How would you change Windows Vista?
By Evan Blass 
posted August 19th 2007 12:51PM
posted August 19th 2007 12:51PM
You can probably tell by now that we're no Vista proponents, and having run the new OS exclusively for almost six months at this point, we're actually about to "make the leap" back to XP. But we're not willing to give up on Redmond just yet, and the beauty of all these service packs and "Patch Tuesdays" is that some of our suggestions could conceivably be incorporated into a product that's already hit the market. So, what does Microsoft need to do to make Vista (and its price points) more palatable (short of re-releasing it based on the WinFS file system)? Loosen up the DRM restrictions? Toss the controversial WGA? Put all possible features in a single SKU like certain other companies? Well come on, we're positive that there's no shortage of suggestions out there, so let's hear 'em!
I cannot believe microsoft was stupid enough to make an OS that DEGRADES high definition video and audio content! Because they have deals with hollywood folk, they caved to the DRM pressure. This is an OS for hollywood, not actual people.
Therefore, if you have a high def video that you made at a family gathering, etc. the video is degraded because it doesn't detect built-in copy protection!
That is sheer arrogance. Fortunately for microsfot, Apple is too stupid to realize this potential exodus and has not dropped their prices to be the same as a PC. If they did there would be NOTHING to prevent us from switching to apple (cheapest apple laptop is $1000).
the only reason i bought ultimate vista was for dx10. that and i thought i would be getting something "extra" with ultimate. my videos kept giving me a BSOD and games ran like ass. none of my sound cards work anymore so i have to use onboard sound. and the dx10? everyone saw the pictures on hardocp and its not worth it. do i want my $60 back? yes. did i nuke vista and reinstall xp? no. i just learned about windows key+tab after 3 months of having vista. that will probably keep me entertained for another week.
1) Improved graphical UI. Compiz-fusion blows Aero Glass out of the water.
2) Some sort of incentive for driver developers.
3) Way more ultimate extras. Dreamscene is still in beta and frequently crashes explorer on my PC.
4) Bring back the "Run As" dialog, so I can run as a normal user and then run apps with alternate credentials as needed (there's a reg hack that somewhat does this, but it prompts you for your username & password with every UAC dialog, so it's vastly more annoying).
5) Having only two SKUs would be perfect: Vista Ultimate, and Vista Ultimate with Volume Licensing.
6) Built-in DVD codec for ALL versions of Vista (why do people that bought business and enterprise have to pay a 3rd party for a dvd codec, when home premium ships with the feature???)
7) Tweak UAC to be less annoying when dealing with the local file system. Yes, I really did mean to copy that file to the root of C: or to c:\windows\system32.
8) Built in support for mounting ISO images.
9) Built in support for creating ISO images.
10) Release versions of the exchange & windows 2003 admin tools that are fully compatible with Vista.
I have vista and I think about changing it every day with:
format c:
specifically my issues with it are (I'm running a fully updated ultimate version):
There's no fullscreen video clone mode for nvidia drivers.
WS_FTP (not sure If I got the latest but it was new 6 months ago) will not work.
System Shock 2 will not work.
Peer Guardian 2 will not work.
I had a BSOD while in the middle of working and listening to music. The music cut out and I was trying to figure out why and then the machine BSOD'd.
I'm a complete MS fanboy, all right? I dont come from a Linux high horse, or a smooth white Apple recliner. I was at the Vista launch in India and worked on all the Betas. And man ... I hate to say this, but compared to what Vista could have been, its a real disappointment.
Where do I begin? The network copy that should have worked from day one? The multi-select bug that required me to google, find and delete registry keys? The vaunted UAC I turned off on day three? All the WPF jazz we were promised, but never got? (If you don't believe me, check this out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9ifQvQCO7Y). The WinFS that never happened? The "DirectX" based OS that runs all my older games MUCH slower? The awesome DVD burning that cant even burn an ISO? The new "PocketPC Sync" that doesnt ever work? I mean ... you provide Windows Mail, a calendar, and dont have any way of syncing with it? And whats with that "Cannot do to a file with a user mapped section open, huh? HUH?" I've gotten this error with nothing but explorer windows open!
