Peep through windows

IT had to finally happen. With all those yellow coloured "Dummies" books on computer technology, selling like hot cakes - it was inevitable that the guys at Microsoft said themselves: "Hey! With all those self confessed dummies out there, let's come up with a new version of "Windows" made specifically for dummies."

And so last month, there was Bill Gates in his trademark V-necked sweater, giving the media a 'sneak peck' at the new Windows that is to be released in the last quarter of 2001. "Beta" or trial versions of the software are yet to be released and Microsoft's India office has completely ignored the ritual unveiling performed in the unlikely setting of Seattle's Rock-n-Roll Museum.

So there has been scant detail in the Indian media. But by dint of diligent detective work on byways and techno- "gallis" of the Internet, this column has come up with a fair idea of what the upgrade is likely to offer.

Remember the early versions of Windows almost 18 years ago - when they superseded DOS on PCs? Since then we have had Windows 3.1, then Window Me (for Millennium). If like me, many of you are suffering from a bad attack of "upgrade fatigue", it's no surprise. However we are promised that the new Windows to be called "XP" (as in eXPerience) all be a great improvement in three core areas that should interest most of us: music, digital pictures and video.

The Windows Media Player 8 (MP 8) that comes with the new Windows XP will be the first player to combine all digital media applications - so you can use it to play DVDs, listen to music, create personal "playlists", tune to internet radio stations, or cut custom CDs. The new "My Pictures" function allows you to view pictures as film strips or as thumbnails or switch between the two (my spy says, any resemblance of these "new features" to the "iTune", "iMovie" and "iDVD" features of the upcoming Mac Operating System OS X for Apple users is purely coincidental. You are free to believe so.)

However, the major improvement is said to be in multiuser features: In a home, different family members can create their own accounts with individual personalised features - and one can switch accounts without rebooting. In addition one can also authorise someone sitting at another PC far away to operate your machine via Internet.

This is great to have a the service engineer in your local PC shop sort out your problem without coming over. But what will it do the you security features? We really do not know - yet.

When they previewed the product, Bill's sidekick at the demo, remarked that "Its a system my mom deserves". In other words, it will be that simple ("moon" equals "dummies"?) but more important we are promised that it won't crash so often.

Why? because unlike the earlier consumer versions of Windows from 95 to Me, this one is not built on a wobbly DOS base but on the more robust "kernel" of Windows NT. Indeed XP will be the final "sangam" of the two separate streams of Windows. While its "Professional" version will be for networked users of Windows NT or 2000, the "Home Edition" will be the upgrade for the rest of us.

And now to answer the question that's really important for us: How much will all this cost? Window XP is likely, according to industry watchers, to be priced at the equivalent of $ 300, with upgrade available from Win '98 or Me for about half this price.

Will we shell out over Rs. 5000 for an upgrade - or will we change over to the increasingly viable option of a Linux based desktop.

I'm sure, the chaps at Redmond, Washington would dearly like to know. Let's make them sweat a bit and keep them guessing for some time more!

A. VISHNU

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