Vista

[The PIT]

Since I didn't have to pay for it I got a copy of Vista enterprise upgrade.

Sadly not a bootable one so I had to install another copy of XP then do the upgrade.

So I installed XP and slapped the Vista DVD in. Not an valid Windows Image. Mmmm. Since I didn't get the error on my orginal XP just the "Hey do you want too upgrade" I decided to update the system.

Did all that while watching Stir crazy and got invalid windows image.

Bollocks. Anyway had to leave the computer for a bit doing other brief choirs and returned.

Found setup.exe and got invalid winblows image.

Did nothing else but watched stir crazy awhile calming down then clicked on setup.exe again and it installed.

Installed the updates and then the updates for the updates. Installed ATI drivers and it still worked.

Installed Creative drivers and it died suggesting insert CD which is useless as it a non booting DVD.

Bugger thats it for the night.

This afternoon rebooted expecting to start all this crap of from the beginning. Nope pressed F8 and it booted straight into normal Vista. Up popped installing new driver and everything went striaght on.

More updates and then it time to look at Vista.

First of all the aero interface is shite and a waste. Dull wish washy colours blurry fonts you name it it's crap.

The fonts were mainly down to blur type sorry clear type. Blur type is only for people who haven't seen an optican in twenty years. It's crap and belongs in the recyle bin. Off that goes and you can read web pages again. The start menu still has blurry fonts and the desktop has been in a bowl of bleach. In the end the solution for the desktop is too disable the Aero interface and everything becomes clear and bright. True you can mess around with the settings under CCC but it still sux.

So you've got rid of the bleach. Next I've heard nightmare stories of installing security programs like anti spyware etc. Spyware Doctore Adaware Nod32 all on with out a prob.

Looking at the desktop these programs all create very large icons by default. I guess thats the price you pay you go for going back to old windows desktop. The one that works best.

Next there's this lost soul at the right hand of the screen. The Windows sidebar. Now this is the single guy in a night club looking for a friend or some one to talk too. Basically it's needless. Why have two clocks??? A Picture thats not needed and a news feed thats not needed. I sat there looked at it and thought well it could have program items in it but then it would look like something from OS X. Nope it's something else that needs turning off.

The other thing I noticed. It's the very annoying when you click on a install program that everything has to stop and the screen goes dark. Do you want to carry on?? Of course I bloody do and the OS should be able to two things at once while asking the question.

The other poor bit of design is when you change anything system wise the whole system pauses.

Speed wise Vista is just as fast as my cluttered XP.

Overall it just looks like a operating system looking for a reason to exsist.

Microshaft should taken the oportunity to redesign the OS from the ground up while keeping XP patched. I can't see any reason, unless forced for someone to move over to Vista.

Calling it ME2 is unfair on ME at least ME could replace Windows 95. Vista is just pointless at this time.

[Fat Tone]

I'm pretty much with you. Certainly back to XP at home, and VERY pleased our corporate rollout is delayed until SP1.

[Gurm]

Oh I don't know. The UI improvements are huge. I too am not especially fond of ClearType, but once they sort out the network bugs I'm happy with it.

Certain things I've grown VERY fond of - the network location wizards, for example. And the way the updates work.

As for the sidebar, it's actually really useful if you get the right stuff into there. The default gadgets are, admittedly, quite silly.

[The PIT]

I think the crappy aero interface is an ATI drivers fault.

Installed Vista at work on a Matrox G550. I was amazed that it's running aero. Everything looked better than it did with my ATI card.

The other bug was that I coudn't install my Blurtooth device. Downloaded the drivers again and it's updating the system so I guess it was a corrupt driver download.

Now what I do need to do is make the DVD bootable.

[The PIT]

Just gone back to the Aero and it looks better than it did. ATI Bug???

Changed the default gfont back to Vista's font which look better.

[Gurm]

You need to differentiate beetween Aero (theme) and Aero Glass (interface).

[DGhost]

As for the sidebar, it's actually really useful if you get the right stuff into there. The default gadgets are, admittedly, quite silly.

yes, they are. But you are right, with good gadgets it is actually quite useful. on my desktop i have, in order, a clock, weather info, outlook calender gadget, outlook task gadget, then an uptime monitor. I have the sidebar set as always on top and on the far right of the second mointor, and it's pretty nice being able to look up some of this info without having to dig through windows.....

also... I love the search on the start menu...

hit the Windows key and start typing... no need to scroll through the thing. It also searches emails, documents, etc. it's pretty pimp for finding what you are looking for...

lots of other UI improvements I realy dig. but... those are debates for a different time...

