Today, 00:00 CET, Vista will be on sale here in The Netherlands; some computer shops will even be open tonight to cater to the early adopters. In all honesty, I do not think we will see Windows 95-like craziness, but still, I think a simple poll is in order. What is the feature in Windows Vista you have been looking forward to the most? Read more to pass your vote.
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Why hurray? Vista won't be any cheaper in 2009. There probably won't be the next consumer version of Windows in 2009 - so you won't be able to skip a version.
The best you can hope for is that by 2009 you will want to throw out your computer and get a new one (with Vista preinstalled). It will probably be the same price as today's computer, but better value.
Member since:2005-06-30
I'm not looking forward to Vista because I'm planning on buying it for personal use. I'm looking forward to it because it will finally offer a number of features that I have come to expect in other operating systems. So, when I have to use Vista at work or to support someone else, it should be a more pleasant experience. I really do think that Vista brings a lot to the table. And, after Microsoft gets SP1 out the door it should be a nice upgrade from XP.
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I think the best feature of Vista is that many applications and drivers written for NT/2000/XP/2003 will no longer work. Backwards compatibility stifles innovation and competition while costing users more money in the long run. From a 10,000-foot perspective, it is cheaper to port applications or write cross-platform applications than to hope that your binaries continue to run on new systems. In IT you usually have a choice between paying a lot now or paying way more later.
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It was wise to not put a category for "None" because it would probably get enough votes to distort the results.
I'm sure in time I'll use Vista. But it can wait because there are still a million things I want to learn and try out and experiment with on GNU/Linux and it's applications, not to mention the other OSes I want to experiment with.
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True, it also should make development alot quicker and better still, the application more 'future proof' in regards to running applications on future Windows operating system.
Its just appauling, however, that Microsoft hasn't pushed the fact to ISV's that if they port their applications to .NET *NOW* it will future proof their applications, possibly, for the next 5-10 years; and that they would no longer have to worry about the win32 ugly bits which cause problems during development.
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Speaking of .NET, can anyone tell me how much of .NET you can use from IronPython? .NET has intrigued me for quite a while, but I'm in love with Python. If I could write full Windows apps with System.Windows.Forms or Avalon in Python, methinks I would be in Windows developer heaven.
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Amen to that.
My favorite would have to be the overall experience Vista presents. Compared to the one XP presented, this one is phenomenal.
It allows someone like say my grandmother to find all her data without her having to call me to walk her through it. She just types it in and bam it's there.
It isn't that the search is global, but it's that it's everywhere. In Control Panel, Start Menu, Folders, etc..
It becomes really useful after a while.
Another part that's not directly tied to Vista that I'm interested from a developer's prospective is Power Shell.
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Eeh... that already happens with Win2K Pro, WinXP and Win2K3 Server if you are running as a Restricted User (in XP: Limited User).
Most of the time it doesn't - if you're logged is a non-admin and you try to access something that requires admin access, you get "Permission Denied" or "You do not have sufficient privileges to view or modify this control." E.g., login as a normal user in XP or 2k and try to make changes to your network settings.
I can only remember two particular times when XP/2k would automagically give you a "Enter your credentials to perform this action"-esque dialogue: when you try to run *some* of the control panel applets as non-Admin (but not most of them IIRC), or if you start a new software installation. Although, the latter seems to be pretty braindead - I believe it just pops up a "Hey, wanna run as another user?" box whenever a setup.exe or install.exe file is launched.
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Eh? Tell me where that shop is, the cheapest Mac I could find would be the Mac mini, *starting* at $599. I'd get 1GB of Ram with that too, so that makes $674.00. And if you want the 1,83Ghz Core due with superdrive (DVD writer instead of DVDRom/RW) with 1GB of ram, it's $874.00.
Which isn't bad, but not quite $500.
If I was Apple, I'd drop the price of a Mac Mini to the exact price of Windows Vista Ultimate, if only to taunt Steve Ballmer. Oops, that's my evil side coming out again 
Edited 2007-01-30 08:27
Member since:2006-10-10
Really! Now that's an idea....a $399 mini just to spit in the face of MS. Not sure Apple would profit from that, but, hey....they can consider it their money-losing console equivalent.
Sometimes you have to spend money to make money....
I would say, however, that at this precent time, $399 can net you a decent PPC mac, or maybe a used, and stripped, core-solo macintel from ebay.
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More realistically, they would have to price it at the upgrade version to sound credible - that's $259. Heading into very serious and (to Apple) damaging "low build quality" territory there.
At $399 it could still be a nice gimmick (although still at a rather low build quality, probably)
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... is that I see nothing to be excited about. Which helps me keep down my cost of living, which means that I work less, which means that I have time to do some of the important things in life. Like help out kids who were born into families that cannot even afford computers.
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yes, isn't it amazing? it looks like half the new features from vista are mostly about limiting the users...
'you can't run unsigned drivers'
'yeah, we can degrade the quality of videoplayback!'
