Microsoft Corp. has failed to deliver on its promise of downloadable extras for the highest-priced version of Windows Vista, critics claim. Dubbed "Extras" and exclusive to Vista Ultimate, the downloads were touted before, at and after the launch as one of a handful of features that separated the $399 operating system from the $239 Home Premium. On Ultimate's marketing site, Microsoft currently says of Extras: "These cutting-edge programs, innovative services, and unique publications provide a richer computing experience for Windows Vista Ultimate users."
Trouble is, according to critics like Scott Dunn, an editor with the popular "Windows Secrets" newsletter, Microsoft hasn't followed through. Since January, when Vista was released to consumers, no new finished Extra have been offered to Ultimate users. "Extras is not a minor feature of Ultimate," Dunn argued. "It's one of the things that sets it apart from Home Premium, and one of the few unique things that has been promised Ultimate users."
Microsoft issued three Extras when Vista debuted, including a poker game; an add-on to BitLocker, Vista's whole-disk encryption tool; and language packs for the operating system's Multilingual User Interface. The next month, Microsoft posted DreamScene, a video screensaver, in beta form; DreamScene has not shifted out of beta since then.
View: The full story
News source: ComputerWorld
Trouble is, according to critics like Scott Dunn, an editor with the popular "Windows Secrets" newsletter, Microsoft hasn't followed through. Since January, when Vista was released to consumers, no new finished Extra have been offered to Ultimate users. "Extras is not a minor feature of Ultimate," Dunn argued. "It's one of the things that sets it apart from Home Premium, and one of the few unique things that has been promised Ultimate users."
Microsoft issued three Extras when Vista debuted, including a poker game; an add-on to BitLocker, Vista's whole-disk encryption tool; and language packs for the operating system's Multilingual User Interface. The next month, Microsoft posted DreamScene, a video screensaver, in beta form; DreamScene has not shifted out of beta since then.
View: The full story News source: ComputerWorld
Some of these programs with wide appeal were released as powertoys. Looks like Microsoft no longer encourages development of such tools or no longer releases these gems to the general public.
The Ultimate Extras program might get a big boost if they encourage releasing this non-funded programs from its own developers.
The really question here is whether Ultimate Extras should be released one per month or a bunch together every six to eight months.
The really question here is whether Ultimate Extras should be one per month or a bunch together every six to eight months.
Except you're wrong: the differences between home premium and ultimate both have aero, both have Windows Media Center, both have Windows DVD maker. So you paid for bitlocker, backup and remote desktop? Niiiice.
Remember Ultimate combines everything from all the different Vista Editions. So I am not wrong.
Remember Ultimate combines everything from all the different Vista Editions. So I am not wrong.
No you are wrong, the extra cost is for Extras, BitLocker and virtualization.
Remember Ultimate combines everything from all the different Vista Editions. So I am not wrong.
No you are wrong, the extra cost is for Extras, BitLocker and virtualization.
Sorry Express is right. Ultimate is all the features of Home Premium and Enterprise (including Business) put together. Home Premium doesn't have some features that Enterprise (and Business) has (namely the IIS web server, fax support, Rights Management Services (RMS) Client, file system encryption, 2 physical processor support, system image backup and recovery, offline file support, a full version of Remote Desktop that supports incoming connections, ad-hoc P2P collaboration capabilities, Previous Versions (Windows ShadowCopy), several other business features, multilingual user interface support, BitLocker Drive Encryption, and UNIX application support).
So when you pay for Ultimate, you're getting a lot more than Home Premium. Extras is just that, an extra.
The really question here is whether Ultimate Extras should be released one per month or a bunch together every six to eight months.
you can use DVD Maker on any ver of Vista. I have tested this out without any code hacking.
I just copied the Folder
Last edited by dl0711 on 29 Jun 2007 - 14:00
The really question here is whether Ultimate Extras should be released one per month or a bunch together every six to eight months.
you can use DVD Maker on any ver of Vista. I have tested this out without any code hacking.
I just copied the Folder
Copying a feature from one version of Vista to another would be illegal my friend.
Internally at Microsoft, we still have utilities and so called powertoys. Unlike the past, most employees' creations don't get released to the public because of the increased security measures. Everything Microsoft releases now goes through a strict security check. And even though powertoys aren't officially supported by Microsoft, if there is any security risk on these utilities, it will put a dent on Microsoft's effort to improve security.
