[Archived] Windows Vista

[mode_m]

Has anyone taken a look at the new Windows OS set to replace XP?

I personally think it looks really nice and I'm excited to use some of the new features, apparently it runs faster too.

there are some screenshots and a nice review on this site

Windows Supersite

Edited July 29, 2005 by mode_m

[Legion]

'Really nice' and 'exicited' are NOT terms I would use in the same sentence as any of Gates's overblown and overpriced offerings.

[Biddy]

You're not kidding on the bloat ware. Just checked on MSDN and it's a 2.2GB download!!!!!

Still might give it a go.

[Glenn]

You're not kidding on the bloat ware.  Just checked on MSDN and it's a 2.2GB download!!!!!

Still might give it a go.

335562[/snapback]

I didn't realise the it had hit MSDN yet (I normally just wait for the CDs to arrive). I'll let you know how it looks by the end of the day (when the bit fat behemoth of a download has finished).

[Glenn]

I didn't realise the it had hit MSDN yet (I normally just wait for the CDs to arrive). I'll let you know how it looks by the end of the day (when the bit fat behemoth of a download has finished).

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Actually, at 17hrs to download, I think it may be Monday (I've got IE7 Beta downloading too, but even with Tabbed browsing I don't know if it's going to offer me enough to make me switch back from Firefox).

Edited July 29, 2005 by Glenn

[Biddy]

Everything I've read about IE7 says that it's a step in the right direction but is nothing special over IE6 apart from tabs. I think I'll wait until the final release is out for that one.

Also, IE7 is built into the Vista Beta so you could just wait for that to give it a try. That is assuming you can get the network drivers to work in it!

[Dan Furness]

Faster my arse

Windows are notorious for leaving large amount of rubbish coding in, in order for customers to purchase faster processors

[tchocky]

If the tabbed browsing is anything like what comes with the new MSN toolbar they should develop it a little further. It's buggy and slow.

Anyone hear about the news that you must have a genuine Windows in future to access the windowsupdate features? Well, that was yesterday, this is today...

Real tricky hackjob there haha.

[brfcshabba]

People may have a genuine version of Windows. Where they get it from is a different matter...

[Lee]

VISTA:

Viruses

Infections

Spyware

Trojans

Adware

[brfcshabba]

Very Good that Lee. Slow news day?

[Lee]

I read it earlier this morning, and thought it would do well here

[mode_m]

Well it runs faster than XP because it uses hardware to draw the graphics for everything instead of software rendering, this also allows for cool transparent windows and glass like textures.

The search looks exciting, better than Apple Search and Google desktop search.

I'm also liking the fact that they have psudeo folders like in 'inux systems.

It's going to be shipped with anti-spyware software too. Looking on the net today I see that someone has already cracked the Genuine advantage key too..

http://www.boingboing.net/2005/07/28/micro...genuine_ad.html

so i guess its not all that secure still

but c'mon it's still better than using an Apple Computer, or Linux for that matter, at least I can run my required software.

[Glenn]

Well it runs faster than XP because it uses hardware to draw the graphics for everything instead of software rendering, this also allows for cool transparent windows and glass like textures.

erm, XP (in fact 2k) used the hardware to render where possible, I can't see how vista can improve this

The search looks exciting, better than Apple Search and Google desktop search.

Unless I'm mistaken, the SQL based FS has been pulled, making the search no better than Google desktop.

I'm also liking the fact that they have psudeo folders like in 'inux systems.

symlinks have been availble since the 70s in various *nixs, however 2k did support them, it's just nobody made use of them.

It's going to be shipped with anti-spyware software too. 

GIANT anti-spyware (as bought by ms) is VERY good, shame it lacks any network control, still, you could argue that spyware only exists because of a security-oblivious OS

Looking on the net today I see that someone has already cracked the Genuine advantage key too..

http://www.boingboing.net/2005/07/28/micro...genuine_ad.html

so i guess its not all that secure still 

Much respect fro quoting boingboing (which rocks), hardly the most technical hack (which makes it even funnier).

but c'mon it's still better than using an Apple Computer, or Linux for that matter, at least I can run my required software.

335649[/snapback]

each to their own, each OS to it's task. I use XP, but I'd recommend Mac OS to my folks. I run Linux on my file server and firewall and Free BSD on my hobby box. Each has its own specialtys

Glenn, Beer++

[mode_m]

I take back everything I said.

