Pre-RC1 and RC1
Responding to criticism that it wouldn't be supporting the upcoming USB 2.0 standard out of the box with Windows XP, Microsoft issued a letter to its customers on April 23, 2000 explaining the decision. "Microsoft is a big supporter of both USB 2.0 and Bluetooth, as well as many other connection and wireless standards, such as IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 1394, and USB 1.0", wrote Carl Stork, General Manager of Windows Hardware Strategy. "We have been and remain committed to delivering support for these new standards in Windows XP and some of our other operating system products. The issue for USB 2.0 and Bluetooth is only the timing of availability for native support for Windows, and not any decision to choose support for one technology over another. Because of the lack of production-quality devices to test, and because Windows XP must be ready for PCs that will ship for the 2001 holiday season, Windows XP will not have native support for either technology when it is first released to PC system manufacturers. Microsoft’s goal is to deliver support for both Bluetooth and USB 2.0 soon after Windows XP is first available." By late July, the company was already shipping beta drivers for USB 2.0.
Build 2469 (with a build tag of idx02.010508-1228) was released to testers on May 12, 2001. Major changes to Networking and Net card drivers were implemented in this build. This build also included minor updates to the Home Network Wizard, the RAS client connection wizard; the Base, Kernel, Plug and Play and Power Management; performance, reliability, boot time, application launch, setup, uninstall, and Windows 98/ME upgrades; security & directory services, mainly new restrictions on local account login using blank passwords; and help, management, and remote desktop/assistance. Also, the new Windows logo was now fully featured on everything.
Build 2474 (with a build tag of main.010508-1907) was released internally on May 17, 2001. It wasn't given to testers, but it was the first build to feature the new Product Activation UI, which now used new XP-style dialogs. It was also the first build to include a beta of Windows Messenger 4.
Build 2475 (with a build tag of idx01.010514-2023) was released to testers on May 24, 2001. This build featured a new boot up logo with a black screen that now reads Windows XP, a new introductory movie, a Welcome to Windows screen featuring a borderless window, a waving flag animation on the Welcome screen that was later dropped, an icon for Remote Assistance in the root of the All Programs menu, and various tours of Windows XP and MPXP in Help and Support. Also, Setup was branded with "RC1" text.
Build 2481 (with a build tag of main.010523-1905) was released internally on June 1, 2001 and given to testers on June 6. This build featured a number of improvements, including a new Windows XP tour and two color schemes based on the Luna UI. Then called "Homestead" and "Metallic", for their green and gray colors, respectively, the color schemes were among many others that Microsoft was working on, but only these two were included in the final release. This build also introduced the new XP sounds - the first major new sound scheme that Microsoft developed.
After Build 2481 was released, there would be no more changes to the Windows XP's GUI, meaning that the UI is very close to what it will be in the final product. Personal computer hardware compatibility was also finalized, meaning that Microsoft didn't add device support beyond what was then planned.
Build 2486 (with a build tag of main.010602-1927) was released to testers on June 15, 2001. For the first time, this build of Windows XP Home Edition could support multiple monitors, including dual-view. Previously, Microsoft had said that Home Edition would support only one display. 2486 was also the first build to include the four "sample pictures" that shipped in the RTM version of XP.
Build 2494 (with a build tag of main.010613-1739) was released to testers on June 21, 2001, which was the first to offer up balloon help suggesting that users tie their Windows logon to Passport. It was also the first build to feature the new Windows Messenger UI.
Build 2505 (RC1, with a build tag of main.010626-1514) On July 2, 2001, as Release Candidate 1. There were no changes from previous builds. This was the first build released to the public via the Windows XP Preview Program (WPP) since Beta 2.
"The feedback that Microsoft has received from more than half a million beta testers tells us loud and clear that people are super-excited about the experiences Windows XP enables and that we're in the home stretch for delivering the system to our customers", said Jim Allchin, group vice president of Microsoft's Windows division, referring to the many feedbacks Microsoft had been receiving. "Today's release of RC1 further underscores Microsoft's commitment to excellence and to delivering the highest-quality product to our customers on October 25."
Read more about this topic: Development Of Windows XP