Windows Longhorn/6.0.3683.Lab06 N.020923-1821

Windows "Longhorn" build 3683 (with a build tag of 3683.Lab06_N.020923-1821) is a build of the Microsoft Windows "Longhorn" operating system. Compiled on 23 September 2002, build 3683 became one of the first "Longhorn" builds to leak, on 19 November 2002,    after some screenshots were published on October 20, 2002.

Features
This build contained: Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
 * date and time on the Welcome screen
 * Plex theme,  which Microsoft regarded as a placeholder until they were ready to demonstrate Aero
 * Sidebar, where it was possible to integrate XML-based components called "Tiles", including a clock, a photo slideshow, a multiple desktop manager, a list of most frequently used programs, the Quick Launch toolbar, an Internet search bar, and a user tile, to quickly switch between users. A custom user tile showing the Longhorn version and build number is also available at Longhorn.MS. The sidebar could also be combined with the taskbar. A user could drag open program windows in the desktop thumbnail itself.
 * WinFS, called "Windows Future Storage" in this build. The WinFS services run by default, which slowed down the system. WinFS indexes the complete root drive of the computer. Contrary to a review from the time the build leaked that no WinFS features are integrated in Windows Explorer, WinFS allows Access/SQL style display filters to the columns in the Windows Explorer Details view, search through a box at the Task pane of Explorer windows, grouping folder contents with specific criteria using Pivots (e.g., Documents Grouped by Type), which did not work possibly because properties are not assigned to files. A non-functional "My Contacts" special folder powered by WinFS is included. Virtual folders still lack in functionality.
 * StartUp Applications Monitor under Performance settings in System Properties
 * My Hardware, a Windows Explorer-based Device Manager
 * an XML Display Properties control panel, written with "Avalon" APIs. Most of it was not functional except for Display Connection Settings, which provides information about the display adapter and monitor, and for setting a gradient or collage desktop background
 * new version 6.05 of Internet Explorer, with the new "Media" bar
 * a beta version of DirectX 9
 * Castles, which became HomeGroup in Windows 7
 * Desktop Composition Engine, which can be started by adding the registry key below and restarting the computer:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\DesktopComposition] "StartupOptions"=dword:00000002

Several new features appeared in Windows Explorer:
 * a new big horizontal panel under Windows Explorer toolbars, which can be disabled from "Folder Options", with custom appearance for special folders "My Documents", "My Pictures", "My Music", with animated effects on thumbnails in the case of multiple selections
 * disk size indicator in My Computer
 * an enhanced address bar (see Gallery)
 * previews of the folder contents inside their icons in the "Tiles" view mode (see Gallery)
 * new buttons in toolbar: Zoom to changes the icon size, Details pane to enable the Avalon details pane, and Pivots to list various sorting modes for the current folder, supported and driven by WinFS
 * the possibility to select files and folders through checkboxes (see Gallery)
 * a new interface for "Open", "Save As", and "Confirm File Replace" dialog windows
 * system dialogs are using an all new branding API exported by Kernel32.dll
 * detailed introduction dialog for working with Briefcases
 * Game Definition files, backed by managed code providing extra functionality such as the un/blocking and updating of games, and a games news reader. Data is backed in a local SQL database, similar to WinFS in theory
 * creating albums or playlists, which is not functional
 * rating music files in a virtual folder

Issues
Build 3683 is incompatible with a number of applications that require Windows XP or earlier. Many of these compatibility issues can be solved by running applications in Windows Compatibility Mode

The user icon cannot be changed after enabling the user tile on the Sidebar.

Virtual desktops accessible through the Sidebar tile causes a massive memory leak in Windows Explorer, using over 100 MB of memory.

Paint and the Control Panel crash on exit.

Internet Explorer crashes when a user tries to download anything, since some bitmaps are missing in this build, such as the download animation in Internet Explorer.

Changing themes changes the "start" button text to "st". Restarting solves this issue.

Non-fatal errors may come up during installation.

Gallery
More screenshots are available here.