After playing around with Vista for the night I've decided I absolutely despise it as it is repackaged XP.

I think I am going to buy an Imac G5 and keep my old pc for applications (its still pretty fast).

I am not a huge fan of apple but at the moment I seem to hate tiger os and apple less than vista and microsoft.

[Biddy]

I'm stunned. I'm actually writing this from Vista. Strangely it has found and set up my wireless LAN seamlessly which is more than I can say for the built in ethernet!

The install took an absolute age. A ridiculous amount of time but I was impressed by the fact all you have to do now is to enter the product key, point it to a hard drive and give the computer a name. No more options needed at all. Granted it has defaulted me to US settings. One thing about the install though, when are Microsoft going to ship the Silicon Image RAID drivers as deafult? It really pee's me off that I have to dig the floppy disk out every time I want to install Windows.

mode_m is right in that it looks a lot like WinXP but that's not really suprising as MS don't want a steep learning curve between O/S's. Plus we've got to remember that this is beta 1 so there will be more betas even before we get to release candidates where I would expect a lot more changes.

IE7 seems quite quick and tabbed browsing appears the same as in Firefox. It works is really all I can say about it.

Not too keen on what they've done with the shadowing effects on windows and they have gone for fancy animated screens opening. That's usually the fiest thing I turn off. Having said that, even with the animation, the components and programs do load very quickly.

Need to keep digging to see if there's anything else worth keeping this for now!

[Biddy]

hmmm, I seem to have broken the Aero effects!

[Glenn]

Vista won't install in Virtual PC with only 300MB allocated to it (my box at work only has 512Mb) and I keep forgetting to bring it home. So I am still Vista less.

IE7 looks much of a muchness, thankfully all my work site render perfectly in it, so I don't have to spend any more time with it.

[mode_m]

the internet connection keeps cutting off, and it won't let me update sound drivers.

i don't know how you managed to break the Aero but im not surprised.

Edited August 5, 2005 by mode_m

[LeChuck]

Could someone post a few screenshots of how it looks please?

[Glenn]

Could someone post a few screenshots of how it looks please?

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http://www.activewin.com/articles/2005/betavis.shtml

[Biddy]

Vista has now been abliterated from my system. I did get sound, wireless network and various other drivers working however I never did get the Aero features back. I think I finally killed everything when I tried to get drivers for the wired network to work. Big mistake.

All in all, I think this O/S will be pretty good when it's released. Similar enough to XP to not put people off (and you can still choose "classic" theme to make it look like NT/Win2K) but with enough tweaks and enhancements to make it interesting.

I'll wait for a release candidate and hopefully more drivers before giving it another go.

[Biddy]

Well, over a year since the last update about Vista and it's finally here, the full retail version was released on the Microsoft Developer Network last Friday. I have downloaded and I am shocked to say that it appears to work!

The previous major releases (Beta 1, Beta 2 and Release Candidate 1) did not work on my work PC (Dell GX520). They all finished installing and then just hung or BSOD. The retail release installs fairly quickly, boots up, checks for updates (getting my audio drivers via update) and everything works, and this is on just 512MB RAM.

I think I need to play a bit more but my first impressions of the final release are very positive.

Microsoft have also released the final retail version of Office 2007, Visio 2007 and Project 2007 which I have just downloaded off MSDN and will give a go a bit later.

[thebigguy]

Id like to add is that this os and the new office have new features where if you dont activate the software in a set period you get limited use out off it and same if the key code isnt right

[Wolverine]

This OS has been out for long enough for people to decide how good it is. Does anyone else have it installed? If so, do you rate it?

I absolutely hate it. To start with I quite liked it, but none of the problems I have with it have been addressed and I feel as if Microsoft don't care. Which they probably don't. My clock is always wrong no matter what I do with the BIOS or the update options, fies take much longer to transfer and inaccurate time remaining calculations are becoming very annoying ("twelve days remaining"!). User Account Control is ironically far too invasive, and still there are too many compatability issues. I also find that I have a big problem watching some videos, with VLC in particular struggling to display video at an acceptable frame rate. Oh, and every DVD video I have burned has been so poor I actually literally burned the DVD afterwards!.

This is Vista Home Basic, so the more expensive versions may be better, but on this showing I certainly won't be upgrading. Now, how do I get XP installed instead?