The unveiling of the Release Candidate 1 (RC1) of Windows Vista suggests the operating system is largely complete and almost ready to ship.

Microsoft indicated it still aims to deliver Vista to volume customers in November, and availability on new PCs and in retail outlets will follow in January.

The RC1 version of Windows Vista was made available only to technical beta testers via Microsoft’s TechBeta site on 1 September. However, this has now been extended to MSDN and TechNet subscribers and wider public availability will follow at a later date.

In a blog entry announcing RC1, Microsoft Platforms and Services co-president Jim Allchin asked testers to install the new code promptly so that their feedback could be incorporated into the final version.

“You’ll notice a lot of improvements since Beta 2,” Allchin wrote. “We’ve made some user interface adjustments, added more device drivers, and enhanced performance. We’re not done yet, however – quality will continue to improve. We will keep plugging away on application compatibility, as well as fit and finish, until Vista is released to manufacturing. If you are a software vendor, RC1 is the build you should use for certifying your application.”

Early opinions on the RC1 versions have been mixed, with some testers reporting that the code installs faster and feels more polished and responsive, while others indicated problems when upgrading systems running Windows XP.

While little has apparently changed from the Build 5536 version that was released late in August, testers have reported that the User Account Control (UAC) security feature is now less intrusive and can even be turned off.

One tester even claimed that the Aero Glass 3D user interface now works with the embedded graphics functions in Intel’s 945G chipset, a standard component in many corporate desktops. If correct, this will allow many more users to benefit from Aero Glass without having to upgrade to a discrete graphics card.

Joe Wilcox, an analyst with Jupiter Research in the US, said there will probably be a second release candidate of Vista between now and when the code is finalised, or released to manufacturing.

‹ www.microsoft.com/windowsvista