After a brief demo at the on-going CES conference in Las Vegas, Microsoft have launched a re-vamped version of the website for Windows Vista.
The slick new look makes a break from the often bland Microsoft product pages, and moves towards the Glass theme expected in Vista. Perhaps of most significance is that the pages underlying code is put together with more 'modern' html code (div tags, for example, rather than tables). Also of note is the RSS feed, added, no doubt, after cajoling from a certain Microsoft blogger.
The website hosts a fairly detailed break down of some of the major features announced to date, and also some less well publicised ones; Windows Calendar, for example, is covered on their 'for the home' page.
It's launch marks the start of what will be one of Microsoft's most important years. Windows Vista, expected in the latter half of this year, has much riding on a successful launch and quick adoption.
View: Vista homepage
View: Neowin discussion
The slick new look makes a break from the often bland Microsoft product pages, and moves towards the Glass theme expected in Vista. Perhaps of most significance is that the pages underlying code is put together with more 'modern' html code (div tags, for example, rather than tables). Also of note is the RSS feed, added, no doubt, after cajoling from a certain Microsoft blogger.
The website hosts a fairly detailed break down of some of the major features announced to date, and also some less well publicised ones; Windows Calendar, for example, is covered on their 'for the home' page.
It's launch marks the start of what will be one of Microsoft's most important years. Windows Vista, expected in the latter half of this year, has much riding on a successful launch and quick adoption.
View: Vista homepage View: Neowin discussion
The site looks good I will grant you that but talk about the ultimate hyperbole. Give me a break.
Use google and look for CSS2 and you will be surprised by what you find on the web. Welcome to the late 90's.
When I first started out, I made the common mistake of using a images and dark colours for a background.
This page is not a good example of web design. You should always make your pages accessible including making them printable especiallly when you are presenting textual information. At the very least, they should have provided a link to an alternate style sheet for a printer friendly version.
These pages and onward do not have the same problem of smelling like the late 90's.
Having said that, there are exceptions to that rule like say an artist's portfolio or gallery site or a site for a movie. Many times those types of sites are flash and are thatway for a reason. The reason is usually to stop people from pilfering content.
*edit*
This site does have a major problem with accessiblity since I cannot seem to get any alt text on any of the images on the site or the navigation. That is a big no no for accessibilty.
After trying the page in Firefox, this appears to be an Opera-specific issue...stupid M$.
Looking at my post, I did not say anything specifically anti-MSFT. I was talking about the website.
As for Windows Vista... Reading through the site, I'm having a hard time figuring out what exactly Windows Vista will do for me that Windows XP doesn't already.
"As you use your computer to access more information, perform more tasks, and interact with more software applications, you increasingly face information overload. You open a Web browser just to check the weather, open an application to view your calendar, and open a calculator program to simply add numbers. You need simple, specialized, and lightweight mini-applications that put information and tasks at your fingertips—no matter what you're doing."
I don't see how having more crap on your screen lowers the amount of "information overload."
Is that just me.
slow news day
And the site works just fine in Firefox.
Hmmm.
Almost compliant. 9 Errors by the W3C Validator. Pity its not XHTML, but its still an improvement.
Edit: testing a bug.
Edit again: testing a fixed bug.
bork.
Last edited by Zionyx on 05 Jan 2006 - 16:31
This is commonly done if you want to add effects or fonts.
a) add an alt tag to the image.
b) add the text in normally, then push it off screen with css, and use that to add the image in.
that way it looks fine for sighted users, but blind users can still get at the text.
What? Is that some kind of anti "M$" bias I hear?
Couldn't be.
However, I strongly expect there will be many gadgets/widgets to add some flair, and possibly some additional themes. Remember MS has to cater to the lowest common denominator, so advanced UI bits will not be present in any default scheme.
At least, I'm hoping...
Bill, fix your current crap before you go on to selling us new messes....ugh!
Anyway, Windows was insecure due to sloppy development in the past. No real way to sugar code that.
Last edited by sphbecker on 05 Jan 2006 - 23:17
That gives me the idea that Microsoft Update for Windows Vista's Homepage is out.
How about..
Microsoft update the Windows Visita Homepage.
See "The" changes the whole thing :p
Ahhhhhhh my eyessssssssss
But that is to be expected.
Last edited by pHaez on 05 Jan 2006 - 22:21
That page looks pretty awesome...
Almost every new feature presented on Vista homepage is already in MacOS X.
MS, here's some advice, take those lame clipart stereotypes off the page, you'll annoy far fewer people that way. They're going to buy Windows anyway, because they have no choice.
If they want to playback HD-DVD in H.264 format they need codecs for both AVC and ACC, so..?
I know that OS X has taken from Windows in the past, blah blah.. but just look at some of the major features: - search for system config options in the control panel == spotlight sys prefs search
- "gadgets" + sidebar == dashboard
- 3D flipper thing == expose
Anyways, on topic, the site looks nice but does need to lose some of the giant pictures.
It's just logical progression, not necessarily copying.
Also, although the ideas were there for all these features before Tiger, it was Apple who put them in the OS, and MS is following suit, so they are essentially copying the features, not the original ideas.
Anyways, I think I should quit before going much further off topic.
You have to remember that Vista is about 2 years behind; all of its features were made public long ago. Luckily, for Apple, security issues delayed Vista and Apple was able to copy them before they came to market.
Vista and XP both have a host of features that OS X does not. They are not really sexy things that impress people when looking at a web page, but very useful and nice to have. Most of these features are in the networking area. MS is years ahead of Apple when it comes to networking; both in large managed shops and small home networks.
Last edited by sphbecker on 05 Jan 2006 - 23:20
For a corporate site: accessiblity, content, design, easy navigation, proper rendering on all major browsers is very important. I am using firefox on linux and "The Features" page did not display properly.
It really makes me wonder. . why do Apple fanboys even bother coming here? Why do they visit a Windows fanboy site? The answer is simple. To troll. I've never visited an Apple fanboy site, but something tells me that there are no Windows fanboys there trolling for flames. Apple fanboys might say, "Well, thats because Bill Gate$ is teh antichrist, Windows was coded by munkies, and Windows PeeCees have no style!" The fact is that Bill Gates is certainly not the antichrist, no more than Steve Jobs is. . Bill Gates is a scheming capitalist, who performs business as if the market were his own personal chess board, just looking for the next person to crush. Steve Jobs on the other hand, is an asshole who's marketing flair only appeals to people who have already "switched" to his company's over hyped products. "Redmond, start your photocopiers!" Really, even if that were true, how many normal Mac users (as in, those that don't troll forums defending their use of an Apple machine) actually know where Microsoft and Apple are headquartered? Do they really care? People work with what they like and with what they are familiar with and don't give a damn who stole what from whom, wether or not the accusations are true, or any other such nonsense.
On another note. . In my not so humble opinion, anyone who uses a Mac because it has more "style", not because they simply prefer it over a Windows box, deserves to be a character in the box office flop Zoolander. You probably would fit in quite well.[/WinFanBoy]
Bring it, fanboys!
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