I will not buy Windows 7 unless it has ... *Feature*

[Brandon Live Veteran]

To me OEM crapware is the #1 problem Microsoft needs to take care of. Seriosly, when I learned how to bypass crapware installation with my Asus recovery cd, I was shocked that clean Vista installation was nothing like the horrible mess that greeted me when I first opened the laptop. A lot of people can't and wouldn't clean these software, and they have a horrible experience with their brand new computer.

- MS should work with OEMs and give whatever support they need for free to develop some better software. (driver tools, laptop tools etc.)

- They should include a built-in manager for crapware, maybe a list the user can configure at the OOBE wizard. Or at least some obvious way to get rid of them all at once. (ofcourse assuming they won't be able to get rid of all crapware)

A very valid point. Unfortunately for a long time now Microsoft has been more at the mercy of OEMs than vice versa. And if the OEMs are getting paid to include crapware, or they feel it gives them additional branding surface, they're going to push very hard for it.

That's not to say it won't get better.

[chrisj1968]

Now, my understanding is/was that OEM's can sell laptops and Desktops so cheap if they include all this crapware. one that comes to mind is tangent.

so if THAT lowers the cost, why can't these firms offer an un-installation feature that removes what WE want to? It is our system after all isn't it?

this way, when I buy my new laptop, I can remove all those stupid games and MS office trial crap. in one swoop I mean to say.

[kaiwai]

I disagree on the Windows Update thing. Keep it behind a UAC prompt. You shouldn't have access to install that kind of stuff on your system without elevation.

I think he means more along the lines of MacOS X, where you can check for updates, and it isn't until you actually install them when you are requested for the password.

As for the task manager, you shouldn't be able to play around with higher integrity-level processes, or processes you don't have access to without elevation (Hence the UAC prompt) or the entire system would be worthless. Perhaps showing the processes, maybe grayed out, or with an asterick or something, but not allowing you to end them until you restart the task manager as elevated.

MacOS X and *NIX simply only allow the users to modify processors which they own. I don't know it should be too difficult for Windows - unless UAC is a sham, and that the user account still actually has administration privileges.

As for the device manager, I partially agree. Viewing the list shouldn't require Admin privileges. In fact, you can get all of that info without elevation (Pulling win32_pnpentity from WMI seems to do the trick. You don't need anything above "User" to do that.) However, obviously making changes does.

I think that System Information doesn't require privilege elevation.

[Another Canuck]

Cue, my blog post: http://www.geeksanatomy.com/2008/06/all-i-want-for-seven-is/

Never saw this topic until today, but yeah, basically I'm dying for Seven to have what I listed.

[EnzoFX]

I'm really hoping for a new GUI, I'd love to see something that shows they've re-thought what is now the norm. I'd like to see some sweet fluidity, I mean why should a popup just popup out of nowhere? It should be visually clear where its coming from (instead of just having a big fat logo on there, I mean sure, we can slap icons/logos everywhere, ew), stuff like that, too abstract? Or am I over-thinking things?

Imagine windows that flow, resize on their own when they need to (user-configurable?) or move/change. Perhaps streamline a download status bar for any kind of download, whether for your antivirus definitions, firefox/IE, or latest MS updates, a streamlined progress bar that will be appropriately positioned on the desktop and easy to monitor =P. Take it farther by making those long installations truly a background process, where the window "hides" minimizes to a tiny status/progress bar somewhere on the desktop/or new taskbar?

Just tossing around some ideas heh

[kaiwai]

Mac OS X 10.5 comes on a dual layer ~8.54GB Disc, Windows Vista comes on a single layer ~4.7GB Disc. So which operating system is 'bloated' again?

As far as the looks of OS X 10.5 and Vista, I use both and I think they both have advantages but IMHO neither is perfect.

*kaiwai tazers 1Frothy*

Mac OS X 10.5 also comes with developer tools along header files, documentation etc. etc. You can install those separately after the install.

As for the word bloat; people, learn what it means. Bloat is the disproportionate size versus the functionality that it brings - and worse, when the added size and memory usage cannot be justified (aka, it takes more memory because it is managed code, and thus, the manage code allows greater security).

[Linkinfamous]

I think he means more along the lines of MacOS X, where you can check for updates, and it isn't until you actually install them when you are requested for the password.

UAC will not prompt you for a 'Check for Updates'.

It will only prompt you when you go to install updates manually.

MacOS X and *NIX simply only allow the users to modify processors which they own. I don't know it should be too difficult for Windows - unless UAC is a sham, and that the user account still actually has administration privileges.

Launching the task manager to modify your own processes doesn't not require Admin privileges or a UAC prompt.

However, it has a button "Show Processes from all users", which allows you to modify system processes and other user's processes. This button triggers a UAC prompt, obviously, as the task manager must relaunch itself as an Administrator to perform these operations.

