I learned the other day that Bill Gates never did say the 640kb thing. Total hoax. I believed it for the longest time too.

What is Longhorn? Really short version before I hop on a plane to go home:

a) a new User Interface. (code-named Aero). Nicer looking, more productive.
b) a new file storage system. (code-named WinFS) Easier to search for files. Allows for new views on files, people, and data. Lets you build “associations” between data and people.
c) A new set of APIs. (code-named Avalon, now called WinFX). Much more productive for programmers. Offers new user interface capabilities.
d) A new way for software/computers to talk to each other (code-named Indigo). The next version of SOAP and Web services.
e) A new way to communicate (code named RTC). The next version of collaboration and IM functionality.

We'll be talking about each of these areas more soon.

What an interesting time in my life.

I sat four doors away from the guys who created the Amazon and Adobe demos. I'll talk more about them sometime later after I get permission to talk about them. But, what a task. Building software on top of a platform that's changing every day and very unfinished under strict deadlines (they had to be ready for the keynotes at the PDC).

I couldn't have imagined I'd have gotten to have that experience. I am the luckiest geek alive.

Thanks to Vic Gundotra who hired me and put me on this team. Last night we went to dinner and thought “wow, this is the Super Bowl of software.”

More next week after I get back home.

Oh, one thing, the stats here on Longhorn blogs are astounding. I remember the days when only 15 people would see what I wrote. In the past four days we've had 65,000 sessions and 480,000 hits.

Today's the day when these Longhorn blogs can start having some real content.

When I first saw Longhorn back in February it changed my life.

Now the rest of you get to see what I'm talking about.

Unfortunately, we're going to all be stuck in a huge hall with limited, if any, wireless until about 2 p.m. so the blogging news will be pretty light until then.

See ya this afternoon!

Oh, and please do “Moo” if you're at the PDC and you like a feature. :-)

These are community-run blogs. Microsoft neither reads, nor edits, nor controls what is on these blogs.

I see that Eric Meyer took what was written by Ryan Dawson (who is not a Microsoft employee) and said he thought it came from Microsoft. Ryan has not seen Longhorn yet. He does not know what's coming. He's making guesses as to what we're going to announce on Monday.

These are true community blogs. They are run by the community. They are not being funded in any way by Microsoft. Robert McLaws is running them. He's not a Microsoft employee. He's letting anyone who wants to have one of these blogs. Eric Meyer can even have one, if he'd like.

Also, note, there is no rule that anything you post here must be accurate. Or friendly toward Microsoft. I meant what I said the other day when I wanted people who will be critical of Microsoft to post to these blogs. This is not a PR event here folks. See http://www.microsoft.com/presspass for “the official voice of Microsoft.”

Weblogs will be chaotic. Don't assume what you see here is the truth. Even on my own blog. Question assumptions. Get a second, third, nay 600th opinion before coming to any conclusions (I'm reading more than 600 blogs now every day).

Anyway, the truth will come out next week. Let's continue this discussion then.

I've gotten a couple of questions today along the lines of “does Ryan Dawson work for Microsoft?”

Turns out there +is+ a Ryan Dawson who does work at Microsoft, but the Ryan Dawson keeping the blog here doesn't. The blogger Ryan is a smart kid, though and I'm interested in seeing what his reactions are to Longhorn (he wrote an early takeoff of the sidepanel idea). As far as I know the blogger Ryan has not seen Longhorn yet (very few people have). That'll all change on Monday.