Bill Gates has offered the first public peek at Microsoft's next Windows, calling the multimedia-heavy update "the biggest release of this decade, the biggest since Windows 95."

Speaking Monday to thousands of developers at the Microsoft Professional Developers Conference here, Gates offered a dazzling array of eye-catching demos.

Code-named Longhorn, the OS is scheduled to enter beta-testing in the second half of 2004 but isn't expected to be released until 2006.

It will feature flashy graphics that integrate all types of media; a brand-new file system with sophisticated database features; and features that Microsoft says will ensure easy, seamless communication between devices and applications.