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

[Julius Caro]

mmm let's see:

- A completely revamped control panel. NOt the half-assed crap vista has. I dont want to encounter old dialogs for the sake of "legacy support". I want it all fancy and re-organized. The control panel has way too much things. I want a dumb-proof control panel, and I sure as hell hope that whatever info they are gathering about the control panel usage in vista (you know, reporting your usage of the 'search' filter in the control panel) serves it purpose.

- The links between the control panel and the Management console are stupid, and confusing. They should be two separate things. There should be the easy control panel, and the "manage computer" super-fully-featured just-for-nerds management console. They should totally separate the control panel from the 'administrative tasks'.

- Add a 'search' bar EVERYWHERE, especially in services.msc. Because I hate to spend 10 minutes following a KB article in english, trying to figure out what the hell the name of a service in spanish might start with. SERIOUSLY.

- Improve the indexing and the 'search' feature in windows explorer. They should come up with an elegant way of explaining the user why the f*** the hard drive is making that much noise. REPORT that windows is indexing, like mac does! Not only that, but 'search' inside windows explorer should act not only as a searcher but as a damn FILTER. You totally blew your chance with vista, microsoft. Copy spotlight !!! What's the point of saving a file, to come back a few hours later to try to filter it with the search thing, just to get a "no files found" because the indexer is the most stupid thing the world?

These two in particular are a "copy OS X" rant:

- As for the UI, I dont have that many complains for aero. But they should maximize the usable screen space. Get ditch of stupid borders, and make more use of shadows. WHy get rid of the menus in most of the apps if you are going to fill the space with fancy transparent stuff?

- Improve windows a window manager. Expose is probably the most useful thing ever. Use your 'market domination' power and force the industry to add buttons to the mouses that will activate an expose-like feature. Seriously. Expose + efficient use of screen space is what allows users in mac OS to have a bunch of apps open at the same time without maximizing any of them.

when they give me multiboot option with lunix, mac and other.

which they will never do.

actually, the vista bootloader will let you boot into the OSs you've mentioned. there's some third-party GUI for the vista bootloader configuration that will let you do it.

unless you mean windows doing it automatically

[offroadaaron]

I will not buy Windows 7 unless they fix the multitasking side of things - Fusion and OS X + spaces fix this issue for Mac and Unix so please fix this side of things microsoft!

[Julius Caro]

End of story eh? So you've solved the issues of concurrency, access permissions, sharing violations, centralized administration, performance, caching, and all the other problems the registry was specifically designed to solve?

How do you handle shared component registration? One big old XML file that everybody parties on and promises not to break? What about providing a merged view over per-system and per-user components (ie. "HKEY_Classes_Root")? Are applications expected to do that themselves? Or do you write a registry-like API on top of the XML files and require everyone to use that? Oh wait, now you're back to having the registry except it's slower. Wonderful.

So please, do elaborate. I'd love to hear how you solved all the problems with using XML configuration files for the purposes currently served by the registry.

You know how I notice that the registry sucks? A windows installation requires formatting every year or two, or so. Installing/unstalling apps, .. well, those things leave mark on the registry and are never properly purged.

On linux, if I screw my 'user' beyond repair, forcing the thing to load a lot of crap and read a lot of broken configuration files, or configurations that will result if 'undesired behavior', I can set up a new account, and it will work just as fast as the day linux was installed. ON windows, that's not the case. I dont know how to explain it, but Im sure other people have experienced this as well. We all blame the registry although I dont have proof that sloppiness I'm talking about has to do with it.

Applications shouldn't use the registry. They should use config files and store them in %appdata%. Leave the registry for things that affect the system. It's fairly easy to break the registry, and screw it up. And since the registry wasn't designed to be 'manually' modified, it's difficult to fix. One good thing about configuration files is that there is always some default to revert to in case something is screwed up. And that configuration will be sufficient to let the app run properly, unlike the windows default registry which you have to manually revert to in case the registry is broken.

If linux can do it, sure windows can. The windows registry SUCKS.

[scaramonga]

If linux can do it, sure windows can. The windows registry SUCKS.

