Vista UI - Is it being improved?

[Ryan M]

I have used many of the Vista Builds, and I do see progress in this area,
but more needs to be done.

Looking back at the development releases of XP, I noticed in the RC builds -
A LOT changed a whole new look for the OS appeared. I am hoping something
similar is in the works for Vista.

I spend most of my day on PCs, but I also work in IT and do use OSX on a
regular basis. And while the "look" of an OS is subjective, I have to say
when you look past that there still are things that just "feel" better in
OSX.

For example, the experience of managing multiple monitors, in OSX the
transition is so smooth, quick, and well polished. In XP, and Vista - its
screens blinking 5 times, and the whole system thinking for a few seconds
when enabling, or switching the primary display. Why? Why can Apple manage
this in less than a Second and all the screens do is simply fade out then
up?

The experience of Switching users is also just done well, the whole desktop
rotates as a 3D Cube, XGL has also done this similar metaphor on Linux. XGL
takes the Multiple Desktop concept this way as well - and allows for very
easy drag and drop between multiple desktops.

Also, simple things are "jarring" such as going in and out of a
screensaver - Why not just do a quick fade in or out?

Boot - WTH? I mean - is it 2006 or 1995, looks identical still - WHY
Great we added a windows orb video, it looks crap and hokey. Why not a full
res, full color boot, with a real progressbar or something usefull.

Looking at Apple's WWDC we see some hokey things such as the Time Machine
which is way over the top, but we do see some interesting animation there -
things I also believe to be possible with Vista from what I understand, the
Desktop, Icons, task bar, etc on their own layer. I am not saying I want
something like Time Machine, but there really isn't anything interesting
going on at all - its like XP with a transparent theme + Flip3D.

I have heard rumors that A LOT more is coming, but only very few and I would
have expected more leaks if something really interesting was coming.

And I want to make it clear, I am not just talking about eye candy, but more
so the Experience of using the system - It should feel smooth and well put
together considering what the presentation layer is built on, and right now
it feels like it is built on something shaky.

Does anyone have any info that they could share on this matter?

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

Wait for RC1. I don't know what kinds of reports would satisfy your
curiosity. All I can tell you as that the reports are interesting.

 

[Guest]

Can you share the reports? I figured that MS was just working on bugs. If
there is some more info, I'd be curious to know.

Have MS put more people on the Vista team? It seems as if alot more is being
done throughout the RC branch, as opposed to the beta branches. I just hope
that MS concretes on the bugs first, then after the bugs... then add it some
candy. Overall stability is more important to me, then pretty little sparkle.

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

Google will dredge up all sorts of reports and blogs about "Vista RC1".
Give it a try.

MS is doing much more than bug-swatting. They are optimizing code and
working on the infrastructure it will take to deliver Vista.

 

[John Jay Smith]

it seems to me that many are busy testing the solitaire game...

nah.. im just being mean...

I have new hope... since peoples outcry of frustration with vista,
it seems that made MS work triple shifts in order to not make
themselves total fools in the eyes of the world

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

Apparently, the Media Center team was the most ambitious and therefore has
the most work still to do. A full court press is under way and more
resources have been allocated. From what I know, the team is getting the
job done. Progress on MC should be one of the most obvious areas of
improvement in the next TechBeta release.

For the rest of it, the whole Vista team is really pushing to get
performance to specs.

 

[Chris Game]

it seems to me that many are busy testing the solitaire game...

Yes, good isn't it! Of all the new(ish) applets I rather like the
picture viewer/gallery, with the tags it's a useful substitute for
commercial equivalents that I've been using.