'drm throughout the system, isn't it great?'
'better ways to check if you have legitimate software'
damn, Microsoft is making it easier and easier to get ppl to use FOSS, which DOES respect it's users... so yes, it's my favorite too...
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XP was good, but Vista will blow that out of the water for HTPC use. Linux is a very distant fourth (dunno what is third, but Linux really sucks for home theater use). Sorry Linux fanboys, but other than DRM, Microsoft is giving us HTPC users something no one else has.
Look here: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=713073
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XP was good, but Vista will blow that out of the water for HTPC use. Linux is a very distant fourth (dunno what is third, but Linux really sucks for home theater use). Sorry Linux fanboys, but other than DRM, Microsoft is giving us HTPC users something no one else has.
What exactly are you talking about? DRC? Linux has that and has had it longer than MS. If you could be more specific as to what MS has that Linux doesn't maybe we could agree but I doubt it. Linux is excellent for HTPC. There are some issues (mostly driver related) but overall Linux makes a great HTPC platform and even has features that MS doesn't have.
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Read the link I posted.
I did. What specifically does Linux not have? I ask this because the article is about signal processing which Linux is perfectly capable of and there are actually a lot of tools and plugins out there for Linux.
http://www.ladspa.org/
http://linux-sound.org/dsp.html
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Vista blows Linux out of the water for HTPC use? You've got to be kidding.... did you know that most versions of Windows Vista won't even support DVD playback? I tried to play a DVD on my Vista Enterprise box and it took me to a web page to either purchase Vista Ultimate or pay $50 for third party DVD playback software.
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I think it's the de-scrambling code, not the MPEG2 codec. I'm not sure, though.
Vista Home Basic, Business and Enterprise lack DVD playback.
Home Premium and Ultimate have it.
I suspect most OEMs selling Home Basic, and some selling Business, will bundle in DVD playback.
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None should have been an option:)
I am not looking forward to Vista or any other OS on this planet. The OS i am looking forward to doesn't exist sadly.
Here is what i want in my OS, obviously it is a mix of what i like in each OS:
1. An OS with smaller footprint with modular components so new features can be installed/enabled on the fly. (Damn Small Linux like approach is good).
2. An awesome development platform which provides Windows DDK and MSDN like documentation, well defined driver and application model etc. Easy to setup kernel debugging with all the build tools included.
3. Aero or OSX like GUI. Sorry no GNOME or KDE, they look way too unpolished for my taste.
4. Linux's way of having uniform name space for devices and files. NameSys has a clue on where we can eventually reach. Windows' namespace sucks. Linux is way better but not perfect like processes can't be seen using ls etc.
5. Uniform application installation and identification model with each application residing in its own directory. No more application's stuff scattered all over your hard-disk. You want to move one application to another machine, simply cut and paste your directory there.
6. Fixed and logical user wide settings structure. For example users settings for each application go into /user/xxx/etc/vim etc and global user preferences go into /user/xxx/global etc.
7. And a command line way to do most of the things. If i can configure something using GUI then it should be configurable using command line. This helps a lot in automation.
Now if that happens, i believe that OS will be truly enjoyable and easily manageable.
Edited 2007-01-30 02:09
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Here is what i want in my OS, obviously it is a mix of what i like in each OS:
I was with you up to #3... then things started to fall apart a bit.
Some of the items on your list seem to conflict with #1... unless you just count them as "modules" 
and at that point, they're not part of the OS per-se.
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I read what i wrote again and to me it seems consistent.
Also with smaller footprint, i was thinking of RAM not hard disk space. I hope you were also thinking of RAM and not hard disk space because really hard disks are way cheaper.
On your Not OS per-se comment, OS to me is a complete set of services to use a computer including applications like Word, IE etc and not just the kernel. Is it different for you?
Edited 2007-01-30 02:57
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#1 - try any Open Source system out there. They are all modular.
#2 - go there http://tldp.org/ - better than msdn.
#3 - install AIGLX/XGL with KDE (you should be able to do that with Gnome and XFCE as well) and tune it to look like OSX or Aero and you have what you want.
#4 - Try ls /proc under linux.
#5 - Try GoboLinux
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Sounds like with the exception of the footprint OSX pretty much fits your description.
As far as the applications being fully contained in 1 folder, well, that is the case with most programs in osx but not all, but it's easy to find the other components if necessary. They are not scattered all over the system.
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Aaah, makes me remember a bug in polish version of Windows XP where option to turn off the doggie is misspelled and is using a strange mashup of "animated" and "anonymous" (think anonimateous?) They haven't fixed it in XP for so many years, makes me wonder if it will be in Vista.
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My favorite feature is that nobody (that I know of) is legaly, physically or otherwise forced to install it. And therefore it will take 0 disk space, CPU or human time here, leaving these resources free for software that is more fun to use. ;-)
Which makes Vista pretty good in my book (as far as MS-supplied OS'es go).
