If you think of Windows "Longhorn," the follow-up to Windows XP, as what would have been Windows NT 5.2, then you've got the right idea. Here's the first--and most comprehensive--FAQ dedicated to the next version of Windows Home Edition and Professional anywhere! Be sure to read my Windows XP FAQ as well, for information about the current desktop versions of Whistler, and the Windows .NET Server FAQ for information about the upcoming server products.

Q: What is "Longhorn"?
A: Longhorn is the next version of Windows, which will follow Windows XP. Once expected to be a fairly minor upgrade, Longhorn is now expected to include a number of new features including a revised task-based user interface, an extensible Start panel, and a SQL Server .NET-based file system. The Longhorn version number will probably be 5.2 (Windows 2000 was 5.0; XP is 5.1).

NEW!  For more information about Longhorn, be sure to check out my Road to Longhorn report, in which I review all of the information we know about this release so far.

Q: How do we know this is real? I thought the next version of Windows was called "Blackcomb".
A: The existance of Longhorn was first revealed by Windows product manager Tom Laemmel, who I met July 17 during a press tour. Laemmel spilled the beans to eWeek a few days later, and Microsoft executive vice president Jim Allchin verified that a new interim release, Longhorn, would ship before Blackcomb, which will be a major release. Since then, information about Longhorn has appeared in Microsoft and Department of Justice (DOJ) legal filings related to the Microsoft antitrust case. It's real.

Q: So when will Longhorn ship?  UPDATED !
A: Microsoft originally said that we could expect Longhorn in late 2002 or early 2003, but the release was recently pushed back until late 2003 at the earliest. This suggests that an XP refresh, possibly called Windows XP Second Edition (XP2E) will ship first, in late 2002.

Q: What's up with the name "Longhorn"?
A: As I first revealed in WinInfo, the name wasn't chosen randomly. Remember that Windows XP was code-named "Whistler" and the next major version of Windows is code-named Blackcomb. Both of these names come from ski areas in British Columbia, close to Microsoft's headquarters. At the foot of Whistler Mountain, there is a saloon named Longhorn that serves the local skiing population. So if you're ever in the area and want to take in some local color, Longhorn is a nice stop• after you're done with Whistler.

Q: So what will be new and different in Longhorn?   UPDATED !
A: Though speculation on Longhorn continues, it's beginning to seem that this release is going to be a fairly interesting release with some major changes. See my report, the Road to Longhorn, for a complete list of what we already know about the next version of Windows.