Never could figure that out? Why cant a Windows system detect what changes have beem made to the registry, and report thus to the user? Also, why is it that Windows cannot detect leftover trash in Registry when third party software has been uninstalled?

This is what 'I' want to see in Windows, nothing graphical or cosmetic, just useful operations that, quite frankly, should have been implemented in XP, let alone Vista.

:)

Edited May 16, 2008 by scaramonga

[Brandon Live Veteran]

- Improve the indexing and the 'search' feature in windows explorer. They should come up with an elegant way of explaining the user why the f*** the hard drive is making that much noise. REPORT that windows is indexing, like mac does! Not only that, but 'search' inside windows explorer should act not only as a searcher but as a damn FILTER. You totally blew your chance with vista, microsoft. Copy spotlight !!!

What do you mean, it should act as a "filter?" It already lets you perform full-text searches, advanced searches with AQS, refine queries with the advanced search pane, or display filtered views using the column header drop-downs. So I'm curious what more you want, specifically? I'm really confused about the "copy spotlight" statement. They've been the ones copying us. I'm curious what you think they have that we don't?

What's the point of saving a file, to come back a few hours later to try to filter it with the search thing, just to get a "no files found" because the indexer is the most stupid thing the world?

It should only take a few seconds for the file to be indexed, unless this is brand-new system and the index isn't finished building yet (or you just copied thousands of files into an indexed path). Sounds like something is wrong with your system?

Never could figure that out? Why cant a Windows system report what changes to the registry have been made and report to the user?

Because 99.999999% of users won't care, and will be annoyed or confused by this. 99.999% don't even know the registry exists, and that is how it should be. If you've ever run "regedit.exe" you are not a normal user.

Also, why is it that Windows cannot detect leftover trash in Registry when third party software has been uninstalled?

How is Windows to know that something isn't going to be used in the future? Besides, the registry is pretty resiliant to unused data. It doesn't really harm anything.

[scaramonga]

How is Windows to know that something isn't going to be used in the future? Besides, the registry is pretty resiliant to unused data. It doesn't really harm anything.

Conflicts?...........maybe software you install later uses the same/similar keys? It harms. Why not remove it all completely? The Registry maybe pretty 'resiliant' but after time it becomes like Vista........'bloated'.

:)

[wrack]

Rewrite UAC to remember preferences like don't ask me again for this program.

WinFS

For the love of god, get rid of the REGISTRY

Give file explorer an option to use classic look by getting rid all the extra panes and stuff it adds. I just want to be able to use keyboard with 3 tabs to circle around the addressbar, directory view and the listing. Currently I have to hit the tab key 7 times to do that, so annoying.

[Julius Caro]

What do you mean, it should act as a "filter?" It already lets you perform full-text searches, advanced searches with AQS, refine queries with the advanced search pane, or display filtered views using the column header drop-downs. So I'm curious what more you want, specifically? I'm really confused about the "copy spotlight" statement. They've been the ones copying us. I'm curious what you think they have that we don't?

It should only take a few seconds for the file to be indexed, unless this is brand-new system and the index isn't finished building yet (or you just copied thousands of files into an indexed path). Sounds like something is wrong with your system?

The truth it, it doesnt take a few seconds. And if it takes a few seconds, perhaps that's just too long. Let's say I'm editing something on word, save the file. Then go to gmail, and want to attach that file. Nah, discard the example because in that case I would know what file name I just typed and I wouldn't even need the 'search' thing.

Let's say I decompress a RAR onto a folder, with a only a few files. If I want to open those files from the application, and begin typing something hoping that only files containing what I typed are shown, they won't be there. I know this doesnt always happen. But it's funny how windows just says there are no results when they are there. One would think that once the first indexing is done, file changes in indexed locations are just instantaneous. They're not, and some times a few seconds is what renders the whole thing useless.

And there couldn't possibly be anything wrong my system, because it's the most unmodified thing ever. To the point where I have two separate vista installations, with their two separate licenses, on the same computer. On one of them I install anything, while the other one only has firefox and ms office 2007. Seriously.

When I mean it should act as a filter, I mean that when I have an "open file.." dialog, and type something into it, I only want files from that directory containing that text string to be shown, while filtering out the ones that don't. I dont care if it shows results from subfolders, but you get where I'm going. Files that start with numbers, "xx-- text tex text text text.ext", you will agree with me that it's easier to look them up using the search bar rather than just looking for them.

