| Features | | | | that of object-oriented programming. |
| Additionally, Vista will include many other new | | | | The "My" prefixes will be dropped, so "My |
| features. | | | | Documents" will just be "Documents", "My Computer" |
| Aero | | | | will just be "Computer", etc. |
| Vista will include a completely re-designed user | | | | Windows System Assessment Tool (WinSat), a built |
| interface, code-named Aero. The new interface is | | | | in benchmarking tool which analyzes the different |
| intended to be cleaner and more aesthetically pleasing | | | | subsystems (graphics, memory, etc), and uses the |
| than previous Windows interfaces. The most visible | | | | results to allow for comparison to other Vista |
| addition to the interface is the sidebar (however this | | | | systems, and for software optimizations. The |
| feature has been removed in the last alpha release), | | | | optimizations can be made by both windows and |
| an area at the side of the screen consisting of tiles | | | | third-party software. Tom's Hardware Overview |
| which display dynamic information about whatever | | | | File Virtualization, when an individual program's |
| window is currently in the foreground, which is | | | | permissions are restricted, allows that program to |
| essentially an extension of the "system tray" on the | | | | use its own 'fake' set of certain files so modifications |
| Windows task bar. | | | | to those files from said program does not alter the |
| Search | | | | original files. |
| Vista will feature a new search engine that will allow | | | | Transactional File Transfers, prevents a half updated |
| for instant display of results for a given search. This | | | | set of files from being created during updates for |
| is in contrast to the search engine of Windows XP, | | | | example, which can cause stability problems. |
| which can take several minutes to display results. The | | | | InfoCard, a user interface to the Identity |
| Vista search will allow you to add multiple filters to | | | | Metasystem. |
| continually refine your search (Such as "File contains | | | | Features and technologies delayed until future |
| the word 'example'"). There will also be saved | | | | releases |
| searches that will act as Virtual Folders, where | | | | WinFS (short for either Windows Future Storage or |
| opening a folder will execute a specific search | | | | Windows File System): a combined relational database |
| automatically and display the results as a normal | | | | and filesystem, based on the next version of SQL |
| folder. The search will also feature other usability | | | | Server (codenamed Yukon). Working on top of |
| improvements. The Vista search is actually built on an | | | | NTFS, it will provide abilities to represent objects and |
| expanded and improved version of the indexing | | | | their relationships, rather than just a hierarchy of files |
| service for the search in Windows XP. This feature is | | | | and folders. The removal of WinFS from Windows |
| similar to Apple Spotlight. | | | | Vista was announced in August 2004, and is |
| Metro | | | | expected to be released as an update to Vista, |
| Metro is the codename for Microsoft's next | | | | entering beta stages at about the same time as |
| generation document format, which is based on XML. | | | | Vista is released. Microsoft's promotion of this |
| It is similar in many ways to Adobe Systems' PDF. | | | | technology has spurred the recent trend towards |
| Metro is intended to allow users to view, print, and | | | | desktop search tools. |
| archive files without the original program that created | | | | Full implementation of Monad. |
| it. The name Metro also refers to the print path in | | | | Graphics hardware requirements |
| Vista. With Metro, documents can remain in the same | | | | Vista's graphics requirements are defined in relation to |
| format from the time they are created to the time | | | | the different desktop experiences. |
| they are printed. Microsoft states that Metro will | | | | Aero Glass |
| provide better fidelity to the original document by | | | | This graphics mode adds support for 3D graphics, |
| using a consistent format for both screen and print | | | | animation and visual special effects in addition to the |
| output. | | | | features offered by Aero Express. |
| While many analysts suspect Metro is intended to be | | | | Intended for mainstream and high-end graphics cards. |
| a "PDF-killer", Microsoft insists that they are not | | | | At least 64 MB of graphics memory, 128 MB |
| attempting to duplicate all the functionality of the | | | | recommended, or 256 MB for 1600x1200+. |
| PDF. For example, at the time of this writing, Metro is | | | | At least 32 bits per pixel. |
| not planned to have the capabilities for dynamic | | | | 3D hardware acceleration with capabilities equal to |
| documents. | | | | DirectX 9. |
| Shell | | | | A memory bandwidth of 2 GB / second. |
| The new shell is a significant change from previous | | | | Capable of drawing ~1.5M triangles / second, one |
| versions of Windows. Combined with the new | | | | window being ~150 triangles. |
| desktop searching feature, the shell gives users the | | | | A graphics card that uses AGP 4X or PCI Express |
| ability to find and organize their files in new ways. | | | | 8-lane bus. |
| Apart from the typical file organization practice of | | | | It is likely that such a configuration will be entry-level |
| using folders to contain files, a new collection known | | | | or lower by Vista's release in 2006. |
| as Lists let you organize files from multiple locations in | | | | Aero Diamond |
| a single place. | | | | A graphics mode customized for the Vista Media |
| A new type of folder known as a Shadow Folder | | | | Center Edition, and will not be made available in the |
| enables the ability to revert its entire contents to | | | | other editions. Not much information is currently |
| any arbitrary point in the past. | | | | available, but it appears that it will be the most |
