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Media Center 'Fiji' = Windows Vista Media Center Feature Pack 2008

May 21, 2008 Paul Thurrott | Paul Thurrott's Supersite for Windows

I put this on the front page the other day to see if anyone noticed, but no one did. Not coincidentally, Mary Jo Foley turned up yesterday with a post about beta testing of Fiji, a long-awaited Media Center update:

there’s been no word in ages from Microsoft about “Fiji,” the next version of Windows Media Center Edition.

But that isn’t because Fiji has evaporated. In fact, the Fiji beta began a few weeks ago, according to a few sources with whom I’ve spoken and who’ve asked to keep their identities under wraps.

It’s not clear how many testers are part of this current test phase. There’s also no word on when and if Microsoft is going to tap the many other Fiji testers whom the company has signed up over the past year-plus or when Microsoft expects Fiji — also known as “Media Center Edition +1″ in some circles — is due out.

Actually, it's not called "Media Center Edition +1." (That would be Vista Home Premium, wouldn't it?) It's called Windows Vista Media Center Feature Pack 2008. And it should include a completion of the user interface makeover that Microsoft began working on in the Vista version of Media Center, though the initial beta is alarmingly identical to the UI for the shipping version of Vista Media Center.

Expect Windows Vista Media Center Feature Pack 2008 later this year. October 1 or so.

Discuss this Article 13

lotsamystuff
on May 21, 2008
What do you mean? Apparently Mary Jo Foley noticed.
bluvg
on May 21, 2008
"Fiji," "Media Center Edition +1." Apologies in advance for being pedantic... but this English business of putting punctuation inside quotes is ridiculous. It is hardly ever accurate (including these cases). I realize there are exceptions when punctuation can be put outside the quotes, but it really should be the rule rather than the exception. If enough of us simply start doing it, it will become the accepted standard. Ok, back to your regularly scheduled program....
rmansfield
on May 21, 2008
Actually, American usage dictates commas and periods as being placed inside quotation marks with semicolons and colons outside quotation marks. British usage places commas and periods outside quotation marks. I teach college-level writing. This is a common issue that is confusing to many people. I wish that all English writers could standardize, but we can't even agree on which side of the road to drive on. Nevertheless, Paul's usage is correct because he is American and writing in an American setting.
pthurrott
on May 21, 2008
Lotsamystuff... I'm pretty sure MJF heard about the Fiji beta from one of her beta tester tipsters. I'm referring to the name, not that a beta release has occurred. Regarding quotes... Microsoft uses quotes around code names. That's why these names are written that way, though I don't always observe it to be honest. (On a semi-related note, I can't stand using the exclamation point in Yahoo!'s name.) Regarding punctuation inside quotes... what he said. :) Obviously, driving on the right side of the road is correct. I mean, that's not even "debatable." Sorry. :)
matt.brown
on May 21, 2008
I second that. I am an "English major," and it is proper to place the comma inside the quotation marks and improper not to. Do a little homework before you get pedantic.
johnpapola
on May 21, 2008
Paul, Now, if only Microsoft wasn't so willing to comply with every whim of the content producers at the expense of the consumer's usability. I'm sure you've seen this mess regarding Microsoft's VOLUNTARY compliance with the broadcast flag and media center blocking DVR for NBC shows (American Gladiator in this case). http://gizmodo.com/391642/microsoft-will-totally-bork-your-media-center-... As the link outlines, the courts shot down mandatory compliance for hardware and software makers... which means that Media Center could legally ignore these flags and allow customers to record any show. I'm certain users assume this is how media center works. What an unpleasant surprise to find that Microsoft is once again not even trying to side with consumers here. Just another reminder that the end user is NOT Microsoft's main customer or concern. It's OEMs and content companies.
bluvg
on May 21, 2008
I'm not questioning whether it's correct according to current English "rules." The rules are dynamic, obviously. I'm saying it's time to change them. In this case, if the product name includes the punctuation, the quotes should include the punctuation. If it does not, it's technically inaccurate, and written language should place accuracy over grammar conventions.
bluvg
on May 21, 2008
matt.brown... not that I'm great at it myself, but regarding grammar, I believe one of your sentences ends with a preposition. :P (Granted, ending with a preposition has also become accepted in some scenarios. Just joking with you....)
matt.brown
on May 21, 2008
@bluvg Actually it ends with the first half of an infinitive (viz. to place), but no one will care in a hundred years when there is yet another shift in the rules of grammar. In fact, they probably won't care too much about "Figi," iPhones, or cloud computing either. It's amazing how trivial things like these make us get worked up. Pardon my grammar: like these up which make us get worked.
lotsamystuff
on May 21, 2008
Paul, I forgot the all-forgiving wink of forgiveness. ;-)
bluvg
on May 21, 2008
@matt... thanks for pointing that out to me. Is that acceptable practice? Speaking of infinitives, I wonder if you cringe at how often infinitives are split in tech circles ("to better deliver," "to further improve," etc.). At any rate, I don't consider this trivial when I'm writing email, documentation, etc. (trivial in the big picture of life, sure...). Occasionally I'll write instructions for various computer tasks. Many times, the labels for controls will contain punctuation marks, such as ellipses. These are professional documents, and I want to make them as accurate as possible. It makes for complicated writing when you end up in situations where you use quotes around the label (including the ellipsis), but then the phrase ends with a comma. Putting the comma inside the quotes makes the label inaccurate, but putting it outside the quotes is not the convention. To my mind, the punctuation should be inside the quote only when it is properly part of what is within the quotes.
Waethorn
on May 22, 2008
re: "bluvg" LOL! I'm surprised losta wasn't the one that brought out the [sic] hammer!
subzerohitman721
on May 24, 2008
Thanks for the english lesson but I totally blow usage and grammar all the time. Yet people still understand the worlds comming out of my mouth and blogs. Anyways, I like the fact that Fiji will have access to Direct TV. That will be a good direction. Now if they could get Fiji to interact with local cable systems. That would be a real coup but I'm sure it won't happen.

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