CNET has a video online that shows Microsoft’s Windows Vista beta 2 release, including Widgets, er… “Gadgets,” Spotlight, er… “Search,” Exposé, er… “some sort of Aqua, er… Aero Glass ‘parade’ effect, annoying, intrusive, and constantly-in-your-face “User Account Protection” dialog boxes, and how Microsoft has automated the task of finding a device driver on a Windows Vista system. Be still our hearts.
See Microsoft’s Windows Vista beta 2 release in action here.
MacDailyNews Take: What we can’t figure out is why it’s taking Microsoft so long to ship this unimpressive warmed-over version of Windows XP. They’re probably waiting to see what’s revealed at WWDC like the rest of us.
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I have no idea why the cnet editor seemed to be impressed by the so-called new features of vista. They may be new and even novel from the very narrow Windows point of view, but they are nothing new at all and more importantly one can use these features right away either free of charge or with the existing non-premium hardware. For instance, go get “gadgets” from konfabulator, google desktop, and even the very cool active program selector from “topdesk”. None of these existing features requires new hardware to run. I feel so sad about Microsoft as they are either so blind and deaf of what others really have advanced, or so stupid to fool those who were even more stupid than they are. What a waste of capital it is for just copying what others have done.
The only thing I thought cool that they did not show was the Windows Meeting Space – mentioned in the earlier review.
Whoever said that Apple was going to have a harder time AFTER vista comes out is dead wrong. This should make it clear to everyone that microsoft at its best is still horrible.
Do not expect too much from Leopard. The fact is that Apple only had slightly over a year to develop it and couldn’t find anyone to copy from. However, since Apple releases OSs more frequently than Microsoft, I would expect the following release of Mac OS X to take once again a significant lead over Vista and keep it for another four years.
As a recent Switcher I think I am in a good position to comment…
I am so pleased I ditched M$. OS X has been a revelation. It just works! It works so well I am hardly aware of it leaving me to concentrate on doing work.
Before I switched I had every intention of using bootcamp and installing windows…er..well I’ve knocked that idea on its head. I can hardly bring myself to boot my windows desktop. Its just so facking ugly.
Vista just looks like a shit copy of OS X. I shall not be buying Vista at all. No, instead I’ll be ditching my windows boxes and replacing them with Intel PowerMac replacements as soon as they are released.
Vista shall not find a place in my home.
did anyone else stop watching after the “expose” feature? it will never be as quick as expose because…ta da!…expose doesn’t give you a list with a set order to scroll through. even if you can go backwards and forwards in it, there will always be a “hardest” window to reach, which happens to be the (number of windows)/2 window away from your current one.
god damnit microsoft, you can’t even copy what has become such a mundane and required feature to mac users.
ugly, ugly, ugly
If I were responsible for controlling the standard operating environment of any sized organisation I would steer clear of Vista permanently (hard because CEO’s like to one-up each other) for the following reasons (and why a Mac is a viable move):
• replacing all laptops and desktops to get sufficient RAM and VRAM is very expensive and disruptive
• training staff in the new interface
• providing staff with the Admin password (sure it stops viruses, but what happens when a legitimate app is refused a password – does it quit or freeze?). Plus you will get into the habit and enter the password automatically, even for viruses!
• stopping staff downloading widget viruses
• there is NO WAY you will stop using anti-virus/spam/pop-up/firewall software
• many old apps are bound to break and never be updated
• I don’t want more to learn
• the help system shows you how to perform the 5-step tasks rather than doing the 5-step task for you
• it does NOTHING to aid the productivity of a staff member over what they currently have
I estimate it will sell well to consumers only, but will NEVER be installed on > 50% of corporate PCs and that Win 2000 & XP will be the last corporate OS (until they move to MacOS!) ever.
Why are Macs a better alternative?
• they are reliable (cost is secondary to corporations)
• they can be rebuilt to a MacOS SOE and then personalised more quickly
• they can run XP (the last corporate OS) and if it dies it is very easy to rebuild
• they are cool for the CEO’s 17″ laptop, and it looks REALLY cool if you take your customers through your office full of iMacs
• All the great Mac software
I’d rather use Expose or even Command-Tab to select the app/window I need — that “area glass” or whatever it was looks weak.
