Windows Live Wave 4 (But Not For XP)

windows-live-logo Windows 7 is missing many of the features that were previously available in Windows Vista (and even in some cases Windows XP) because Microsoft made the decision to remove some of the extra components in Windows 7. These programs were moved to the Windows Live Essentials package, which Microsoft suggests you install as soon as you get Windows 7 (most PC manufacturers have it preinstalled) to get the most optimal experience. The Windows Live Essentials package currently includes a mail client, an instant messaging client, photo gallery and editor, movie maker, internet safety filter, a blogging application called Writer, the Windows Live Toolbar for Internet Explorer and a few extra programs including a syncing application, Silverlight, Outlook Connector and Office Live Addin. These programs along with the associate web apps (Hotmail, Calendar, Home, Profile, People, Photos, Skydrive, Events, Groups, Family Safety and Spaces) make up what is called Windows Live Wave 3. Windows Live Wave 3 was released to the public in January 2009, 9 months before Windows 7 was released and was built to work with XP and Vista more than it was to work with Windows 7. That's where Windows Live Wave 4 comes in.

Windows Live Wave 4 is the next version of these desktop and web applications and from the information currently in the arena (thankfully due to those who leak it to us) it will be a very big and interesting release. This is also going to be the link which connects Windows Phone to Windows 7, with Microsoft Outlook taking a backstage to this position which it previously held except for corporations who still use Microsoft Exchange. I have managed to download a copy of the leaked version of the Windows Live Essentials for Wave 4 and so have been able to have an interesting look at most of the programs in the package. They're nowhere near finished, but they do show a few interesting trends which I'll mention here.

1. No XP Support. Microsoft is FINALLY moving in the right direction and in this version they are dropping support for the very quickly ageing (I call it ancient) Windows XP. You'll require Windows Vista SP2 at a minimum to run the Windows Live Wave 4 essentials, so if you still choose to run XP (see my article here about that) then you'll be restricted to the web services only. This is mainly because the applications require components that Windows XP simply cannot provide to them anymore and also a way to start to tell people, it's time to move on. You've all got to prepare for this, many application developers will stop writing software that works on Windows XP soon, it's days are numbered.

2. The Interfaces. Microsoft is rapidly moving away from the traditional menu bar and toolbar interfaces it has been using since the 1990s to the use of the ribbon (first shown off in Office 2007) and to a second interface which is modeled of the Zune PC Software. Both look very elegant and modern and thankfully remove the menu bar. I suspect Internet Explorer 9 will be modeled on one of these interfaces when it is released either late this year or early next year.

3. Integrating Windows with the Internet in more places. Windows Live Wave 4 is going to bring more integration with the internet and Windows 7 and also more integration with different services including Facebook and Twitter. Windows Live Sync is going to be a massive app in Windows Live Wave 4 which is going to take over Windows Live Mesh and will sync with a couple of new services called Windows Live Docs and Windows Live Devices (possibly replacing Skydrive, if not then definately sitting on top of it).

So some very interesting thing happening in the Windows Live front and I hope to keep you updated with the news. Here's a few pictures of some of the leaked versions of the Windows Live Essentials I've had a chance to install.

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