The really question here is whether Ultimate Extras should be released one per month or a bunch together every six to eight months.
you can use DVD Maker on any ver of Vista. I have tested this out without any code hacking.
I just copied the Folder
Copying a feature from one version of Vista to another would be illegal my friend.
if its NOT in the EUA then its NOT illegal. and from what i can see it dont say that.
From this PDF of Microsoft's EULA, right from Microsoft's site
I have to agree to what's been said. Although I'd enjoy more extras, Ultimate was never only about "you'll get more later", it already comes bundled with everything. As for the powertoys, the security reason is unfortunate but very understandable.
1.) http://windowsultimate.com/
2.) http://windowsvistablog.com/
Because I was SPAMING with the words
Bring out more Ult Extras NOW....
Sigh... you're the kind of person who yells "First post!" in a new forum topic, aren't you?!
1.) http://windowsultimate.com/
2.) http://windowsvistablog.com/
Because I was SPAMING with the words
Bring out more Ult Extras NOW....
^_____^
What i think they will end up doing is giving away exsisting software packages for free.
What i think they will end up doing is giving away exsisting software packages for free.
So true. and to back up that clame how come they have yet to respond to the rumores??. Because there is NO team
What i think they will end up doing is giving away exsisting software packages for free.
So true. and to back up that clame how come they have yet to respond to the rumores??. Because there is NO team
There is a team, for windows, just not the same team. From the way I understand it, they often change most if not all of the Windows team after a big release, to get new ideas in. I could be wrong though, but I know for sure that many of the top people working on Windows now are the ones who worked on Office 2k7 which I really like alot.
I think they're pretty much working out Server 2k8 and SP1 for Vista and are busy with those 2. Later on when those are out we should start to see more Extras, that'd be my guess.
I think they're pretty much working out Server 2k8 and SP1 for Vista and are busy with those 2. Later on when those are out we should start to see more Extras, that'd be my guess.
No, what i am saying is the Ultimate team has disbanded, this lot:- http://windowsultimate.com/Blogs/Default.aspx?GroupID=6
What i think they will end up doing is giving away exsisting software packages for free.
So true. and to back up that clame how come they have yet to respond to the rumores??. Because there is NO team
There is a team, for windows, just not the same team. From the way I understand it, they often change most if not all of the Windows team after a big release, to get new ideas in. I could be wrong though, but I know for sure that many of the top people working on Windows now are the ones who worked on Office 2k7 which I really like alot.
I think they're pretty much working out Server 2k8 and SP1 for Vista and are busy with those 2. Later on when those are out we should start to see more Extras, that'd be my guess.
and then there lame reason for no extras after SP1 is. that all there time is spent on working on SP2 and the same thing after SP2 will be ow all our time is being spent on SP3..
The point is that it says to "check back regularly" and they have CLEARLY failed to deliver. No-one can regard nearly 4 months with no new content as "regularly" and there's not even an indication we'll receive anything within the next 4 months either. All they have to do is chuck out a few little apps/games, like Texas Hold 'Em, to keep people happy... it's pathetic that a multi-billion dollar company like Microsoft can't even manage to do that for their flagship product.
Pathetic.
The point is that it says to "check back regularly" and they have CLEARLY failed to deliver. No-one can regard nearly 4 months with no new content as "regularly" and there's not even an indication we'll receive anything within the next 4 months either. All they have to do is chuck out a few little apps/games, like Texas Hold 'Em, to keep people happy... it's pathetic that a multi-billion dollar company like Microsoft can't even manage to do that for their flagship product.
Pathetic.
Who cares? If people bought Windows Vista Ultimate just for the extras they're idiots.
That doesn't change anything about MS failure to deliver features though.
also its been how long since the Preview of DreamScene? about 4-5 months and its still in preview without any updates to it.. Remember DreamScene was one of the TOP selling points that microsoft used to sell ULT.
And what happend to Group Shot that they demo'ed? I mean you can even download the MSR version of it as of sept 20 2006 (http://research.microsoft.com/projects/GroupShot/) how long does it take to repackage?
Microsoft need to get off their backsides and fix this!