Edited July 22, 2008 by MioTheGreat

[Eric Veteran]

I guess Microsoft is shooting itself in the foot. The new activation system seriously sucks for businesses.

Corporations can manage their own VLKs I believe.

Cue, my blog post: http://www.geeksanatomy.com/2008/06/all-i-want-for-seven-is/

Never saw this topic until today, but yeah, basically I'm dying for Seven to have what I listed.

Just post the list here and let us discuss it. Blog redirection is naughty here. ;)

I'm really hoping for a new GUI, I'd love to see something that shows they've re-thought what is now the norm. I'd like to see some sweet fluidity, I mean why should a popup just popup out of nowhere? It should be visually clear where its coming from (instead of just having a big fat logo on there, I mean sure, we can slap icons/logos everywhere, ew), stuff like that, too abstract? Or am I over-thinking things?

Imagine windows that flow, resize on their own when they need to (user-configurable?) or move/change. Perhaps streamline a download status bar for any kind of download, whether for your antivirus definitions, firefox/IE, or latest MS updates, a streamlined progress bar that will be appropriately positioned on the desktop and easy to monitor =P. Take it farther by making those long installations truly a background process, where the window "hides" minimizes to a tiny status/progress bar somewhere on the desktop/or new taskbar?

Just tossing around some ideas heh

None of those are bad ideas, but the problem is getting developers to use them. Firefox, for example, is multi-platform so it uses as few proprietary APIs as possible, whether on Windows, Mac OS, Linux, or whatever.

[afusion]

Well this thread is somewhat useless (topic wise)

Everyone will be on the latest version of Windows given time..

[EnzoFX]

None of those are bad ideas, but the problem is getting developers to use them. Firefox, for example, is multi-platform so it uses as few proprietary APIs as possible, whether on Windows, Mac OS, Linux, or whatever.

True, but thats why MS needs to spearhead such efforts. Who else? some 3rd party app that will hardly penetrate the avg user base.

[The_Decryptor Veteran]

Windows having a certain UI won't make other OS's emulate the UI, and neither will cross platform apps.

Apple gets crap for having Safari, iTunes and QuickTime look like their OS X counterparts, Microsoft doing the same thing won't get them praise.

Anyway, MS already has a background downloading program, they could slap a UI on that and provide a unifed download manager, but apps still wouldn't use it. Firefox for example hooks it's download manager into the places system (so it's fully search-able via the UI, in 3.1 there might be a downloads section in the places organiser, right there with bookmarks and history)

[alxz.310]

No driver/hardware issues and a UNIQUE user interface

[iwod]

Registry, to be honest is getting far too complex to maintain.While scrapping registry is not entirely possible due to compatibility reason. They should look for alternative method.

Install like OSX - I agree to a certain extend. But not simply copy and paste into Application folder.. Just GREATLY simplify installation procedure.

Uninstall from Single Location - No more going into software for its uninstall routine. Windows Should provide uninstall ability from a single entry point. User who want to remove software will go there instead.

Get Rid of Windows xxxxxxx... Naming Scheme. Media Player, Photo Gallery will do. No need to add Windows in front of them.

Control Panel - Seriously Vista Control Panel is POOR. It is an HyperLink HELL!!! Even XP's Control Panel is better.

And some of the options inside are still out of place. Microsoft should seriously rethink the whole Control Panel.

Start Menu - They should force every application on their own, No more Application Folder > Application Link.

This way we get all our apps we want without multiple hierarchy.

There are loads more.

[Ci7]

Get Rid of Windows xxxxxxx... Naming Scheme. Media Player, Photo Gallery will do. No need to add Windows in front of them.

why they name it this way ?

just because they cant copyright Media player ...photo gallery......etc for obsessive reason as it is so general name .

[backdrifter]

why they name it this way ?

just because they cant copyright Media player ...photo gallery......etc for obsessive reason as it is so general name .

It would actually help distinguish them in a crowded task bar, where all you see is Windo... Windo..

[mad_onion]

Uninstall from Single Location - No more going into software for its uninstall routine. Windows Should provide uninstall ability from a single entry point. User who want to remove software will go there instead.

well i always remove software from Uninstall a program in control panel and it's always worked fine for me. i'm pretty sure that's how you're are supposed to remove stuff. i wouldn't even know how to do it not via a "single location"

[The_Decryptor Veteran]

well i always remove software from Uninstall a program in control panel and it's always worked fine for me. i'm pretty sure that's how you're are supposed to remove stuff. i wouldn't even know how to do it not via a "single location"

Yeah, Windows has provided a single uninstall point since Windows 95.

The problem comes because lots of people writing programs for Windows are stupid and useless and don't do things properly.

