Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:MSFT) unveiled Windows Vista on this day 17 years ago, six years after the launch of the highly successful Windows XP operating system.
Microsoft started working on Vista even before XP was released in 2001. While initially intended to be a small stop-gap update before the next major release, Microsoft made major changes to Vista’s user interface, security, and performance.
A Major Design Leap
At the end of 2006, Microsoft finished developing the operating system and rolled out Vista to the general public on Jan. 30, 2007.
Microsoft's slogan for Windows Vista was "The wow starts now," and the company had good reason to claim so. The new Aero user interface, support for fast flash memory, instant search, Windows Defender, and several other new features made for a major leap from XP.
Not Enough ‘Wow'
However, Vista was marred by various issues, including speed, compatibility, performance, and even pricing.
Windows XP's major success also meant that it was deployed on hundreds of millions of computers and devices worldwide. ...