“WinFS has had a turbulent history. Originally announced as one of the three ‘pillars’ of Windows Vista—the other two being the new Windows Presentation Foundation (formerly code-named ‘Avalon’) user interface layer and the Windows Communication Foundation (formerly code-named ‘Indigo’) web services layer—WinFS was to revolutionize how users and developers interacted with the files on their computers. In late 2004, Microsoft announced that Vista, then code-named Longhorn, would ship without WinFS,” Jeremy Reimer reports for Ars Technica.
“Later it was admitted that WinFS would be delayed even beyond Vista Server, but would be released as a free separate download for both Vista and Windows XP. Beta 1 of WinFS hit MSDN last August, and looked promising. However, Microsoft dropped a hammer on WinFS fans this weekend by revealing that WinFS Beta 2 has been canceled, and the technology behind WinFS is now scheduled to be rolled into the next release of Microsoft’s SQL Server product, rather than a standalone release,” Reimer reports.
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: The “three pillars” of Microsoft Albatross, er… Vista. That’s one mangled tripod. Looks like a Tiger got a hold of it; or a Leopard or something. Does anyone actually do anything at Microsoft anymore? Redmond’s robber barons must award extra towels for gross ineptitude; double for pure incompetence. Moo.
Here’s what the drill looks like to us: Microsoft announces something and “boy, it’ll be ‘super!'” Then they slip the ship date, then slip some more, shed a feature or two, then announce some meaningless restructuring plan, then slip some more, then throw some chairs/drop some f-bombs, dump a major underlying technology “pillar,” slip a little more, kill some more features, and then they finally just cancel the vapor altogether. Lather, rinse, repeat. Oh, sorry, they did get Origami out the door…
Advertisements:
• Introducing the super-fast, blogging, podcasting, do-everything-out-of-the-box MacBook. Starting at just $1099.
• Get the new iMac with Intel Core Duo for as low as $31 A MONTH with Free shipping!
• Get the MacBook Pro with Intel Core Duo for as low as $47 A MONTH with Free Shipping!
• Apple’s new Mac mini. Intel Core, up to 4 times faster. Starting at just $599. Free shipping.
• iPod. 15,000 songs. 25,000 photos. 150 hours of video. The new iPod. 30GB and 60GB models start at just $299. Free shipping.
• Connect iPod to your television set with the iPod AV Cable. Just $19.
• iPod Radio Remote. Listen to FM radio on your iPod and control everything with a convenient wired remote. Just $49.
Related articles:
Why Windows Vista continually slips – June 16, 2006
Origami Ultra-Mobile PCs are Microsoft’s biggest flop since Windows ME – June 12, 2006
Microsoft lops off yet another Windows Vista feature: ‘PC-to-PC Sync’ bites the dust – June 07, 2006
Moving train wreck that is Windows Vista to leave the station in late 2006/early 2007 – June 01, 2006
How to delete a shortcut in Windows Vista in just 7 steps – June 01, 2006
Pirillo critiques Windows Vista with long lists of mistakes – May 30, 2006
Microsoft CEO Ballmer: Vista consumer launch could slip further – May 24, 2006
It must be getting really bad: Microsoft brings back the towels – May 19, 2006
Thurrott: Microsoft collapsing under its own weight, Gates has driven Windows Vista into the ground – April 20, 2006
Microsoft employees call for heads to roll over continual Vista slips – March 27, 2006
Microsoft’s Windows Albatross, er Vista could slip even more – March 27, 2006
What’s the difference between Mac OS X and Vista? Microsoft employees are excited about Mac OS X – March 22, 2006
Microsoft Windows Vista will not support EFI booting – March 09, 2006
Microsoft Vista: long-delayed and pared-down – December 14, 2005
Microsoft suffers from malaise, key defections, Windows Vista struggles, lack of towels – September 16, 2005