I apologize for exaggerating by saying "a few hours later". It could be a couple of minutes. There's still some void between the time when the file is saved and the time the indexer chews the changes. Sometimes it's frustrating.

[rtk]

The truth it, it doesnt take a few seconds.

Does for me, and thanks to brandon's indexer status gadget, you can see for yourself how quickly it happens.

[Brandon Live Veteran]

The truth it, it doesnt take a few seconds. And if it takes a few seconds, perhaps that's just too long. Let's say I'm editing something on word, save the file. Then go to gmail, and want to attach that file. Nah, discard the example because in that case I would know what file name I just typed and I wouldn't even need the 'search' thing.

Let's say I decompress a RAR onto a folder, with a only a few files. If I want to open those files from the application, and begin typing something hoping that only files containing what I typed are shown, they won't be there. I know this doesnt always happen. But it's funny how windows just says there are no results when they are there. One would think that once the first indexing is done, file changes in indexed locations are just instantaneous. They're not, and some times a few seconds is what renders the whole thing useless.

There are scenarios where that can happen, and we all know it isn't ideal. We're working hard to make the experience more seamless. However, you were claiming that Spotlight is better in some way. It isn't in this regard, as they have the same problem with delayed updates when many things change at once.

And there couldn't possibly be anything wrong my system, because it's the most unmodified thing ever. To the point where I have two separate vista installations, with their two separate licenses, on the same computer. On one of them I install anything, while the other one only has firefox and ms office 2007. Seriously.

There could still be something wrong with / unusual about your system.

When I mean it should act as a filter, I mean that when I have an "open file.." dialog, and type something into it, I only want files from that directory containing that text string to be shown, while filtering out the ones that don't. I dont care if it shows results from subfolders, but you get where I'm going. Files that start with numbers, "xx-- text tex text text text.ext", you will agree with me that it's easier to look them up using the search bar rather than just looking for them.

The column header filters operate in-memory over the current items in the view (ie. a "shallow" filter). You can filter using the Name column if you like. Of course, the Open File dialog already has auto-complete for the current folder which usually addresses this particular scenario.

I apologize for exaggerating by saying "a few hours later". It could be a couple of minutes. There's still some void between the time when the file is saved and the time the indexer chews the changes. Sometimes it's frustrating.

Under normal conditions the indexer should process at minimum a few items every second even when in back-off mode on a slower machine. On my machine I normally run with back-off disabled, so the number is far higher.

Of course, some files (giant powerpoint or something) may take a few seconds, whereas others take no time at all. That's the nature of the beast. Also some notifications like deletes happen instantly no matter what.

[The_Decryptor Veteran]

The indexer is slow, this is an inherent problem with indexing the file contents rather than MS's implementation, X-Chat used to bring my Mac to a crawl because of this (it's logs were giant single file logs going back to the first time I joined the room, and every time a message was received it would open the file, write a line and close it, so every few seconds Spotlight was re-indexing a 2MB+ text file)

Small files are going to index faster than large file, files unchanged won't use as much indexing time than files that chance constantly, etc. you can assume large file = unchanged more often, but unfortunately that's not the case sometime.

Anyway, new features in Windows 7, I honestly can't think of any, Vista is pretty damn good. Although I'm sure I'll suddenly remember features I want closer to the release date.

[Julius Caro]

There are scenarios where that can happen, and we all know it isn't ideal. We're working hard to make the experience more seamless. However, you were claiming that Spotlight is better in some way. It isn't in this regard, as they have the same problem with delayed updates when many things change at once.

I was referring to the fact that spotlight reports when indexing is being done, on windows I have to go the resources viewer and see if random files on indexed locations are being accessed. I would like to know when it's happening.

There could still be something wrong with / unusual about your system.

If there is something wrong with my system, which is almost a pristine sp1 install, with recent hardware and updated drivers from manufacturers, then I would consider jumping on the vista is crap bandwagon. Vista is not crap, it works fine for me, and on this computer the indexer is the most seamless and noiseless thing I've ever experienced on a vista installation. When I was describing my problem I was describing having saved a picture from firefox and then trying to open it from another application. Files not-yet-indexed are in a limbo.