I'm happy knowing that I won't be putting any money in Microsoft's pocket, can do everything I need using Free software, and won't be bothered by many of the headaches that Windows users are facing. For daily work I switched to Linux some time ago, and there's no looking back. I still use Windows occasionally for gaming, that is: the few games I play, are known to work under Linux, I just haven't (yet) taken the time to install/run them there. Perhaps I'll move on to other OS'es in the future (FreeBSD?), but Windows is becoming a no-go area for me. I can only hope that more people will follow.
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I have already used vista (at work, i wont be buying a vista machine, i work at the first company in the world to have it for sale in a store) must stay the search is far superior to previous versions.
UAC is pretty nice (its not really that anonying and if your doing admin tasks its not exactly a suprize)
as for Audio, its horrible, the first time any machine is turned on when it plays the windows sound it actually lags (this includes the most expensive machines we stock)
and yes 1 vista machine died (some form of hardware power failure) and all the machines automatically installed 20.1mb of upgrades as soon as they were connected to the internet (its weird, to do updates manually you need UAC but if they are automatic you dont get UAC'd you just get the notification message)
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http://myvistaexperience.com/?p=17
w00t w00t!!!!
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much as i will attempt to resist the siren's call of the beautiful-looking aero interface, it looks really neat. i know that most of the functionality/eye candy is available elsewhere, for free (and with fewer hardware needs). i, however, am a sucker for eye candy and shiny new ways to interact with my desktop.
the other features -- improved search, DX10, etc. -- all sound great, too. i've heard that vista is finally free of the residual windows 3.1 code that's been hanging around seemingly forever.
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...nothing, I guess? Really, I don't even have the timeline dealing with "when to upgrade from win2k3"
However, using usb flashdisks to speed up loading seems nicest of all features... (but anyway...my Vista would loose more speed due to "old" hardware I have here than gain due to this feature; and my system/apps are pretty much always on...)
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Are you serious? Without overwriting the MBR, Vista has no way of knowing whether it will boot up. Do you expect them to support 5 (or maybe more) filesystems and edit /boot/grub/menu.lst ? Maybe they should just include the Linux kernel so that it can alter /boot/grub/menu.lst ? That obviously isn't practical.
It isn't purposely harming other OSes. It's just doing what you asked it to when you entered your license key - making Vista usable on your computer.
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I was just reading on Ars about the Anytime Update feature and patent request. That's just got to be it. The key step to convert the product into a service. Licencing "modules" of the system when/if you need them.
Anyway... For me Vista does have some nice features I just don't see any compelling reason to upgrade. (Nice feature != compelling reason)
The only thing might be DX10... but that will only be compelling when games actually stop running on DX9 (and OpenGL).
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I dont feel vista has anything radical that would force me change my Fedora or Ubuntu Box into a windows vista drone. Further Compiz/Beryl on Fedora is just too beautiful which prevents me from switching to that MS OS.
The specs are way too high for normal PC usser.
Further the headaches of Virus,Spywares and whoknows what else on Windows System is just a big preventing factor.
Ambuj varshney(http://linuxondesktop.blogspot.com)
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Seriously, there is only one new feature that matters - how well does logging into a Vista box as a low-privileged user work?
All over the world people have been logging into their Windows boxes as "God", and thus viruses have free reign to cost the world Billions. This is supposed to no longer be necessary in Vista, and people should be able to do like they do on Unix-like platforms, logging in as low-privileged users. This is also the norm on Macs.
The question is - will people be successful staying as low-privileged users, or will the go back to being "god"? Untold billions of dollars await the answer to that question.
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For me, it is a tie between the following:
1) DRM: Just love the fact that Microsoft now controls my computer. I'm sure that only good things can come out of them having ultimate control of all the computers.
2) Phone-Home-Features: What good is a computer that does not do things behind your back without your knowledge.
3) Activation: Because only pirates reinstall operating systems. Because everyone should feel blessed to give out all their private information to such a nice company like Microsoft.
4) Upgrade: Now you can have the pleasure of reinstalling Windows XP everytime you need to reinstall Vista.
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2007-01-30
My favorite Vista feature is that it will NEVER be installed on any of my machines other than perhaps in a VM so that I can do support work. I am quite happy with Linux (Various Distros) for any machine that I build and if I were to buy a pre-assembled machine, or another laptop I would buy a Mac.
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400 USD for the "ultimate" edition.
With that money, I can build a brand new computer and install FreeBSD or Linux on it. Great feature for us living on non-rich countries.
Edit: Not to mention that it is 540 euros on the EU...that's my salary for TWO MONTHS. Thanks but no thanks Microsoft!
Edited 2007-01-30 16:31
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"...Oh yes, the backdoors so the CIA or whatever can view my emails or the score in the cricket from my computer."
its amazing microsoft gets the CIA/NSA to assist with security on the new OS and somehow people find this to be bad, theres no frigging backdoors the NSA helped microsoft with security algorithms and concepts