my Amateur Windows Vista beta 1 review


Recommended Posts

^ don't wanna bash you.. but the reason i used my digital camera instead was bcause of the frame rate.. i wanted to show how smooth it was on a average computer. and its VERY smooth.. even my digital camera drops some frames.

but nice videos.. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't know why you're already making opinions and wether you should buy it or not. Beta software is for testing, not for previewing. You have yet to see what Vista will bring, most of the changes in Beta 1 are there for software programmers to test (the basic framework.) Making an opinion on buying, or not buying, Windows Vista by looking at this beta is like saying you wouldn't buy a Mercedes when all you seen in the metal tubing (the basic framework.) It is silly, to say the least.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

well i think what i was trying to say is IF microsoft is just going to release it to something similar to this.. i wouldn't say its too innovative.

I wouldn't call a Beta release the framework of a mercedes, more like a mercedes already built but without the computer systems, etc.

Maybe my definition of beta is just different.. but I just expected more.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

there is more

maybe you just didnt notice it.

1. Microsoft have locked down IE in a 'no-frills mode'. This is interesting, as it is IE, but without the ability to run activeX sploits etc. (click on start, all programs, accesories, systems tools and choose Internet Explorer - no add-ons.)

2. Microsoft are going in the direction of non administrator accounts. They've already had this in previous os's such as NT4, 2k and xp but have never forced it upon the user. Perhaps Windows Vista will change all that. Beta one includes UAP (user access permissions), you can enable it or disable it.

3. Parental control. This is an interesting feature which I hope they develop. Currently it appears to be locked down to 'games that your kid can play'. What I'd like to see them do is to have control of what sites you can/cannot see, what irc/msn/aim programs you can/cannot use and what the heck, what programs you can/cannot use. To test parental control in Windows Vista create a new user (somename) then login as them (they'll be an administrator. Now that they are created, you can create a new user (test) and make it a limited account. Once done, look at the extended gaming 'exclusions' you can force on the kids. Interesting.

Also, within the 'parental control' choices you have 'activity reports'. This allows you to monitor your kids activity (where i'm not sure yet, i'll test some more...).

well the above is a start, in the right direction

cheers

anyweb

Link to comment
Share on other sites

good review. Vista runs fast and smooth for me. True, install took some time, but I think it was still less than XP. Ijust seems longer because in XP you have to keep on typing and clicking.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

For your first review you did pretty good job.

Just drop all the "they copied this from that" thing, cause except for the shutdown counter, I can't see anything that was "copied".

WDS is not a copy of Spotlight.

IE7's tabs & search bar are not copy of Firefox (more like Opera ;) ). And if you understand MS's opinion against IE's tabs (taskbar is already a 'tab-bar'), the tabs are kind of out of place in whole windows UI. Not to mention its twin Win-Explorer which will look weird with tabs.

and I think you should've looked thru the "ugly UI" to see the features that are building up.

overall good attempt.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is something I haven't seen talked about. Can someone explain about the Metal Theme? Is it part of Glass or Aero? Are there other themes in Vista? Could someone post a screenshot of Display Properties/Appearance drop down windows screens showing the choices?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Who really plays that much of the games that Windows came with anyways? I don't think it needs to be pinned on the start menu.

Start Menu

The start menu looks really clogged up and too big for my liking, it takes up too much of the screen's space when you open it

1) The idea of the 'games' menu is that any other game you install will add its own icon in there, so you get all your games in one place. Im not sure if its just not working yet, or if its only games built in the vista era that will work with this function.

2) Its the same size as XP though.

what caught me most is the new effects for opening and closing windows.. looks like a direct copy from mac.

Have you actually used a mac? The effect is completely different. The Vista effect is much faster and smoother, I find that 'genie' effect on a mac quite cumbersome.

WDS is not a copy of Spotlight.

Just interested here, but why? Same feature surely.

Edited by DG55
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I know this is a VERY old thread now.. but I just wanted to update this with a brand new screenshot of vista glass since i managed to get a new video card.

vistaglass7qq.th.png

AND... I haven't seen these yet.. and hopefully i dont get in trouble for this.. but here's a video showing the new effects from vista.

http://www.putfile.com/media.php?n=S4010021-1

586340590[/snapback]

in this screenshot... I can see that you have remove the windows search engine icon from the task tray (or deactivated it)... how can I do the same? how do I remove the windows search engine from there...??

thanks in advance

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1) The idea of the 'games' menu is that any other game you install will add its own icon in there, so you get all your games in one place. Im not sure if its just not working yet, or if its only games built in the vista era that will work with this function.

That would be a REALLY good idea if it works properly, and it will need coopreation from game devlopers. But if it is a real feaature, I would really like it. Makes things much more organized.

what caught me most is the new effects for opening and closing windows.. looks like a direct copy from mac.

Maybe I shouldn't have said direct copy, but what I meant was basically using a "cool" animation to open and close windows.. so i agree, i used the wrong terms. and yes i've used a mac.. it doesn't seem sluggish for me.... (other mac users?) And yes i agree the vista animations are VERY smooth.

Anyway, thanks for all the comments, they definitely help me how to write a good review.. :) Keep em coming!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just interested here, but why? Same feature surely.

586342262[/snapback]

There were heated threads over this and without causing one more such incident, I would just say that WDS was disclosed(previewed?) much in advance to Spotlight....in fact before the term "Spotlight" was used publicly by Apple. So I guess its jumping to conclusions even if the "features" are same. ;)

That would be a REALLY good idea if it works properly, and it will need coopreation from game devlopers. But if it is a real feaature, I would really like it. Makes things much more organized.

Maybe I shouldn't have said direct copy, but what I meant was basically using a "cool" animation to open and close windows..  so i agree, i used the wrong terms. and yes i've used a mac.. it doesn't seem sluggish for me.... (other mac users?) And yes i agree the vista animations are VERY smooth.

Anyway, thanks for all the comments, they definitely help me how to write a good review.. :) Keep em coming!

586342888[/snapback]

I think he meant that the animation on vista is much faster and happens lesser time. This does not mean that genie is "sluggish"...something like programmed to happen slower. I agree that Vista is much faster and probably better done.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This topic is now closed to further replies.
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.