What After Windows Vista? Windows Vienna Planned

News is buzzing about that the next Windows version is under development. After the release of Windows Vista after 5 years following Windows XP, the next version called Windows Vienna may be out in the next few years.

PCWorld talks with Ben Fathi, corporate vice president of development with Microsoft’s Windows Core Operating System Division that Microsoft’s next client operating system could be out by the end of 2009.

Download Squad reports that Vienna will feature a new file system and a new user interface (no more start menus or toolbars), which had originally been intended for Vista and most significantly, Vienna will break backward compatibility with many existing Windows programs. Now that should encourage Windows users to upgrade. Wikipedia reports that there will be continued backward compatibility with 32-bit applications, but 16-bit WindowsMS-DOS applications will not be supported.

Engadget is reporting that work is on over the first service pack, code named “Fiji” and sending out a call for testers in hopes of rolling out the upgrade by the end of the year.

While you are still thinking of upgrading to Windows Vista, testing might have already started for Windows Vienna!