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138 Comments
- chicken101, on 10/12/2007, -4/+27"Hum, another CNET video sponsored by microsoft that dosen't play under linux."
Errr. "sudo apt-get install flash"
There you go. - Chakz, on 10/12/2007, -17/+39CNet's site is fine, get a decent browser.
- Zipp425, on 10/12/2007, -12/+29IE6... Thats why it doesnt work.
Anyway, their review was very nice and showed a few key features of vista. nothing we didnt really know about before anyway. - KCorax, on 10/12/2007, -4/+20works fine with firefox on suse 10.0
dunno what you are talking about, it's a flash video... - SparQy, on 10/12/2007, -5/+14It's not the fact that the Alt Tab improvements are in Vista... it's the fact that they CAN be in Vista. Microsoft is delivering a platform: an OS GUI which runs on DirectX technologies. With this core improvement, 3rd parties can easily implement Expose - type task switching.
Granted, it's playing catchup to OSX -- but I'm a windows user, so I'm not complaining. :o) - SparQy, on 10/12/2007, -10/+18Yeah, Microsoft is a slow moving monolith... I've read that Apple actually started developing some of their OSX eye candy after seeing Longhorn early, early betas... but MS is really to blame if they couldn't keep their stuff under wraps until they got somewhere close to release.
But they do come up with creative stuff. They had a GAME WAND developed by their labs long before the Wiimote. - tlfillingim, on 10/12/2007, -1/+7check out GParted LiveCD (http://digg.com/software/GParted_Live_CD,_like_Partition_Magic_for_free).
i just discovered it a few days ago and it looks like a nice free alternative to PartitionMagic. and with a livecd, i don't have anything to install. - Kethinov, on 10/12/2007, -11/+17That new alt tab isn't half as good as Expose on OS X. For one, it doesn't look like there's a mouse interface for it. Second, what good is shrinking and placing all windows into view when they're all 70% covered by each other? This is just a flashier alt tab with no usability improvements.
There were, however, a few minor but innovative improvements shown in the video. The visual FAQ and the miniature window mouse over previews in the taskbar were cool. But Microsoft is really falling short of taking their new hardware accelerated window server to its full potential. I would have expected the feature set to be AT LEAST as good as that of OS X.
I hope there will be a plugin system so people can write their own Expose clones if MS refuses to do it themselves. - dobesov, on 10/12/2007, -4/+10It wasnt really about MS keeping things under wraps. They openly declared hey, here is what we are gonna do in vista. Apple took every bit of it and has been implementing it incrementally. I remember years ago when they released the Vista Feature list and then remember when Apple little by little started to implement it. Note that both companies have essentially given up on the Hybrid database file system (WinFS). By the time Vista does come out in completion it probably wont be too far out from when MAC has completed the full Vista feature list in OSX. I am not knocking any side here. The fact of the matter is that it would seem that there is actually a clear and obvious direction that the industry is moving when it comes to the GUI on all platforms. Huh... so much for inovation...
- hmniq, on 10/12/2007, -2/+7He says that a "problem" is that you're asked to confirm system changes by logging in as an administrator. On the contrary, I think this is a big step in the right direction. Linux has it. OS X has it. Now Windows users will also have an added layer of protection from crapping up their own computer.
- fredclown, on 10/12/2007, -7/+12Works fine for me in IE6 ... looks basically the same as Firefox.
- sammykrupa, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5Try GParted. It is a live-cd.
http://gparted.sourceforge.net/ - djbelieve, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5This is actually a takeoff on a George Orwell quote...for those who didn't know.
- HobbesDoo, on 10/12/2007, -6/+10No innovation, though the FAQ is helpful. For the time it's taking them to get it ready I would expect way more than this. I played a bit with the previous beta and was equally unimpressed. OS X is far superior and you can run it without having to break the bank with the latest hardware updates. Transparent windows, cool graphics, expose, excellent security, desktop search, etc. All done years ago. Once they dropped all the really cool features from Vista, I don't see the incentive to upgrade. I'll keep one computer with Windows at home, the rest is already OS X.
- samdu, on 10/12/2007, -4/+8PartitionMagic. Google it.
- optimusfx, on 10/12/2007, -7/+11Agreed... Where is Vista's flagship feature? Something cool, something new? Mac OS X had Quartz Extreme, Expose, Dashboard, Spotlight, which were either new or implemented in a cool, new way. What does Vista have?
- backfire103, on 10/12/2007, -2/+6Well I'm signed up to receive this when its available, but in the end is their a way to partition my 200GB hard drive with out re-formatting it?
- xqb4dpx, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4when i run vista on my machine, it really feels like the GUI is a mask over some other GUI. Vista is slow and unresponsive - i understand that not all operating systems are perfect, but Vista is no where near as powerful in processor/memory savory as XP is (or was). And no, i'm no OS fanboy, i run an OSX box, a Ubuntu/Gentoo/Vista Box, and a XP Box. OSX is the only OS which really feels like the GUI and kernel are one.
- pauldonnelly, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4I wish someone would hurry up and innovate already. I see basically the same interface MS has been using since 1995.
