News Longhorn Looks Promising...

...even if it is going top be late. From eWeek:

Back when Windows XP was still known by the code name Whistler, the most exciting thing about Microsoft Corp.'s client OS-in-progress was that it wasn't Windows 9x.

But now that Windows users can take for granted such basics as real multiuser support and relative freedom from blue screens of death, it will take a lot more than making Windows a less-hated part of one's workday to spur enthusiasm for Longhorn, the code name for Microsoft's next client OS release.

At the Microsoft Professional Developers Conference in Los Angeles yesterday, we got our first look at Longhorn: With its dramatically remade presentation, storage and communications systems, Longhorn should give Windows users and developers plenty to be excited about.

eWEEK Labs tested Build 4051 of Longhorn, which PDC attendees received along with a raft of software preview disks.

More, including some screenshots (but don't get to excited) here