Uninstallers that install into the windows directory, and remove everything but the uninstallers are great. Even better are the uninstallers that uninstall nothing but the entry in the windows uninstaller section, and still require a restart.

[Brandon Live Veteran]

why they name it this way ?

just because they cant copyright Media player ...photo gallery......etc for obsessive reason as it is so general name .

Partly it likely has to do with trademarks and such. See Raymond's post here.

I believe there was also a desire during Vista's development to ensure that users knew which applications came with Windows, and which ones were crapware installed by their OEM.

[DreadBoat89]

Uninstall from Single Location - No more going into software for its uninstall routine. Windows Should provide uninstall ability from a single entry point. User who want to remove software will go there instead.

Get Rid of Windows xxxxxxx... Naming Scheme. Media Player, Photo Gallery will do. No need to add Windows in front of them.

Control Panel - Seriously Vista Control Panel is POOR. It is an HyperLink HELL!!! Even XP's Control Panel is better.

And some of the options inside are still out of place. Microsoft should seriously rethink the whole Control Panel.

Start Menu - They should force every application on their own, No more Application Folder > Application Link.

This way we get all our apps we want without multiple hierarchy.

There are loads more.

uninstall from single location -- fyi, that exists already, for some time... Add/Remove Programs in XP and older, Programs & Features for vista... you should blame the people who write programs with craptasic uninstallers

Get Rid of Windows xxxxxxx -- if you complain about microsoft doing that, you might as well complain about every other software developer adding their company name in front of their programs... for example Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Dreamweaver, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Flash, and so on...

Control Panel -- the vista cp is more or less the same as the xp cp... if you dont like the categories, just switch to classic view.

Start Menu -- this must really annoy you for you to really point it out. if you dont like it, you can move the shortcuts to the main application folder. at least thats what i think you are trying to say...

these things you pointed out seem like something you pointed out for the sake of saying you dont like windows. some dont even make sense (like the uninstall from single location). some of these things are out of microsoft's control.

microsoft's control on software developers is like democracy... they can do anything they want. apple's control seems like communism (or fascism), not to mention windows developers outnumber mac developers by a lot. microsoft has no way to police programs.

[Gabe3]

*Virtual desktops

*Application launcher, something rocket dock

*re-designed taskbar/vista sidebar

[LiqHead]

Well hell... why not just run OS X on PC hardware?

[Alley Cat]

Windows 7 requires the following features:

* When installing, the ability to install subsets of programs like DESKTOP, LAPTOP, etc (like Win98 install did)

* A light weight OS, very small foot print (2 GB clean install not 20)

* Massive DLL clean up or a totally new system (I am sick and tired of DLL crashes after 10 years for this b*s - even Windows Explorer does this to me)

* Very detailed documentation (evil MS has added undocumented features and code since the latter years of DOS )

* Total and Complete Access to Task Manager and the ability is kill off unwanted memory huggers (especially trojans who create a random name and putting itself right back into memory)

* Remove ActiveX

* Time Machine like Mac OS X

* A better Remote Access (I tried removing viruses from a friend's Vista computer, Vista kept locking me out)

* Multiple Layers of Firewalls

* One version of Windows 7 - not Basic, Home, Professional, etc, etc, et al. STOP this madness. Exterminate Annihilate Destroy!

Edited September 8, 2008 by Alley Cat

[Brony]

Well hell... why not just run OS X on PC hardware?

May be because in the 99% of the cases you are unable to install it, not at least that you consider irrelevant the lack of wifi, sound, monitor resolution, network and/or 3d acceleration.

* When installing, the ability to install subsets of programs like DESKTOP, LAPTOP, etc (like Win98 install did)

* A light weight OS, very small foot print (2 GB clean install not 20)

* Massive DLL clean up or a totally new system (I am sick and tired of DLL crashes after 10 years for this b*s - even Windows Explorer does this to me)

* Very detailed documentation (evil MS has added undocumented features and code since the latter years of DOS )

* Total and Complete Access to Task Manager and the ability is kill off unwanted memory huggers (especially trojans who create a random name and putting itself right back into memory)

* Remove ActiveX

* Time Machine like Mac OS X

* A better Remote Access (I tried removing viruses from a friend's Vista computer, Vista kept locking me out)

* Multiple Layers of Firewalls

* One version of Windows 7 - not Basic, Home, Professional, etc, etc, et al. STOP this madness. Exterminate Annihilate Destroy

Amen.

Also :* A light weight OS, very small foot print (2 GB clean install not 20) and less that 1gb of memory ram

[Mathachew Veteran]

* Time Machine like Mac OS X

Um... volume shadow copy? It just doesn't have the eye candy that Time Machine offers.

[DreadBoat89]

Um... volume shadow copy? It just doesn't have the eye candy that Time Machine offers.

+1

if you want what time machine offers... google Shadow Explorer