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Microsoft And It's New Operating System - Vista

On the Microsoft "Get Ready" Web site, the company outlined the requirements for running both low-end versions of Vista and higher-end versions that take advantage of the operating system's new Aero graphical user interface capabilities.

The company differentiates between the two by calling the former a "Windows Vista Capable PC" and the latter a "Windows Vista Premium Ready PC."

Hardware requirements for a Vista Capable PC are a processor with a speed of at least 800 MHz, 512MB of system memory and a graphics processor that is DirectX 9 capable.

A Windows Vista Premium Ready PC has a good deal more requirements. It must have at least a 1-GHz 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor, 1GB of system memory, 128MB of graphics memory, 40GB of hard drive capacity with 15GB of free space, a DVD-ROM drive, audio output capabilities and Internet access capability.

It also needs a graphics processor that runs Windows Aero, which Microsoft defines as a DirectX 9 class graphics processor that supports a Windows Display Driver Model Driver, Pixel Shader 2.0 in hardware and 32 bits per pixel.

The graphics processor for Aero must also meet the following requirements for graphics memory: 64MB of graphics memory to support a single monitor less than 1,310,720 pixels; 128MB of graphics memory to support a single monitor at resolutions from 1,310,720 to 2,304,000 pixels; or 256MB of graphics memory to support a single monitor at resolutions higher than 2,304,000 pixels.

Microsoft began working with hardware partners several months ago to prepare customers for Vista's release. In April, PCs with stickers saying "Windows Vista Capable" became available in stores, letting customers know what hardware can be upgraded to Vista once it is available. Microsoft does not plan to do the same with the Windows Vista Premium Ready designation, recommending customers ask a retailer or manufacturer about PCs that meet those requirements.

On the Get Ready Web site, Microsoft stressed that purchasing a Windows Vista Capable PC does not mean customers will get discount vouchers for Windows Vista. They still must purchase an edition of the operating system for full price when Vista is available.

In March, Microsoft said the consumer release of Vista would be delayed until January 2007, though business customers will have access through Microsoft volume licensing to the operating system before the end of the year. Since Microsoft is missing the busy Christmas holiday shopping season with Vista's general release -- which had been an important target for selling the new operating system -- analysts are predicting that the company may release Vista even later than January.

Firefox Released

Mozilla Corp. has released a new test version of Firefox 2.0, which will be the next major version of its popular open-source browser.

Firefox 2.0 Beta 2, released Thursday at about 3 p.m. Pacific time, features an improved user interface and a limited version of the phishing protection feature that Mozilla is developing for the browser. More information is available at the mozilla.org site.

Beta 2 also comes with improved search capabilities, a spellchecker for Web forms, and jazzed-up tabbed browsing capabilities.

This second beta release will probably be the last beta version of Firefox 2.0. Developers are now planning to ship a nearly final "release candidate" edition of the browser on Sept. 19, with the finished product going out the door by the end of October.

Mozilla had been hoping to have Firefox 2.0 finished by September, but that date was pushed back recently to give developers more time to squash the growing list of bugs in the beta code.

Both Mozilla and Microsoft Corp. are rushing to finish major updates to their browser software. Late last week Microsoft posted the first release-candidate version of Internet Explorer 7, and it is expecting to ship the final version of the next-generation browser by year's end.

Research company OneStat.com estimates that about 13 percent of Web surfers now use Firefox. The Netherlands-based company pegs IE users at 83 percent.


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