Which is not to say there isn't anything done right. (Now comes the stuff done right)
The search feature is nice (but it would be nice to add metadata to any file, not just a few kinds. Just give me tagging on ANY file!!!). I like the vector graphics, improves the looks a lot! ReadyBoost is pretty cool and I can see a noticeable change in performance when using a lot of applications (I'm running an Alienware m5750 with 2GB of RAM and a X1800, so no, I dont have a slow system).
Give us the Media player Library view as a shell namespace extension please! I would love to explore (and organize) my library like that, from inside Explorer!
And that's just a small list from the top of my head.
PS: The sad story is, I'm back on XP right now. Please make me want to move back!!! I wanna.
Short of driver support and the necessity of beefy hardware, Windows Vista is a great product. I think we all expect a radical change with each new Windows release, but it just isn't possible.
As probably said, driver support. Namely kicking Linksys in the shin. Its been 10 months and they've yet to make a 64bit vista driver wifi-g USB adapter..
1. Wait for Service Pack 2, service pack 1 is not going cut it, to get all the updates is going to take a while.
2. Don't install it on an older system. That is what XP and Linux are for.
3. Get brand names for all your parts that say they support Vista
4. Get maximum amount of Ram your motherboard supports.
5. Get 2 hard drives and raid them. Single hard drives are the biggest bottlenecks in your system.
6. Only install software that says it is designed for Vista.
Vista is (going to be) leaps and bounds better than XP especially the 64bit. It is just to early for the market. Kind of like the Windows 2000 was for the Windows 98 market. The problem is with the hardware as the processors are not fast enough, ram is limited, video cards are on a different bus and the hard drives are too slow. The entire infrastracture of the x86 is bursting at the seams.
How about fixing the file transfer problem and buggy media player/media centre. It is pathetic that such a large company could release such crap.
Well being an very early adapter of Vista a few things that needs a fix
1. Vista takes a lot of memory to work good. 2GB is fine, anything less well you are going to have a crawl.
2. Lots of funny problems - Like downloads to the desktop not showing up, but when you download the same file, it says do you need to overwrite? MS wants us to do some hide and seek
3. Where did they come up with the Search. Just does not find a file on my desktop and you have the really do a lot of digging to find what has been indexed and what is not
4. Not responding errors with Java applications particularly. Not sure why, but does not kill the applications.
5. Driver support is pathetic, we have to change most of the multifunction devices that we have to make it work with Vista.
6. Am not sure what all the pop ups requesting admin privileges for installing or running programs, even when you are logged in as administrator?
7. Defragmentation takes hours hours and hours.. I ran it over the weekend and on Monday it was still chugging along...
8. Virtual Memory Low Exclamations.. No idea why when i check on the task manager, the usage levels both processor as well as paging are way from saturation
9. Do you really want to connect pop ups? I want to connect ofcourse, but why does it ask it five times before connecting when i use the terminal client
There are some other minor issues, but do not warrant a mention
As always when you have a problem fixing an issue.. REBOOT... thats something called consistency from MS
Cheers
I have had Vista Business, Premium and Basic running on various PCs. Why? I like it. For once in my life, i do need to install other software to perform simple tasks such as listen to music, watch video, burn dvds, etc.
I do however think that:
- the UAC is over the top and rather annoying at times
- More hardware should be supported and drivers should be made available for all hardware available since the last 3 years
- It is resource hungry (no denying this one)
- media player is buggy and definitely needs to be compatible with Divx, xvid and other commonly used codes and shouldn't crash without explanation
I also think that like XP this has prospects and MS is on the right track, they have tried to do what apple did. Provide enough software that would allow end users to listen to music, watch and edit movies etc without having to install 3rd party software.
How would I change it. I'll tell you how I did: I went to an Apple store and bought a Macbook Pro, Installed XP via Bootcamp and have a machine that works perfectly AND looks great. No, I am not one of these Apple-Fanboys who rant and rave about every little idea coming from Cupertino. As a matter of fact I never ever had a Mac before. But:
I paid for Vista and got ripped big time. Driver issues, performance issues, compatibility issues, usability issues... why in the world did they release this? As for Mac OS so far: I turn it on, it works. Simple. While Vista (like early XP) starts to slow down with every day you use it, Mac OS doesn't. I must admit, I used to be very much anti-Apple in the past (mostly for cost-benefit reasons)- that has changed. I have spent too much time working around obstacles Microsofts sloppy programming created. I even took some pride in this. But today I do not feel like spending my weekends configuring, updating and debugging. All my machine hast to do is work. Now it does. Goodby Microsoft, it has been a hell of a time, but you gave me hell once too often.
