Development of Windows Vista Development of Windows Vista Development of Windows Vista occurred over the span of five and a half years, starting in earnest in May 2001, prior to the release of Microsoft's Windows XP operating system, and continuing until November 2006. Microsoft originally expected to ship the new version sometime late in 2003 as a minor step between Windows XP (codenamed "Whistler") and Windows 7 (codenamed "Blackcomb" and "Vienna"). Vista's original codename, "Longhorn", was an allusion to this plan: While Whistler and Blackcomb are large ski resorts in British Columbia, Longhorn is the name of a bar between the two mountains that
Features new to Windows Vista users to create their own locale data for use in applications using the "Locale Builder" tool. Features new to Windows Vista Compared with previous versions of Microsoft Windows, new features of Windows Vista are numerous, covering most aspects of the operating system. They include new technical features, new aspects of security and safety, new networking features, new I/O technologies, and additional management features. Premium editions of Windows Vista include a redesigned user interface and visual style, named "Windows Aero (Authentic, Energetic, Reflective and Open)". Aero is intended to be cleaner and more aesthetically pleasing than previous Windows versions, including glass-like