Developer : Microsoft

Codename : Longhorn
Launched for customer availability on
January 30, 2007.
Vista Bringing Clarity to your
world so you can focus on what
matters to you.

Feature
s

Development of windows vista occurred over the span of

five and a half years, starting in earnest in may 2001,[1]
prior to the release of microsoft's windows XP operating
system, and continuing until november 2006.

Microsoft originally expected to ship the new version

sometime late in 2003 as a minor step between windows
XP (codenamed "whistler") and windows 7 (codenamed
"blackcomb" and "vienna"). Vista's original codename,
"longhorn", was an allusion to this plan: while whistler and
blackcomb are large ski resorts in british columbia,
longhorn is the name of a bar between the two mountains
that whistler's visitors pass to reach blackcomb.

In most editions of windows vista, the default theme is

windows aero. Aero offers translucent window effects, as
well as live thumbnails, animated transitions and flip 3D.
However, it requires a compatible graphics card, with a
WDDM driver, directx 9 support and 32-bit color; otherwise,
windows vista is displayed using the "windows vista basic"
visual style. Some third-party themes of the windows XP
"luna" theme where ported to windows vista.
WINDOWS AERO (a backronym for authentic, energetic,
reflective, and open, or simply AERO or aero),[1] also
known as aero glass, is a set of interface and design
guidelines that were introduced by the windows vista
operating system. The changes made in the aero interface
affected many elements of the windows interface, including
the incorporation of a new look, along with changes in
interface guidelines reflecting appearance, layout, and the
phrasing and tone of instructions and other text in
applications.

The "glass"-like window borders, a distinctive

feature of "Aero Glass."
Windows Vista[edit]

The aero interface was unveiled for

windows vista as a complete redesign of
the windows interface, replacing
windows xp's "luna" theme. Until the
release of windows vista beta 1 in july
2005, little had been shown of aero in
public or leaked builds.
Live thumbnails on taskbar
windows aero incorporated the
following features in windows vista:

AERO GLASS THEME

the main component of aero, it is the
successor of windows xp's "luna" and
changes the look and feel of graphical
control elements, including but not
limited to buttons, checkboxes, radio
buttons, menus, progress bars and
default windows icons. Even message
boxes are changed

Windows Flip improvements

Windows flip (alt+tab) in windows vista now
shows a live preview of each open window
instead of the application icons.

Windows Flip 3D
Windows Flip 3D (Windows
key+Tab) renders live images of
open windows, allowing one to
switch between them while
displaying them in a threedimensional
Windows 7 Flip 3D, invoked with
Win+Tab key combination

Taskbar live thumbnail

Hovering over the taskbar
button of a window displays a
preview of that window in the
taskbar
Live thumbnails on taskbar

Start
Menu

Divided in half

All programs expandable/collapsi

ble directory tree

Documents,
pictures, music,
games, recent
items, computer,
control panel, help

Quick Launch

Add programs for start

menu to Quick Launch

Can also pin to the

Start Menu

Shortcut :Win +
number

Start Menu:

Instant Off caches all open

User Folder

Search Experience

Search box on every type of explorer window

Even search the Start Menu

Vista Experience

Taskbar preview

Flip replaces Alt Tab

3D Flip (Flag tab)

Aero glass effects

WINDOW NAVIGATION:
Arrows for dropdown menus of alternative folders

Notification Area Clock

Windows Sidebar

Supports Gadgets,
similar to Yahoo Widgets and
Active Desktop

New Search feature even allows you to search

Start Menu

Also searches files ala Google Desktop

New Search Explorer replaces search wizard

from XP

Easy to filter search by type or other tags

Less concern for where your files reside

Start menu automatically adds apps by subject

(install a game and youll find it in

Games)

Search box in every explorer window

Windows Media Player 11

New Interface

Word Wheel instant search

Example of new Stacking UI

Easier to Burn than before.

Library Management, files are automatically

added

Links to Microsoft URGE shop,

allows users to buy mp3s

Performance

Improved Sleep & Resume, combination of

Standby & Hibernate

Delayed services start, services start when

needed not at startup, boot time faster

Max RAM is now 4GB

SuperFetch - caches frequently used DLLs and

pre-loads them at startup

ReadyBoost use flash memory on USB drive

to speed up random access of files.
Samsung/Seagate are creating

ReadyDrives - Harddrives with Flash

Parental Controls

Control which
games and
websites kids can
access

Control times kids

are allowed to use
the computer