Allchin: Windows 2000 Beta 3 'better than production OSes'

In an interview with the Gartner Group, Microsoft VP Jim Allchin, the manmost directly responsible for Windows 2000, says that the beta 3 release ofthe OS, which was released last week, is better than any production OSMicrosoft has ever shipped. And though the beta still has bugs left to beworked out, it's on track for a year's end release. Windows 2000, Allchinsays, is the most important product Microsoft has ever created.

"Beta 3 is more solid than any OS we've ever shipped," Allchin said. "In ourstress tests, it performs better than NT 4.0 with Service Pack 4."

And Allchin briefly mentioned the next Consumer Windows, code-named"Neptune," as well. Neptune will focus on user interface simplicity andmultitasking, an interesting combination.

When the popularity of Linux came up, Allchin was quick to downplay itssignificance.

"Linux is UNIX," Allchin said. "I don't consider it to be very innovative.The profit motive will end up ruining and tarnishing the altruism people useto promote this thing."Meanwhile, Allchin took exception to the perception that Microsoft doesn'tinnovate, noting the kernel and telephony improvements in Windows 2000 asrecent examples. But he also added that there's no shame in "standing on theshoulders of giants" where it makes sense