Computer gurus and those who do “Windows training” are going to make a mint as folks have to unlearn old habits. As well as the Dells and HPs of the world when people have to go out and buy brand new computers that can support Vista when Micro$oft discontinues XP support within the next two years. (My dad-in-law is still dealing with upgrading to XP, as M$ is no longer supporting Win2K.)
Call this operating system Olestra — like the fake fat, it may act as good as OS X, but after a while, you end up with cramps and an urge to run for the bathroom…I’ll stick with the Real Thing, thank you very much…
MW=middle; “clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right, here I am stuck in the middle with you…”
Just like XP, icons appear to have been designed by a Japanese anime studio.
This is an MS version of OS X beta.
So what is new and what is cool? Nothing. We have seen this all before in a much more elegant piece of software. It was called whatever Apple named their first iteration of OS X!!!
MS providing you with yesterday’s OS today.
macromancer: “Amazing the number of PC trolls who feel the need to frequent Mac websites and make lame comments on the boards. They must feel insecure or something.”
amazing the number of mac trolls who feel the need to call names to anyone who says something that is not ass-kissing positive about apple or not dumptruck trashing windows. they must feel insecure or something.
macromancer.
this will be a closed casket funeral, go AAPL
Some of the PC trolls’ comments make sense and they are correct. The great unwashed PC masses will see Vista and be unaware of OS X (yes, they are that close-minded) and think Vista is the greatest since sliced bread.
Once markets are mature and established nothing but an outside 3rd force (govt. intervention, new market changing technology) can alter them. Microsoft has 95% of the market; Apple 3%.
It will be nearly the same 5 years from now.
Hey there, billy, you got a stutter?
BTW, full translucent windows make me physically ill.
Why CNET didn’t do that with Mac OS X ? Why did they avoid saying “pretty cool” to Mac OS X ?
Man – I gotta have it – right now!!!
My MacBook Pro will look so cool running Vista.
Apple needs to advertise OS X with the same commitment they advertise iPods with.
They need to have comparisons showing what 10.4 can do NOW with what Vista will do LATER. They need to show you can get those same features on a $500 Mac mini instead of having to buy a souped up $1000 plus PC box.
Those new PC vs Mac ads may be cute, but if they really want market share, Apple needs to be more aggressive.
We know how much more advanced OS X is, but we also know that the Windows lemmings are going to eat Vista up and pretend it’s the best thing since the wheel.
Wouldn’t it be funny if someone wrote a virus for Vista and its only purpose was to continually trigger the protection pop-up warning every 2 or 3 seconds until you wiped the HD? Well, that would be funny to me, at least.
LMFAO!!!!! IT SHOWS YOU HOW TO LOOK FOR DRIVERS
duuuuuuude… it’s 2006, and you still have to do that YOURSELF.. SWEEET!!!!
30 years later.. BETTER GRAPHICS.. sweet!
UAP.. well, if i wasn’t considering switching to Windows, I sure am now…
lmfao!!!! if MS learned ONE THING from the Internet Revolution…
PEOPLE LOVE POP-UPS
Why not just give Vista away for free and have ads built right into UAP?!
There’s always going to be people who won’t switch and will stick with Windows, and this will be the next big thing for them even as its ripped to shreds with viruses, exploits and other fun stuff.
Still, there are many (like me) who will stick to Apple’s OS, because we have seen “Vista” when it was called OS X.
Even if Vista causes people to go out and upgrade hardware and software, Apple is in much better shape than it has been in a while (esp. mid to late 90’s).
That’s some high comedy right there. Vista really does show Msoft’s difficulty in grasping user interface concepts. You know, like two clicks is actually better than four. Tough stuff like that. You know, tricky subtle hard to understand nuanced type human nature subtleties that lurk beneath the surface. Years of training and all that.
Oh, and when was the last time you heard a reviewer of OSX say, “…and this is going to be a problem for a while.”? ROFLMHO
CNET is a bunch of Microsoft whores
they bend over to kiss their asses
‘Why CNET didn’t do that with Mac OS X ? Why did they avoid saying “pretty cool” to Mac OS X ?’
—
Simple – It’s because CNET takes back handers from M$.
They are biased towards their M$ masters.
Same as PC world Magazine, who compared beta Vista against OSX.
Gues who won – Vista, aparently because of all the software that will work on it – TOTAL BULLSHIT AND BIASED.