You're supposed to do scary things on Hallowe'en, and what could be scarier than installing the first release candidate of a new version of Microsoft Windows? That's what I'll be doing today.
I got my grubby paws on RC1 last night at a Microsoft presentation in Toronto, where some 'softies from Redmond did presentations coverig the new features for IT and security in Vista. I took notes and will blog them later.
Being a release candidate, the installation DVD doesn't come in the newly-announced packaging currently headlined on Techmeme; rather, it comes in a standard DVD case with the woodland scene that serves as the background image for the Windows Vista Team Blog.
I'll be installing Vista on the standard-issue Tucows PC desktop, an IBM ThinkCentre with a 3GHz P4 and half a gig of RAM (hmm…I should really fill out a request for more). According to the Windows Vista RC1 Reviewer's Guide, this may not be enough for the “Premium” Vista experience, for which 1GB is required.
I'll post my notes of the install experience, and later I'll take the newly-available Windows Media Player 11 (an early review appears here) and IE7 for a spin and post those experiences here as well.
Remember folks, Global Nerdy lives on the bleeding edge so you don't have to!