The column header filters operate in-memory over the current items in the view (ie. a "shallow" filter). You can filter using the Name column if you like. Of course, the Open File dialog already has auto-complete for the current folder which usually addresses this particular scenario.

I know of those features, but when the word I'm using as 'search term' is 'in the middle' of the name, they are not very helpful, are they?

Under normal conditions the indexer should process at minimum a few items every second even when in back-off mode on a slower machine. On my machine I normally run with back-off disabled, so the number is far higher.

This computer is far from slow (quad core, fast hard drive, etc etc ).

Of course, some files (giant powerpoint or something) may take a few seconds, whereas others take no time at all. That's the nature of the beast. Also some notifications like deletes happen instantly no matter what.

I've noticed that myself. I was dealing with like 40 100mb rar files and I can tell the indexer was going crazy with them, to the point where the hard drive activity was excessive. Weirdly enough, I moved those files to another indexed location, and the hard drive activity just stopped. But this was on my "anything-could-happen" vista install :p

[Brandon Live Veteran]

I was referring to the fact that spotlight reports when indexing is being done, on windows I have to go the resources viewer and see if random files on indexed locations are being accessed. I would like to know when it's happening.

Control Panel => Indexing Options.

Or install my gadget (click the image in my sig).

I know of those features, but when the word I'm using as 'search term' is 'in the middle' of the name, they are not very helpful, are they?

In that particular case, your best bet is to use the search box. If you really need to scope it to the current folder, you can type folder:foobar or folder:C:\foo\bar

Perhaps not ideal, but it's also not a common scenario. Most users expect searches to be "deep."

I've noticed that myself. I was dealing with like 40 100mb rar files and I can tell the indexer was going crazy with them, to the point where the hard drive activity was excessive. Weirdly enough, I moved those files to another indexed location, and the hard drive activity just stopped. But this was on my "anything-could-happen" vista install :p

That is strange... I don't think there is a property handler or IFilter for .rar files, so they should index in no time at all, as only the basic innate properties will be indexed. Unless someone did write a handler for them, in which case the problem almost certainly lies there.

File size only matters in some cases. What matters is the handler and how much work it has to do to emit the contents and properties that it wants indexed (and how efficient the handler is).

[stevember]

I would like to some kind start up isolation.

I'll try explain, not allow any 3rd party software to run software or (drivers with certain exceptions of course but limited) during boot-up, lock it down completely.

But instead run them from one place not some from reg some start up etc after boot-up, giving normal computer uses ability choose easily.

Brandon is this possible?

[Linkinfamous]

Brandon is this possible?

Vista will already prevent applications that require elevation from starting with your login.

However, you seem to be talking about also preventing 3rd party services from starting up, which I don't think people would be too happy with.

[Brandon Live Veteran]

Brandon is this possible?

I'm not even sure what you're asking. Users can control start-up tasks via Windows Defender (or msconfig.exe for the more advanced users).

[jjrambo]

End of story eh? So you've solved the issues of concurrency, access permissions, sharing violations, centralized administration, performance, caching, and all the other problems the registry was specifically designed to solve?

How do you handle shared component registration? One big old XML file that everybody parties on and promises not to break? What about providing a merged view over per-system and per-user components (ie. "HKEY_Classes_Root")? Are applications expected to do that themselves? Or do you write a registry-like API on top of the XML files and require everyone to use that? Oh wait, now you're back to having the registry except it's slower. Wonderful.

So please, do elaborate. I'd love to hear how you solved all the problems with using XML configuration files for the purposes currently served by the registry.

I was talking about applications and games which don't need to access and mess up with any OS settings, which many do. Speaking of which i hate when publisher installs directX or some other component during game installation. That practice is wrong and MS should step on them. Who the **** publisher think he is to install anything but game into my system? Sorry for f word. A lot of things are done wrong and it just ****es me off.

Anyway back to registry. I didn't say it will be easy for OS to get rid of registry. But let's keep registry at minimum as for start, meaning no application or game will have registry entry and no registry will be accessable because there is no need for anybody to mess up with registry. All the information one game and application needs to be stored in local xml where the app/game is installed. It's possible.

