**Blackcomb...the future M$ operating system**

[jacobnero6918]

I thought I would lookup some info on Blackcomb since XP will be a minor upgrade to windows 2000. This is what I found:

a little info

looks like it will be a full fledged 64 bit OS if this info is true.

 

[RevVveD1]

last time I checked microsofts R & D website, it said blackcomb was NOT an OS.. But just a new interface that would work with any existing windows version. However that might have changed. unfortunately being behind this proxy I cant even check your link. So if it quotes anything, post it so i can see..

 

[konichiwa]

<< We've all heard of Windows Whistler, aka Windows XP. This bad boy is the successor to Windows 2000 and will carry on the Microsoft OS dynasty (or so they hope). We'll have another hands-on preview of WinXP soon. Microsoft has already started development of another operating system, though. This next OS, codename &quot;Blackcomb&quot; (named after the mountains near Microsoft's HQ in Redmond, Washington), is going to &quot;Revolutionize the way we use our PC's&quot;.

The current leaked build of this elusive operating system is supposedly at build 351. With all of my skills I was unable to dig up an underground copy of it, though. I was able to dig up what information there is on the beast and put it together in a comprehensive little preview. So here it is, the OS which will follow WinXP, Blackcomb.

Blackcomb is slated to come out sometime in 2002. That means next year folks. Microsoft has a one billion dollar a year research and development budget. A lot of this money is going to Blackcomb. Blackcomb is NOT just another 'service release'. It doesn't just fix bugs, and it doesn't update a few programs. Blackcomb will be quite a bit different than any other operating system you have ever used.

Microsoft, seen in recent Jan 22, 2000 job postings, is hiring &quot;a software design engineer who would help develop a new extensible window manager for the successor to Windows 2000&quot;. With that in mind, Microsoft will be completely redoing the GUI for Windows. There will be no more start menu, no more task bar. Blackcomb will integrate 'skinning' right into the OS itself. This will allow complete customization of the GUI, similar to the UNIX X11 window managers.

Chances are Microsoft is feeling some heat from Macintosh. Mac recently debuted their OS X operating system. This new OS came complete with many GUI enhancements. It allows users to drill through menus fast and efficiently by utilizing several panes. It also looks incredible doing it. Microsoft obviously wants some new blood and a better interface. Bill Gates said that Blackcomb will include &quot;the most profound changes in the UI (user interface)&quot;.

So we know Blackcomb will look great (hopefully). What's under the hood? Blackcomb is known as Windows .NET 2.0. Whistler is known as Windows .NET 1.0, in comparison. Blackcomb will fully incorporate Microsoft's .NET framework. This will give users 'channels' for their .NET-enabled software. This means programs will automatically update themselves and real-time help will be available like never before. All of this will run over the internet. This will be done through the &quot;Next Generation Windows Services&quot; or NGWS as Microsoft calls it.

Microsoft is moving away from the standalone product idea and more toward an internet-based solution. This could mean we will get software before it's ready to be released and then we'll patch our way up to full functionality, horray.

Blackcomb will be based on the NT kernel, just like Whistler. Microsoft has no plans to follow up with any more 9X-based operating systems. Blackcomb and all .NET-enabled products will have some heavy XML-based code in it. This will allow the .NET internet upgradeability. Microsoft is betting all of it's marbles on .NET. If in two years the world isn't ready for it, the shit will really hit the fan.

Blackcomb will also have a tremendous amount of code optimization. Most of the optimization will be done in the NT kernel. This will obviously make the operating system much faster. It will also have a new file system which will work like a database. This new file system is code named Storage+. A new file system will have some major implications. Considering this isn't a conventional file system, but instead a MS proprietary file system, there could be problems. Then again, there weren't too many problem with NTFS.

Microsoft's next-gen OS will also feature Internet Explorer. Surprise, Surprise. Again, Bill G. plans to integrate the browser into the operating system. It's more integrated with WinXP, but sources say that the entire shell may be dependent on IE in Blackcomb. This could seriously affects Microsoft's court case. If their entire operating system is run by the browser it's rather hard to tell someone to take it out. Again, details are rather sketchy in this area.

Blackcomb will work seamlessly with 64-bit chips like the Itanium and Sledgehammer. In fact, Blackcomb will be designed with these chips in mind instead of simply having &quot;support&quot; for them like WinXP. Blackcomb will also have true natural language processing. What that means is it will be able to convert between languages to give you everything in your native tongue. WinXP will have some of these features but Blackcomb will have the &quot;real deal&quot;. Blackcomb will also have server versions, much like Win2K and WinXP. What's interesting is Blackcomb won't need a monitor for server builds. That's right, you will never need to attach a monitor. Details on how they are going to do this are still private. That's just hella cool if it actually makes it into the final server release. If you deal with rack servers you know finding a monitor can often be a pain in the ass.

If you're interested in beta testing Blackcomb, or any other Microsoft product simply email this address with a blank subject and blank body. An auto-responder will then reply with information regarding beta testing.

For now it seems everything is concentrated on Windows XP (aka Whistler). Beta 2 for XP has been moved back to March 14, although a final release date of June is still expected. Only time till tell what Blackcomb will yield. Microsoft is definitely betting heavily on it's success. Info on Blackcomb is really few and far between. We really won't see anything come to fruition for another six months or so. As soon as I can get my hands on a copy of Blackcomb I'll put up a preview. If you remember we were the second site on the internet with a preview of Whistler, and the first with anything more than just a few screenshots. I'm working on getting my latest WinXP preview up so stay tuned. >>

 

[Azraele]

<<There will be no more start menu, no more task bar. Blackcomb will integrate 'skinning' right into the OS itself. This will allow complete customization of the GUI, similar to the UNIX X11 window manager>>

Woah no more start bar. :Q

Looks like it will be interesting to say the least.

 

[sharkeeper]

hmmmm

Cheers!

 

[JayPatel]

judging by the way they got Blackcob written on the start menu...it looks like they got 6 year old kids programming the thing. i cant wait :Q

 

[Cable God]

nah, it looks like someone knows the trick to editing the start button title bar, kinda like the windows start-up splash screen. not too hard to do. He just re-skinned 2000

 

[20_MuleTeam_Borax]

<< nah, it looks like someone knows the trick to editing the start button title bar, kinda like the windows start-up splash screen. not too hard to do. He just re-skinned 2000 >>



I would like to be added to this list of people who know this trick.

 

[JayPatel]

ditto

 

[trmiv]

<< nah, it looks like someone knows the trick to editing the start button title bar, kinda like the windows start-up splash screen. not too hard to do. He just re-skinned 2000 >>



Or someone who kinda knows how to use Photoshop.

 

[jacobnero6918]

You guys realize that it's a fake? The other pic in blue and white may be real or just a well designed fake. With Litestep and DesktopX out there it's pretty easy to design desktops today or just use Tclock.

 

[jyrixx]

editing the start menu isn't hard... there are plenty of tips on the internet about doing it. just search around. =)