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August 15, 2006

Is Windows Vista Misunderstood?

With the release of Windows Vista RC1 coming soon (see Vista RC1 Download Availability Update), the public is about to get a much better look at what Vista will look like when it is released. There has been a lot of speculation on certain features in Vista, and it seems that many people are just looking at the surface. With the popularity of Microsoft Windows, there are always features which stand out, but what lies beneath is often overlooked.

Windows Vista is built upon a number of layers, most significantly the Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF), Windows Communication Foundation (see Windows Vista: Connecting With WCF), and the Windows Workflow Foundation (see Vista WCF, WWF Explained). All of these foundations will bring new levels of functionality to Windows Vista, and many of these features work behind the scenes.

WPF is what brings us the eye candy, and the cool Flip 3D features, but it is so much more. WPF, and WWF will allow developers to produce applications which feature a rich 3D experience, and combine data from multiple sources into interfaces which are easy to use and provide a level of functionality which is not possible on other platforms. A great example is seen in the Healthcare demo of Windows Presentation Foundation. WCF will bring new applications to a wide range of devices, and will provide a much higher level of network interaction.

To some of the opponents of Microsoft, it has been easy to say that certain features are not new, or rely on old technology, and while this may be true in some cases, Windows Vista will bring a lot of new technology to a place it has never been seen before - the desktops of average users.

Posted by jrfree1 at August 15, 2006 09:42 AM