Odyssey (also known as ''NT6'') was the
codename
A code name, codename, call sign, or cryptonym is a code word or name used, sometimes clandestinely, to refer to another name, word, project, or person. Code names are often used for military purposes, or in espionage. They may also be used in ...
for a version of
Microsoft Windows
Windows is a Product lining, product line of Proprietary software, proprietary graphical user interface, graphical operating systems developed and marketed by Microsoft. It is grouped into families and subfamilies that cater to particular sec ...
that was intended to succeed
Windows 2000
Windows 2000 is a major release of the Windows NT operating system developed by Microsoft, targeting the server and business markets. It is the direct successor to Windows NT 4.0, and was Software release life cycle#Release to manufacturing (RT ...
. The project was cancelled in early 2000 and later merged with
Neptune
Neptune is the eighth and farthest known planet from the Sun. It is the List of Solar System objects by size, fourth-largest planet in the Solar System by diameter, the third-most-massive planet, and the densest giant planet. It is 17 t ...
to create
Windows XP
Windows XP is a major release of Microsoft's Windows NT operating system. It was released to manufacturing on August 24, 2001, and later to retail on October 25, 2001. It is a direct successor to Windows 2000 for high-end and business users a ...
.
Development
Development of Odyssey began alongside the consumer-based Neptune in 1999 and was based on the Windows 2000 codebase.
Features planned for Odyssey were the new Activity Centers as well as a new
user interface
In the industrial design field of human–computer interaction, a user interface (UI) is the space where interactions between humans and machines occur. The goal of this interaction is to allow effective operation and control of the machine fro ...
.
The version number of Odyssey is unknown, with some unverified sources claiming it as NT 6.0 or NT 5.5.
Due to high hardware requirements and because Odyssey and Neptune would be based on the same codebase anyway, Microsoft combined them to form codename ''Whistler'', for efficiency.
No builds or versions of Odyssey were ever leaked or released by Microsoft as the product never left the planning stage.
Confidential documents from the
''Comes vs. Microsoft'' case do state that Odyssey was indeed under development.
See also
*
List of Microsoft codenames
Microsoft codenames are given by Microsoft to products it has in development before these products are given the names by which they appear on store shelves. Many of these products (new versions of Windows in particular) are of major significance ...
References
{{History of Windows
Odyssey
The ''Odyssey'' (; ) is one of two major epics of ancient Greek literature attributed to Homer. It is one of the oldest surviving works of literature and remains popular with modern audiences. Like the ''Iliad'', the ''Odyssey'' is divi ...