Windows Vista Home Basic = Windows XP Home Edition
Windows Vista Home Premium = Media Center if it was built off Windows XP Home Edition
Windows Vista Business = Windows XP Professional and Tablet PC Edition
Windows Vista Ultimate = Windows XP Media Center Edition and Tablet PC Edition
Microsoft only created one extra choice for the general public and most people just use what came on the computer that they just happen to choose (which is most often Home Premium). Also if most of the people that use XP Media Center Edition don't use the "Professional" features of XP Pro that is was built on so that is why Microsoft created Home Premium.
As for the rest of the editions:
Windows Vista Starter Edition = Windows XP Starter Edition (Only in very few markets so most people don't have this choice)
Windows Vista Enterprise = Windows XP Professional VLK (Only available to bulk license purchasers, again not something that would be on the store shelf)
All but one Vista SKU has an XP equivalent.
I say legally install and activate our one copy of Vista Ultimate on 30-40 different machines Unlimited amount of times With Support that covers the Life Cycle of the OS.
I say legally install and activate our one copy of Vista Ultimate on 30-40 different machines Unlimited amount of times With Support that covers the Life Cycle of the OS.
That's more like it. I can GUARANTEE Vista Ultimate sales would skyrocket subsequent to an announcement like that.
Sucky comparison, I know... but whatever
Other examples are good apps by Microsoft employees are Fiddler, Defrag, Start++, delrc etc.
Absolutely not. You couldn't *pay* me to use Vista as my primary OS.
But the longer I think about it, all the extras that have been released were originally scheduled for the main Vista product and some were included in many of the Longhorn betas! So there really haven't been any "new" extras at all.
If you read through all the blurb on the Ultimate Extras Control Panel Applet in Vista, it sends a cynical chill down your back as you ponder the "Cutting Edge Programs", "Innovative Services" and "Unique Publications" that are yet to arrive. I am so hoping that the developers that would otherwise be working on these extras are instead ploughing their energy into working on Server 2008, Vista SP1 and XP SP3 (remember when Microsoft announced they were not committed to it and now they are?). Maybe, just maybe nearer the end of this year, we will see more activity here, I am hoping Microsoft didn't think we'd all forget; that it literally sweep it under the carpet and screwed over those people who dared buy into the hype and shelled out a premium for it.
Also, what happend to the premium Desktop 8000 keyboard/mouse combo that was supposed to come out alongside Vista? Infact, what happened to all those Ultimate branded premium PC's in shiny silver and the like? Oh boy, I need to lay down...
they just keep pushing things further ahead for whatever reason.
But then again if you care enough to complain about it, then you have to much time on your hands already.
I agree, they can do better than just 3 "extras."
In fact, to do a click is not equal to signing (with the exception of some banking webpages).
In many cases MS is just bluffing about their own EULA.
And that reminds me, kids: Don't Smoke Crack!
If the latter is the case the only proven remedy found to work, is sitting on one thumb and putting the other in your mouth for one year.
You must have purchased Vista Ultimate? Loser. Try my suggested remedy above.
...
wow, after reading some other posts, it seems others have beat me to this CRAZY concept.
Microsoft Corp. has failed to deliver
Pretty much sums up the last 3 years.
not that i would go encrypting all my drives, but i do like the fact that i could if i wanted to.
as for the whole Extras-shortage, has anyone considered the possibility that some new Extras might be launched around the same time as SP1? given how hush-hush MS has been lately, i wouldn't be surprised if that's what they're doing now: staying mum all year long and dropping apps/features/extras whenever they feel like it.
Now we are getting the shaft again from microsoft. You can look around and see where there priorities lie and it is not with giving away any more extras. All they do is hype and lie .
What a tosser.
In any event, who gives a ****. MS will release them when they want to. If you were dumb enough to buy Ultimate, it's your own fault.
Vista's remote desktop works very well. DWM effects and audio stream over to the client smoothly. May someone please suggest a good alternative to Remote Desktop, if any?
(Maybe LogMeIn, but I haven't tried it yet for Vista.)
I'm just glad I did not have to pay for mine...
Commenting has either been disabled on this article or you are not logged in. Click here to login or register, its free!
Note: Anonymous commenting is disabled in order to keep the quality of responses to a high standard.