News Microsoft previews Avalon graphics engine

Redmond talks up Avalon, the graphics engine that was slated to premier in Longwait - and releases it to the general public. This from news.com:

Microsoft on Friday offered a public preview of Avalon, its all-new graphics and presentation engine for Windows.

Avalon was originally a key pillar of Longhorn--the next version of Windows--but the company decided last year to also make it available as an add-on to Windows XP and Windows Server 2003.

Although Avalon is a key part of Windows' future, it is something the average computer user will never touch directly. Instead, it's an improved method of dealing with graphics, designed to let developers write snazzier-looking applications.

In November, Microsoft released a "community technology preview" version of Avalon to developers; now that same code is being made available to the public.

More here

 

I'm still unimpressed by MS they can't seem to do anything right the first time, I'm willing to bet the first version of this thing will crash so many systems it won't be funny.

 

Ive had it sitting on my desktop for a couple days, cant decide whether i wat to install it or not though. Is it easy to get rid of if it makes my computer catch fire?

 

how does one obtain this add-on then as going by that article it makes it seem that its readily available for all to see?

::EDIT:: just reaslised I didn't read it properly.. doesnt appear that you are able to get it direct from MS in any case and that one would have to resort to "other" methods to obtain it..

 

I gotta test this out. Its hardware acceleration like the Mac OSX right?

 

You're ovbiously not a programmer, no program no matter how carefully you plan it will not work properly the first time. It will have little bugs, big bugs and bugs that eat entire computers as a light snack, but by testing as many code paths as possible you can reduce the number of bugs to an acceptable level.

 

Nope I'm a graphics designer, but I do understand the whole bugs and glitches thing but thats what beta testing is for and it always seems like microsoft rushes things and never beta tests long enough before putting out a final product. Kinda makes it hard for us non-programmers to use a product if it doesn't work properly.

 

nice job reading the article there, this isnt even a beta release....

 

You know hamish its people like you that get me into trouble with the moderators on this site.

I never said anything about the pre-release that MS is doing now I was referring to the first actual legitimate MS approved release of this product.

I use Microsoft products, I like Microsoft products, I just don't care for the way they usually rush the product through testing so that when they finally release it the product is so buggy the consumers can't use it.
But I'm sure I'll be persecuted for this post by people telling me I’m “MS bashing” and that I “don’t know what I’m talking about” also that I’m “being a troll” but what ever.

 

To be fair, I bet they put twice the money into beta testing as other companies do. Mac has 1/100th of the available programs that a windows OS has to deal with. The structure of XP is far more complicated and convoluted than other platforms as well. These two combined means there's bound to be more bugs in new code.

Windows does a good job and release updates relatively quickly. I've had enough with windows bashing, they manage to create a huge catelogue of software for millions and they're not bad at it. This is reflected in their HUGE market share.

End of rant

 

Indeed. We really do give MS too much crap about buggy software - if you consider the number of bugs in the number of lines of code it's actually very low and the average user will never have an issue with it (please note - new Dell's just don't crash, and please also note that people who use Dells aren't hacking their registry and tweaking things that aren't meant to be tweaked). My old MUD had plenty of bugs itself and getting them worked out is a slow process, and it sure didn't have ~40 million lines of code. Probably not even 40,000.

Then again, they shouldn't be releasing software that's not labelled as beta if it still has bugs in it.

 

Thank you that was constructive and informative, I didn't think of it in that aspect and you probably have a point about the amount of available application between the 2. but on the flip side you could also say that Mac tests theirs well enough that they don't need all the applications that windows does.
I'm not taking one side or the other I just like to have both sides of the coin on the table before any judgments are made.

 

well thats it done. Installed and now im waiting for the fireworks to begin. Rest asured ill be pressing that "send" button on the error button when it pops up.
It did however take DONKEYS ages to install but that could just be my decrepid HDD.
No differences so far but im now looking out for any slight change and i think im starting to see things that arnt realy there

edit: and now i remember that ive prob go no software that uses it

 

How can you even make a comment on assumption like that when you've just been told it's in alpha stage of development. I think its *good* that MS release stuff for us to play around with and get a feel for, and at least they are up front about admitting itll be buggy as hell which is totally understandable.

Yea, and HOW many people use MS software, worldwide, on a daily basis. If consumers couldnt use their software they wouldnt be in the position they are today (that and clever marketing/selling). Im not saying they are anywhere near perfect, but reserve judgement and total cynisism until the final product is out in 18 months.

Totally agree with Scotty Not only that they have to ship a final product for people who dont know a first thing about a computer.

 

i got it from MS actually, because im speshwul

 

it is available to download from their site.

i went to www.microsoft.com
entered avalon in the search box
got this!
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...e1-b4ca-402b-accf-aaa2bd60da74&DisplayLang=en

 

bah
i still maintain that im speshwul

 

If you are worried about trying avalon but screwing up your comp, use deep freeze:

http://www.faronics.com/html/DFStd.asp

It can restore your computer back to a point you define earlier.

 

So do you follow me around from thread to thread and try to incite me into an argument?
I've made a comment on my personal opinion about Microsoft and how they run their company and I immediately get slammed by 10 people about how I obviously am mistaken and have no idea what’s going on. This is MY OPINION! And opinions are like a$$holes every ones got one and you always think everyone else’s stinks but yours smells like roses. If you don't like my opinion LUMP IT! I'm not arguing with you about it till you fully comprehend what I have said, stop twisting my words, and make a constructive comment.

 

Nobody is stopping you having an opinion. Its just people think its BS .