[Helevitia]

outlook calender gadget

I didn't think of this for Google calendar. I'll have to go search.

also... I love the search on the start menu... hit the Windows key and start typing... no need to scroll through the thing.

God, I love this too!

Here is my toolbar:

Clock

Gmail Checker

The Magic Folder (though I'm not using it as much as I thought I would, probably get rid of it.)

Notes

Drive Info (also, can click on the drive to bring up its contents)

Net Gadget (Not to useful but looks pretty )

Multi Meter (also, double clicking brings up task manager! There is a quad core version as well)

I've had more but most get removed within a day because most are crappy.

[Nowhere]

OK...how exactly this is that better from, for example, Google Desktop sidebar to justify buying Vista & upgrading? (seriously asking here)

And are UI improvements that huge to overcome the thing that one is used to XP/etc. way of doing things?

[Helevitia]

OK...how exactly this is that better from, for example, Google Desktop sidebar to justify buying Vista & upgrading? (seriously asking here)

And are UI improvements that huge to overcome the thing that one is used to XP/etc. way of doing things?

I upgraded because I was bored with XP. XP is so boring looking as well. Games are slower in Vista still, but it is very stable and the UI is generally put together much nicer. Things make more sense. But if you have no reason to upgrade, don't bother, unless you are bored like me

[VJ]

I'm running a Vista Ultimate on my PC at home. Installed because basically
I also got tired of the XP interface (I already themed my XP as to have a
black taskbar rather than a blue one).

Driverwise, I'm missing the web-interface of my RAID controller (so I
cannot adjust its settings from within Vista - I can from its bios at
boot, and I can see the status via LEDs, so no big deal) and the drivers
for my Kensington trackball (so I cannot properly adjust its speed - this
is kinda annoying and I might replace it in time).

I also turned off the Cleartype, as I prefer the Matrox Glyph AA that is
offered on Parhelia; and as my system is not network connected I also
disabled the sidebar (dunno what to put on it). But other than that, I
kind of like the interface (granted, the program menu takes some getting
use to, and may not be the best solution). The network map is an
impressive feature: it draws a graphical view of your network (need to
install an additional protocl in XP to visualise the machine), and this
works suprisingly well (ok, it is a bit of a gimmick, but still ).

Speedwise, I don't see much loss or gain (rarely play games, and the ones
I play are older games anyway).

I initially installed it to check it out, but as I have little downsides
(all the software I use runs on it), I decided to leave it on there.


Jörg

[Gurm]

yes, they are. But you are right, with good gadgets it is actually quite useful. on my desktop i have, in order, a clock, weather info, outlook calender gadget, outlook task gadget, then an uptime monitor. I have the sidebar set as always on top and on the far right of the second mointor, and it's pretty nice being able to look up some of this info without having to dig through windows.....

also... I love the search on the start menu...

hit the Windows key and start typing... no need to scroll through the thing. It also searches emails, documents, etc. it's pretty pimp for finding what you are looking for...

lots of other UI improvements I realy dig. but... those are debates for a different time...

I am exceptionally fond of being able to use "real name" launches of common power-tools. You want device manager? Hit start (or the windows key, or ctrl-esc for us geeks), and type "device manager". Do I still type "devmgmt.msc"? Yeah, but it's very nice to not HAVE to remember every 8.3 for everything. Want services? Type "services" and it brings up the services snap-in.

[VJ]

Strange... I rarely use the search function (even before), and then only
to find systemfiles or configuration files. I prefer to keep track of
where I put the files, and access them directly. It is actually difficult
for me to understand why people need it to find their own files.
.

Dunno if this stems from some uber-controlfreak-syndrome or such...


Jörg

[Gurm]

Advantages of MS sidebar over google? Uhh... that it's much faster? From what I've seen, the google sidebar is SLOOOOOOOOW.

Then again, I've never much liked any of the google desktop software, it's nowhere near as well written as their web-based stuff.

[Mikko]

Strange... I rarely use the search function (even before), and then only
to find systemfiles or configuration files. I prefer to keep track of
where I put the files, and access them directly. It is actually difficult
for me to understand why people need it to find their own files.

Like you, I hardly ever use the search function, because I do take some care of my folder structure. However, I have some friends that definitely need the search function every now and then. Not a real surprise though, when they have lots of folders named as "Some files", "Something new", "More new stuff", "The newest stuff", for example.