As I said let this be first step. I don't think it's possible to get rid of registry completely with one windows release, but MS should start on it.

I always talk about folder/file organization. That has to be cleaned up.

[stockwiz]

it has to have automatic online reactivation to a new system, where it will activate on the new system and automatically deactivate on the old system without having to call microsoft.

I'm not "buying" the next version of windows if I have to call microsoft at any time to activate or reactivate.

[Linkinfamous]

Speaking of which i hate when publisher installs directX or some other component during game installation. That practice is wrong and MS should step on them. Who the **** publisher think he is to install anything but game into my system? Sorry for f word. A lot of things are done wrong and it just ****es me off.

What? Now you're blaming developers for updating critical runtimes that their software needs to have updated in order to function?

There's nothing wrong with updating DirectX during a game install -- The DX installer is smart enough to not hurt anything.

All the information one game and application needs to be stored in local xml where the app/game is installed. It's possible.

You haven't yet answered Brandon's questions about solving all of the problems he listed. Concurrency? Central Administration (See: Group Policy.)

What if an app needs to save nothing other than window position data? A couple of registry keys is much more elegant (In my opinion, anyway) and it's undeniably faster than leaping through hoops parsing an XML document.

I'm not even sure what you're asking. Users can control start-up tasks via Windows Defender (or msconfig.exe for the more advanced users).

I think he wants to remove the ability for anything to do anything during boot. Edited May 16, 2008 by MioTheGreat

[DJ-Light]

That all aplications are portable.

[Brandon Live Veteran]

I was talking about applications and games which don't need to access and mess up with any OS settings, which many do. Speaking of which i hate when publisher installs directX or some other component during game installation. That practice is wrong and MS should step on them. Who the **** publisher think he is to install anything but game into my system? Sorry for f word. A lot of things are done wrong and it just ****es me off.

Umm, almost every application ever created installs its direct dependencies. Whether it's the C runtime, DirectX, .NET Framework, etc.

If they don't install those dependencies, the game won't work.

Anyway back to registry. I didn't say it will be easy for OS to get rid of registry. But let's keep registry at minimum as for start, meaning no application or game will have registry entry and no registry will be accessable because there is no need for anybody to mess up with registry. All the information one game and application needs to be stored in local xml where the app/game is installed. It's possible.

I think most games don't use the registry. However, games are more the exception than the rule. Everybody else uses COM, and so needs the registry for the most part. Whether they use it directly or indirectly, it needs to be there.

A lot of developers choose to use the registry for settings because it's easier to implement and less prone to errors. I don't really see why that's a bad thing.

As I said let this be first step. I don't think it's possible to get rid of registry completely with one windows release, but MS should start on it.

Why? Why would your ultimate goal be to get rid of the registry? It serves such crucial purposes... This idea that we'd want to get rid of it makes no sense. What would we replace it with?

[abcdefg]

Hmmmm. I'm just wondering how OS X, Linux, BSD, Solaris etc. work without registry... They must really suck without it.

How is it possible that Windows has all these superb features like registry, superfetch, ReadyBoost (or was it TurboBoost?) and all that crap and still pretty much any OS runs circles around it?

Vista must be the fastest and most reliable OS there is with all these magic tricks. Or is it?

[Brandon Live Veteran]

Hmmmm. I'm just wondering how OS X, Linux, BSD, Solaris etc. work without registry... They must really suck without it.

They've been so successful, after all.

[mad_onion]

They've been so successful, after all.

lol, you aren't allowed to say that. the ultimate truth is far too hard for a lot of people here to swallow.

windows having 90% market share must be down to microsoft's monopolistic pratices, it can't be anything to do with it being a perfectly good os that hundreds of millions of people use everyday.

[abcdefg]

windows having 90% market share must be down to microsoft's monopolistic pratices, it can't be anything to do with it being a perfectly good os that hundreds of millions of people use everyday.

You got that right.

A million flies can’t be wrong enjoying their daily piece of ####?

If M$ someday loses significant amount of their marketshare they are screwed, or they'll start making better OS.

I'm waiting for that day to come.