WinFX Beta 1 RC Discoveries
Last Friday, Microsoft released the first WinFX Beta1 Release Candidate. If you haven't downloaded the build yet, here are direct links for the redistribuable and the SDK in ISO format.
WinFX Beta1 RC
http://download.microsoft.com/download/2/b/0/2b02bca5-1df1-46fd-ae8a-b87dc4d2bf2f/en_avalon_indigo_redist_beta1_RC.iso
WinFX Beta 1 RC SDK
http://download.microsoft.com/download/5/4/0/5407D6E4-740E-413E-8E91-EF7AC53A478A/en_winfx_sdk_beta1_RC.iso
While reading the release notes and system requirements, I learned quite a few interesting details about
the build. Namely:
- According to the release notes, WinFX Beta 1 RC supports Visual Studio 2005 Beta 2 and works on Longhorn
Beta 1! This is significant since WinFX (Avalon/Indigo) is the most interesting part of Longhorn from a development standpoint.
- This build supports Infocards (Microsoft.InfoCards namespace in SDK). The Release Notes explain how
to launch the Digital Identity control panel applet (very cool). If the Digital Identity window does not appear
after you install WinFX Beta 1 RC, then type the following at the command prompt: net start "InfoCard Service"
- WinFX Beta 1 RC contains a new speech framework called SpeechFX. You can learn more about it on
Robert Brown's weblog: http://blogs.msdn.com/robertbrown/archive/2005/05/23/421085.aspx
- This new build supports video (as outlined in the Release Notes). So far, it can render WMV (encoded
using Windows Media Video 8 or higher) and WMA. AVIs, MPEGs, JPGs and WAVs may or may not work
(I'll have to test it at one point - if anyone beats me to it, be sure to reply to this blog entry).
- Beta 1 RC breaks some of the Avalon naming conventions. However, Valentin Iliescu was quick on the gun
and managed to update his XAML chess application at lightning speeds. Nice work Valentin!
- According to Lori Pearce posting in the windows.developer.winfx.avalon newsgroup, the online WinFX SDK will be updated within the week. Here is a direct link: http://winfx.msdn.microsoft.com/
* Update: Drew Marsh is maintaining a Beta 1 RC Change Log Commentary.
* Update: Tim Sneath has posted a document on the new features of Beta 1 RC.
http://www.sneath.org/downloads/b1rcguide.doc
If anyone has any other information about new features in the build, be sure to post a comment!