The general consensus is that Microsoft appears to have addressed the problems with the previous versions of Windows, that is you could drive a truck through the holes in the software. Mind you, that's what everyone said about Windows 95.

The Microsoft Vista briefing this year was greeted not so much with derision as interest, according to observers, who say that Microsoft appears to have addressed many of the important security issues, including the Internet Explorer browser.

Every second Tuesday of each month Microsoft has been forced to download patches to its operating systems and other software products in order to help make their customers' products more secure. Vista is meant to make this ritual unnecessary.

This time around Microsoft has invited the security industry itself to pick holes in its product at Black Hat, probably the foremost gathering of hackers and security experts in the world.

The fact that Microsoft has been bold enough to present Vista for scrutiny at Black Hat has been enough to win the software company plaudits and so far the comments have been positive.

However, the true test will be when Vista is actually released. {moscomment}