| Additionally, the shell contains significant | | | | advanced level of graphics in Vista, requiring |
| advancements in the visualization of files on a | | | | hardware at the same level or greater than the Aero |
| computer. Previous versions of the Windows Shell | | | | Glass visual style. |
| would display thumbnails to represent different files | | | | Aero Express |
| on your computer. In Windows Vista the thumbnail | | | | The lesser Aero visual experience offering only the |
| concept is taken further by overlaying different | | | | basic visual improvements introduced by Vista, such |
| imagery to communicate more information about the | | | | as composition based DPI scaling. |
| particular file such as a picture frame around the | | | | Intended for mainstream or lower-end graphics cards. |
| thumbnail of an image file, or a filmstrip on a video | | | | Uses the Avalon Desktop Composition window |
| file. Windows Vista helps the user identify the file | | | | manager. |
| easily by more intelligently generating the thumbnails. | | | | A Vista Driver Display Model (LDDM) driver is a |
| Using algorithmic analysis, images are cropped around | | | | requirement. |
| their likely subject, and interesting key frames are | | | | Some graphics cards already support LDDM. In some |
| automatically chosen from a video file. Also, the ability | | | | Vista builds (4074, 5048), LDDM is already supported |
| to zoom the thumbnails in the shell greatly increases | | | | to run Aero Glass. |
| their usefulness. | | | | To Go |
| Networking | | | | The new Vista look & feel without any visual |
| Windows Vista is expected to have a brand new | | | | special effects, similar to the visual style Luna of |
| networking stack. A significant change is a more | | | | Windows XP in that it resembles merely an |
| complete implementation of IPv6 which is now | | | | application skin. As with Luna, no additional hardware |
| supported by all networking components, services, | | | | requirements compared to the classic Windows |
| and the user interface. Vista also takes advantage of | | | | interface. |
| P2P technology to provide a new type of domain-like | | | | A simple option for consumer upgrades, and mobile / |
| networking setup known as a Castle. Castles make it | | | | low-cost devices. |
| possible for user credentials to propagate across | | | | No additional requirements compared to the lesser |
| networked computers without a centralized server | | | | Classic mode. |
| making them more suitable for a home network. | | | | Fallback mode in case the hardware requirements for |
| The ability to assist the user in diagnosing a network | | | | Aero aren't met. |
| problem is expected to be a major new networking | | | | Classic |
| feature. Using technologies such as UPnP, Windows | | | | The most basic user interface offered by Vista, |
| Vista has a greater awareness of the network | | | | which is also seen in Windows 2000, or Windows XP |
| topology the host computer is in. With this new | | | | with its visual style Luna deactivated. |
| network awareness technology it can provide help to | | | | An option for corporate deployments and upgrades. |
| the user in fixing network issues or simply provide a | | | | Requires Windows XP Display Driver Model (XPDM) or |
| graphical view of the perceived network | | | | LDDM drivers. |
| configuration. | | | | No graphics card hardware requirements exceeding |
| Other features | | | | those of Windows XP. |
| Full support for the "NX" (No-Execute) feature of | | | | Naming considerations |
| processors. This feature, present in AMD's AMD64 | | | | Vista means "the visual percept of a region", with |
| architecture, as well as Intel's EM64T Architecture, | | | | these synonyms: aspect, panorama, prospect, scene |
| can flag certain parts of memory as containing data | | | | and view. Translated from Spanish and Italian, vista |
| instead of executable code, which prevents overflow | | | | means: sight, vision, ability to see; look, glimpse; |
| errors from resulting in arbitrary code execution. This | | | | spectacle; viewfinder; range of view; point of view. |
| should not be confused with trusted computing | | | | In Latvian, however, vista means 'hen' (grown-up |
| facilities provided by a so-called Fritz-chip. | | | | female of a bird, [2]) and 'chicken' (as in food), and |
| Built-in DVD recording capabilities, including Mt. Rainier | | | | may also connote something or someone not |
| support. | | | | particularly agile or clever. |
| A new installation program that will install Vista in | | | | Windows Vista has been unofficially abbreviated to |
| about 15 minutes (which is present in alpha build 4074 | | | | Windows VI, staying with the traditional 2 character |
| of Windows Vista). | | | | motif, as in 95, 98, Me, NT, XP. VI is also the number |
| Native Raw Image support (a format used by most | | | | 6 in Roman numerals, and Windows Vista will carry |
| professional digital cameras). | | | | the version number 6.0 (Windows 2000 and Windows |
| Native, embedded RSS support, with developer API. | | | | XP being Windows NT versions 5.0 and 5.1, |
| A new level of file encryption support from that | | | | respectively). |
| available in Windows XP, which will make it easier and | | | | Windows Vista sound like "bosta" in Argentinian |
| more automatic to prevent unauthorized viewing of | | | | culture. |
| files on stolen laptops/hard drives. | | | | In the fiction of J. R. R. Tolkien, Vista is a part of the |
| Monad. A new command-line interface called MSH, | | | | atmosphere that surrounds the world of Arda before |
| and codenamed Monad will not be fully implemented | | | | the cataclysm at the end of the Second Age. Vista |
| in Vista, but will exist in it to some extent. It plans to | | | | forms the inner layer of normal air: above it is Ilmen, |
| combine the Unix pipes and filters philosophy with | | | | and above that Vaiya. |