VISTA general impression

[mgm]

Perhaps I'm simply a cynical consumer but any product deeming itself as "New
AND Improved" must pass a simple test; it it has to increase it's
functionality while using the same, or ideally less available resources.
Ideally this "New and Improved" product would do more and use less.
Routinely, most new products may do a little more for a little more
resources. Resources, be it time, money, hardware, or labor, are finite.
Resources aren't limitless unless we're in the Garden of Eden. A whopping
16GB OS install takes about 400% more of my hard drive resource than XP sp2
Pro does. Maybe I'm missing the point of VISTA but an OS that uses 16GB of
hard-drive just to install and will need at least 1GB RAM to minimally
perform seems to be an immense resource waste. Can anyone please point out
and explain exactly what new functionality Windows VISTA has that WinXP does
not? Please leave out the marketing spins and weasel words of "helps",
"improves" and the like. Does VISTA have any real added functionality for
the cost?

 

[Mark D. VandenBeg]

The security of the UAC, while a bother to many doing the actual testing of
these betas, will prevent many average users and curious business users from
either installing, modifying or deleting something they should not, and also
prevent most of the common forms of malware from running, because these
users and malwares will not have the access to the elevated level of
permissions. That, is one of the ways that Vista is significantly different
from XP.

 

[mgm]

Please correct me if I'm wrong but using limited user accounts in XP
(configuring for security) and free 3rd party software accomplished the same
thing. I installed programs and did system changes with admin priviledges
in XP. I used my applications, surfed the web as a limited user. Again, I
ask what is the added, new functionality for the cost?

 

[mgm]

I'm rather new to MAC's Tiger OS. My initial impression of VISTA is that it
is very MAC like; If all you want to do is image editing and send your
email, novice users and security paranoid corporations will be delighted
with VISTA.
If you stayed in the PC world because you enjoyed configurability and
personalization of PC's then VISTA is gonna be an expensive pain.

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

The problem is that 99% of users did not do what you did. Microsoft
preached the gospel of not running as Admin for years and it just was not
taking hold. Now they see little choice but to enforce it; hence, UAC.

 

[Bernie]

Well it is certainly new.

Improved is a subjective term. Some will go for it because they like the
new looks. Others because it is the latest thing. I think there are
several things that aren't improvements at all like the way Windows
Explorer looks and works. But there are also many things that are
improvements that aren't obvious until you need them... like the
Performance Diagnostic Console.

The thing is although we are all consumers we consume in different ways.
Office users value different things to tech support people who are
different to developers who are different to gamers etc.

How long have you been using it?

 

[Chris Game]

Again, I ask what is the added, new functionality for the cost?

Sidebar?

 

[mgm]

At last, someone has pointed out a new function. Thanks. I haven't been
using VISTA long, just long enough to wonder about the enormity of the
install.. I sure would like to hear about the added functionality. the User
Account Center doesn't seem like anything XP couldn't accomplish, either by
knowledgeable end-user configuring or by OS default installs for a whole lot
LESS resources/cost... The new functionality is what I'm most interested
in; what is the Performance Diagnostic Console and please point out anything
else that really is added functionality... Thanks

 

[Mark D. VandenBerg]

Excellent example.

 

[deebs]

I'd rather wait until 12 months after commercial release and see:
- what bugs were ID'ed by the public
- what features the public adored
- what features the public didn't enthuse about
- what happened on sales of software
- what happened on sales of hardware

Clarification:
in this sense public := those individuals/corporations that purchased
the product (Vista) either through an upgrade route or with new hardware

 

[Frank]

The security of the UAC, while a bother to many doing the actual testing of
these betas, will prevent many average users and curious business users from
either installing, modifying or deleting something they should not, and also
prevent most of the common forms of malware from running, because these
users and malwares will not have the access to the elevated level of
permissions. That, is one of the ways that Vista is significantly different
from XP.

That's the very first function I disable.
Frank

 

[Mark D. VandenBerg]

I'll try again:

You are now able to use Disk Management to resize partitions without data
loss. I realize Ranish could do the same thing, but this is an improvement
from XP, without having to resort to third-party software.

Also, most of the visual effects have been moved away from the cpu to the
graphics card to (theoretically) free up some cpu cycles.

The "Snipping Tool" gives you much more control over screen shots.

 

[Mark D. VandenBerg]

What about having an indexed search available on the Start Menu?

 

[Richard Urban]

WFWG 3.11 only needed 3 meg of hard drive space and 2 meg of RAM. My 130 meg
hard drive was gigantic for my, then current, needs.

Guess that means that "every" operating system, from "every" manufacturer
since that time, fits into your hypothesis!


--
Regards,

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User
(For email, remove the obvious from my address)

Quote from George Ankner:
If you knew as much as you think you know,
You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!

 

[deebs]

Nah... My guess is that the public always backs a winner. No more, no
less.

Analysts may want to find or synthesise factors but these sorts of
analysis tend to overlook a very important consideration: the fickleness
and incredibility of human nature

Grasp this and grasp a zen of marketing?

 

[mgm]

So far the Performance Diagnostic Console as been the ONLY example also.
The new Windows Explorer is what reminds me most of MACs. It looks like it
is trying hard to limit users instead of increasing functionality. Also the
absence of the Menu bar requires the dependence to screen real-estate eating
icons.

 

[Alan Simpson]

Search is the main difference between Vista and everything else before. It's
not "search" like "find a lost file". It's much, much more. It's a whole new
way of doing things that's better. You just have to invest some time in
really understanding it and taking it to its full potential.

No OS or program will ever consume fewer resources than its predecessors.
Hardware keeps getting better, faster, cheaper and all software evolves
accordingly. Always has been that way. Always will be the way.

Power users drive the market. Power users don't care about a few megabytes
or even a few gigabytes here or there. That stuff is cheap. Time is
expensive. Always has been that way, always will be that way.

 

[mgm]

NTFS file and print permissions, dynamic disk mgmt., seemless vpn, wireless
support, USB connectivity, firewire support ... I could go on and on with
the vast improviments in OS's from 16 bit GUI overlays and FATs or even NT's
minimal hardware support... The question is where is all the increased
functionality between XP and VISTA to account for a 400% increase just in
hard drive needs; not to mention RAM or processors

 

[Jeff]

I have to agree on a few points; enforcing UAC is crap; ppl will turn it off
anyway;waste of time;
Moving the graphics processing to the gpu DOES make sense; however;the very
limited visual things that Aero brings;is again;a joke.
Mac can already do 3d icons;what's with MS's ideas with Aero??? Borders???
WOW that's innovative use of gpu processing!!!
The diagnostics are a MAJOR improvement from xp; I'll give that
But;all in all; its been rather a disappointment in advancing the o.s.
At this point in a beta development; core things;especially wi-fi
encryption;defrag working correctly; core services performing as they
should; would;in my limited knowledge; be considered priority;instead of
GEEE look we added new icons;or LOOK we added a cool new icon to the network
center.
Flash is nice;but at this point in a beta;feature complete;stuff should
start working properly

Jeff

 

[Alan Simpson]

Look at it this way. You need to build a dynamic data-driven Web site. You
get to use a 286 machine with DOS. Sure, it's cheap and uses few resources.
But while you're still trying to get your logins to work everyone else has
their site up and running.