New NT to Offer Win 95 Look, Internet Links

Microsoft was expected to release by March a beta version of Windows NT that incorporates the Windows 95 interface, Network OLE, and links to the Internet. The server version of NT 4.0 will also include Microsoft's Internet Information Server (Web server software).

IS managers who've hedged on upgrading from Windows 3.1 to Win 95 say that if NT 4.0 is as stable as the current NT 3.51, they will probably bypass Win 95 and go directly to NT. "Most of the features we added to [NT] 4.0 are there to provide compatibility across Windows 95 and Windows NT systems," says Megan Bliss, NT group product manager at Microsoft. Microsoft moved certain GDI (Graphical Device Interface) and User functions into the NT kernel in part to reduce the w orking set size and compensate for the larger Win 95 shell and other technologies. However, NT 4.0 won't have support for Plug and Play and power management, so Win 95 will likely win preference for notebooks over NT. The table at right shows the road map and a list of new NT features.

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Windows NT 4.0 Highlights

FEATURE                     COMMENT



FIRST BETA
 (Released in February)



Win 95 interface            Common interface reduces retraining among
                            mixed Win 95 and NT shops.

TAPI, Unimodem support      Provides two APIs that communications
                            applications, such as Exchange, require.

NetWare 4.1 NDS client      Access LAN resources easier, run NetWare
                            log-in scripts, access NetWare 4.1 servers
                            natively.

WINS/DNS integration        Protocol gateway software interpret
s disparities
                            between Windows Internet Name Service and
                            Domain Name Service to allow NT to share files
                            across the Internet and communicate with Unix.

Encryption APIs             Provides support for developing encrypted data-
(Crypto API)                exchange solutions over the Internet.

Insignia 486 emulator       Allows RISC versions of NT to run 386
                            enhanced-mode applications.


SECOND BETA
 (Slated for March Time Frame)



DirectDraw, DirectSound     Better support for developing, playing games.

Win 95-compatible           Easier desktop configuration and management.
system policies

Network OLE                 Adds third tier to client/server network, allows
                            encapsulation of business logic into components.


COMING SHORTLY AFTER NT 4.0 RELEASE
 (Slated for Mid-1996)



Fax client/MSN support      Better support for communications.


NOT PLANNED FOR NT 4.0




Plug and Play,              Wait until 1997 for Cairo.
power management