(I'd like everyone to take a moment and savor the irony of a command line junkie like myself complaining about an 11 year old interface when my favorite mode of interaction is five times as old.)
I am working towards a point though. First, I want these damn overlapping windows to get the hell out! They were never a good idea to begin with. Everyone's favorite part of working at a desk is keeping all their papers in order, right? Wrong! So why in the world do we emulate it in our computers? I'm upset with whoever it was that thought it up (Alan Kay?). Tiling is the way to go.
I also am tired of monstrous messy menus paired with equally messy desktops covered in icons. Desktop icons are a nice idea at first... but then you open a program and can't get to them anymore. The desktop is just another misguided extension of the "real-life desktop" metaphor. It's only useful because the application menus are fiendishly complex and because files are littered about a directory tree. Both need to go away and leave us to compute in peace. - hotsoda, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Gaming proformance is supposed to be increased, because developers can bypass the software layer (similar to how game consoles work).
I remember seeing a game launcher a while back.
And Vista will work with Live Anywhere, so you will be able to play games with Xbox 360 users. - SilentPurity, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Just buy a new hard drive. =D They are cheap on Newegg. =D
- agarc, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4Although I don't disagree with the fact that everything we've seen so far seems to be mostly aesthetic improvements, the aesthetic features of the working environment do matter to a lot of users. I think Apple's Aqua interface appeals to people who do graphic and design work because it's very clean and consistent. From my point of view, Windows has always been very grey and "down to business", which works, it's just not great. I could code in either environment, but everything seems to look and feel better in OSX.
Aside from looks though, I too am disappointed with what we can see so far. I've always hated the Start menu. I don't really like how the Spotlight-like search feature is part of this menu.
I fear that we'll lose a lot of keyboard shortcuts for some of these new features. I like how OS X's Spotlight can be activated by hitting Command+Spacebar...Very easy to find everything with just keystrokes. I hope you can do this in Vista. - superkendall, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4Actually I am pretty sure you can put Dashboard components on the desktop alerady - ah yes, here it is:
http://www.macosxhints.com/article.php?story=20050422172929402 - animalMother, on 10/12/2007, -7/+10I had no problem viewing the video, I thought it looked pretty cool. I'm a visual guy so I really thought the AeroGlass or AeroGlide feature was slick. Some of the other items like widgets and the search where features I'll be looking forward to as well.
- SparQy, on 10/12/2007, -2/+5The Beta2 (which I'm downloading now from the Windows MSDN Subscribers site) has different versions, some of which include MCE. They distribute them all together, and depending on what key you enter, those features are unlocked.
From what I understand, you will also be able to add features to the OS at a later time by upgrading your product key.
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsvista/getready/editions/default.mspx - xlocust, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4Honestly, I get a kick out of how many diggers that are kicking and screaming saying that they are not switching. I'm sure alot of folks said that they were not switching before XP...and probably again before 98..and maybe even a few before Windows 95. The point is I'm sure everyone here will be switched within a year of vista's release. Vista does not look like a millennium edition (at least IMHO) no matter how much you hate Microsoft. And no I'm no MS Fan boy either (prefer Linux and OSX).
- Cippy, on 10/12/2007, -10/+13A nice display of Dashboard, Spotlight, and Expose! How original, new, and cool of Microsoft!
- Ssullivan, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4If you enable scripting in your browser the video will play.
- letmereplynow, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4wow this turned into an Anti-Microsoft orgy. go ahead and mod me down(i know people will mod me anyway for just asking for it.)
- arvster, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Use search
- inkswamp, on 10/12/2007, -2/+4A couple of observations from an OS X user perspective (yeah, those of you with no capacity to hear dissenting views, go ahead and click that little red icon over there.)
1. The Vista version of "Exposé" seems that it would be really hard to use. Having all the windows stacked like that makes it so you can see only a little bit of the screen you're looking for. So what if you have a dozen Word documents open? They look pretty much the same at that size. Presumably, that's why you can flip through them, but it seem that would make selecting the windows you want a little more difficult. I guess I'll have to use it first, but it sure seems badly thought out.
2. Seems a little kludgy to hover images of the windows over the task bar items, especially with all that wasted space on the task bar where the image could sit (or is that too Dock-like?) And how does that work when you have multiple windows in one task bar item? And does that mean if you have 15 items in the task bar, you have to slowly sweep over them to see the one you want. The visual feedback doesn't do squat if it's not there the whole time. Again, seems badly thought out.
3. Do "gadgets" or "widgets" or whatever stay on the screen at all times? The whole point with that is that they should be easy to pull out and put away. Is there a way to make them go away and come back? Ever since the earliest days of the Mac and the desk accessories, the ability to quickly pull those up and put them away has been an essential part of the idea. Why would you want them on screen constantly? - agarc, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3It seems there are lots of reports from beta testers that UAC is problematic, especially when compared to existing security measures found in Linux and MacOS. Obviously, being a beta 2, they'll probably (read "hopefully") reduce the amount of popups.
