Build Information

You are browsing the Windows Vista build 5270 gallery.

Description

Windows Vista™ is the name of Microsoft’s next operating system, due to be sent out to computer manufacturers on August 31^st for testing and preloading into systems and to be shipped in late 2006 to the general public. This build is an early compilation of the operating system and is sent to technical product testers of Microsoft like myself. Information in this article is not final and is subject to change over time. This article is written for the technically-inclined general public and I take no responsibility for misinterpretation of data or the consequences that follow.

Build 5270 is a large improvement over the previous Community Technology Preview, or CTP, build (5231). Notable changes to this build are included in the screenshots.

Respected Vista testers Kristan Kenney and Chris Holmes have created a tips and tweaks guide for this build, which you can find, along with all others, at digitalfive.org and chris123nt.com. Kristan has also posted a install guide for this build.

Product Review

The Windows Vista December CTP is a much-needed update to the October CTP. I am just peeved that it took so long to deliver.

The interface itself is beautiful, but it's not done yet. It still needs a bit of work, and we'll see that come in bit later, along with the Windows Sidebar and other goodies.

This build is also very similar to the build demoed at CES, build 5276, which had minor improvements to obvious bugs and did not have the Media Center error.

Word on the street is "get used to it" because there apparently will not be another CTP until February, though Technology Adoption Program members get their build a bit later in January.

Overall, though, I liked this build. I'm going to rate it 4 out of 6 stars for speed, efficiency, and beauty, but expected incompleteness.