Longhorn!

At last Microsoft Corp has declared that they will ship the next version of Windows in late 2006. It is the first time that the world's largest software maker has committed to a launch target for the ambitious upgrade to Windows, code-named Longhorn, since shipping Windows XP in 2001. A server version is slated for 2007. In order to meet that timeframe, they are finding it necessary to scale back on some of the new features promised. One such casualty is WinFS, the database-driven file system set to debut with Longhorn. Plans now are for increased search functionality without WinFS. This new file system called WinFS, aimed at making it easier for users to find information stored on hard drives, will be shipped later, with a test, or beta version, of WinFS being shipped with Longhorn in 2006.

The ability to find and organize data on a personal computer is becoming increasingly important as people are able to amass more digital information. Right now, finding pictures, e-mails and a Microsoft Word document, all related to the same topic is time-consuming and cumbersome. "WinFS" is the active storage subsystem in "Longhorn" that is used for searching, organizing, and sharing data. "WinFS" maintains a store of items and their properties, and provides a system service in "Longhorn" to retrieve information when it's needed. Because "WinFS" allows organization and retrieval of items based on properties (such as author or title), users can find things more quickly. Users can also organize, relate, and act on their documents, music, photos, e-mail, calendar information, and other types of items more efficiently.

Microsoft says 'Longhorn' will provide important advances in performance, security and reliability, and will help accelerate the creation of exciting new applications by developers across the industry.

Longhorn also will include new technology for enabling better visual presentation, such as three-dimensional rendering. And it will include ways to communicate more easily with other systems, such as Web-based applications or mobile devices.