I think Apple's Keychain application is great... Microsoft should copy that app's functionality (if they haven't already). - zionKing, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2hahahaha. Yeah. The video has a robotic feel to it. I thought it was weird when he typed in "Word" inside the spotlight feature only wordpad came up. He even says in the video "If you want to pull up Microsoft Word just type in Word and... in this case it pulls up WordPad" He sounds kind of surprised. All I know is if I can't type in the name of an application and get the right application (or a multiple listing with the right application listed)... then I probably wouldn't use that feature very much.
- vtwin, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2In Dashboard, drag a widget from the widget bar, then while still holding the mouse button hit the Dashboard key (F12). Release the button and voila, the widget is on your desktop, you can move it anywhere you want.
- rattboi, on 10/12/2007, -5/+7"I want something... different. But this is what I can get, so I guess I'll buy this anyways."
No wonder MS makes so much money... - kaniz, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3Searchable start menu is pretty handy -- I tend to get at most of my programs from start->run anyways, being able to do a search within the menu will make my life easier. However, Aero and all that other stuff -- bleh.
- inkswamp, on 10/12/2007, -3/+5So what's the MS apologist line now? OS X copied early peeks at Longhorn? Hmm... funny because a lot of that OS X stuff we're talking about was in early development in versions of OS X concurrent with XP, but whatever. I don't want to ruin a good spin.
Also, it's curious to hear cries of "Apple stole from MS." It's called karma, baby. - kendawg, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2good thinking, thx
- PayneX, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2CNET Video's are so pointless. They're nothing but a gimmick, and never give any useful information.
I used CNET to watch a review of some headphones, they confirmed they did indeed have two cups, one for each ear, a wire - which connects to your pc or iPod (just ipod, not anything else) and they also deliver music using small speakers in each cup.
All in all, very informing. THANKS Cnet. - saska, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2If you're an administrator you have to click OK to confirm. If you're not an administrator you need to enter the username and password of someone with sufficient privileges to do what you want to do.
Having just installed Beta 2 as an upgrade to XP, I can tell you that since most people run as an Administrator in XP, if they upgrade to Vista Beta 2 they'll still be running as an administrator. They'll just be clicking OK more often. I suspect that this methodology is going to get a real beating - and thus a real testing, which is good - during the beta period. - pgouy, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3You are right ConceptJunkie.
The exact same thing happened to me.
Microsoft knows: OEM ftw!! - mikev, on 10/12/2007, -2/+4OMG WINDOWS VISTA *kernal panic*
- macboy, on 10/12/2007, -5/+6you know dashboard widgets used to be called "gadgets" in the Tiger beta... Microsoft did in like 15 years what apple did in 2. And they STILL aren't there yet!
- mooseblaster, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3No problems here. Using Firefox 1.5, Flash 7, and SuSE 10.1.
I'm assuming the problem lies in using an elderly copy of Flash if everything else is OK. Try updating.
*shrug* - I_am_so_smrt, on 10/12/2007, -3/+4My company subscribes to Tech Net, so we get all of the vista betas. In none of them have I seen anything remarkable. Glass? Ohhhhhhh, I can see through windows. Preview the apps I'm running? Oh my god finally! Come on, how lame is this. OS X had all of this ***** years ago. This seems like it should be called "Windows XP with service pack 3"
Not to break away from the topic at hand but has anyone noticed the "Bloggers Applaud Dell's move to AMD" cnet news rss feed on the desktop in the video? It makes it sound as though dell is moving to AMD. - wolver1ne, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1When will you ignorant Apple fanboys open your eyes and look around. Apple is not the frikkin holy grail of everything! Apple didn't invent every single thing. They, as you call it, steal as much as every other company. In fact, most invention comes from small companies who are then bought by huge corporations like Apple, MS and Google.
Spotlight and Dashboard are not original ideas. Microsoft introduced something similar way before Spotlight... 2003 afaik while showing off WinFS. Apple just happens to have intergrated Spotlight in their OS first simply because they make a point release of OSX every damn year. And in the end Apple makes a huge fuss about it by being numbah-1 of whatever feature and have its blind sheep go around the internets and spread the Apple love. Just like MS is now stirring the hot Vista soup full of new features to impress the customer. Dashboard.. Dashboard is very much what Konfubulator is. - inkswamp, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1> You can hide them, hide the bar they're on, put them on your desktop,
> whatever. It's just silly (and a bit antagonistic) to assume they're there
> all the time or only in one configuration.
No it isn't antagonistic at all. I've read in several different places that the "widget" bar permanently occupied that spot on the screen. I thought that was still the case. Presumably, that was only true of early versions of Vista. - superkendall, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2If you have a Mac you can turn on the accessibility features and just zoom in on any portion of the screen with Cmd--Shift-+. Not quite as good as full screen but pretty close and useful for those of us running at high resolutions.
- dobesov, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3Stupid update didnt work...
I agree with you silent. Ever since apple stopped trying to be innovative and just got on the bangwagon with everyone else and became expert coppiers, they are a stronger company. Strong enough for me to warrant an investment in their stock. - johncouzins, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Yea Apple invented having to add a password to be able to make a change didnt they. :-0
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