9 November 2006 - 11:26Windows Vista almost here…

After five years and repeated delays, Microsoft Corp. finished Windows Vista on Wednesday and announced plans to release it in stores Jan. 30 — ending an unusually arduous chapter in the life of the company’s flagship product.Microsoft’s next big challenge will be getting people to upgrade to the program. But for a moment, at least, the company’s relief at finishing the project was palpable.

“This is a good day,” said Jim Allchin, co-president of Microsoft’s Platforms & Services Division, the emotion audible in his voice during an 11 a.m. conference call announcing the milestone. “Less than an hour ago, we officially signed off on Windows Vista. It’s rock-solid, and we’re ready to ship.”

It is a huge operating system which has as major improvements visual graphical effects, and not so much on stability or performance. Without seeing it at work I’d say it is just an attempt to match the MacOSX. The system requirements for a real feel of Vista are pretty obscene for the current level of PC’s but I guess we will see more when it actually gets to our desks. I think I have to change my hard drive at least, if I want to install it (huge thing).