Microsoft Corp has announced the release of Windows 2000 Beta 3 Release Candidate 0 (RC0). The goal of the release is to get technical feedback on the product, formerly known as Windows NT, before the release of the broader Beta 3, which is on track for delivery in the first quarter of 1999, the company said in a statement. The RCO is being sent out to 1,000 hand-picked software vendors and OEMs as well as being available to Rapid Deployment Partners at Redmond’s technical beta site. Microsoft said the main improvements, which were based on feedback from Beta 2 testers, include a good deal of fit-and-finish work. Specifically, the enhancements include a new set-up wizard for deploying Active Directory; better multimedia device driver support and better integration of terminal services so that they work more closely with the operating system. Making Active Directory easier to install is key to the release. At the Gartner Group user conference in Florida in October, analysts pointed to the directory as being one of the key stumbling blocks for implementing the new OS. It also predicts that the software won’t be available for roll-out till the Year 2000, not next year as Microsoft claims.