I only went to xp pro from win2k about the time vista came out. That said. I found that with 3,247 patches and 2 service packs that it is chewy and nutrious and gives me very little trouble. I vote for renaming xp. We'll call it Vista, put it in a new box, logo etc and it will be glorious.
In America we are free to have an opinion say (in this case type) what we feel, you may or may not Agree, BUT WE ALL HAVE THAT RIGHT INCLUDING ENGADGET. In this particular case they asked a question. Questions are just that. Don’t make it more than it is and choose to voice your opinion or not ,but don’t deny Engadget or any other site the opportunity to express their opinion or ask a question. You have that right, why shouldn’t they. “Let freedom ring"
Well... If Windows Vista is to be changed... I would remove the aero gui & put the XP gui... But i'd keep the rest of the features
Really? You really wanna know? Do you?
Well, I would change it to PC Linux!
www.pclinuxos.org
No, I have no connection with them; I am just an ordinary computer user who got fed up with all things Microsoft, so I made the change -- and I am so glad I did!
Never any more does my system crash or freeze.
Never any more do I worry about security and privacy.
Never do I complain that my computer won't do what I want.
And best of all ...
Never again will I pay for software!
DUH!
All these vista haters fear change like my grandmother after WWII. Vista runs like a dream if you buy a new computer. Drivers are downloaded as part of windows update. Microsoft should have released Vista as an OEM version for a year before offering it to your modded hodgepodge computers with 4 year old ATI cards. Who cares if Vista works with a 32 MB video card? I just want it to work with my new laptop.
Lets see...for me the biggest problem with Vista is the inability to have the default user account as an ADMIn...Heck, to even find the ability to add an admin took techsupport at my job about 200 minutes!! Then there is the ability to network vista computers with xp computers...while xp can scan the network fo printers vista requires the exact IP address...so, for ease of use make the default account have admin privalages and make it easier to play with xp computers....also,...vista is so purdy
I would suggest that microsoft improved the wireless manager in vista. The network and sharing center is the most useless app in vista. Not to mention....they should release more ultimate extras, otherwise there is absolutely no point to buying ultimate.
Features that *MIGHT* tempt me into using Windows again:
1) a real shell with features similar to bash/Konsole (select, copy/paste, command histrory, command completion, directory colors etc.
2) Removal of ALL DRM software
3) Have 1 version. Vista (include all features of Ultimate) and make Aero an optional upgrade on the install disc.
4) Add back in the support for raw socket API or at least publish API equivilant
5) Real File/Directory permissions.
6) More advanced roles.
7) complete system configuration/management from the shell.
8) Some firewall framework that blocks network traffic based on IP information instead of which application is acessing it. (ie IPTables)
9) Remove the Registry. Every configuration should be either in a plain text file that can be copied from machine to machine.
10) Special Site liscence that allows X number of machines to boot a single managed image via PXE
11) a more robust management suite/group policy that does things like force a user to have a particular version of app X before granting permissions to go on the network, access shares etc. This would be helpful to force a particular AV software to be installed an updated or a particular version of a JDBC driver before connecting to the company database.
12) get rid of OUTLOOK. Completely. Gone. Out-what?
13) Write an update for all previouse versions of windows that deletes outlook
14) 100% GPG integration. I should be able to associate a login with a GPG key and when I log in, I should have "encryp with Solid's GPG Key" on my context menu.
15) Virtualized windowing interface that is independant of the OS. (Like you can hit ctrl+alt+del and restart only the Windows Graphical Shell rather than the whole OS)
16) Native Java Byte Code execution within the Kernel
17) new browser based on W3C standards ONLY
18) get rid of Active X
19) Replace DirectX with OpenGL and provide OpenGL Libraries as part of Visual Studio.
20) Symlinks on the file System.
21) Turn MSDN into a community that guides windows development rather than Beta testers and MS news consumers.
22) A Live (bootable) windows kernel image on the install CD that boots, gets virus definitions via the internet, scans the harddrive and emails the report to specified recipient, all without running any program from hard drive
23) Better support for UPnP
24) Get rid of all native Support for Pre-vista binaries. The new security model should require all applications that don't undertand permissions and the new security model to be run in an unpriviledged "sandbox" similar to Wine.
25) a central package manager similar to the add/remove programs applet that can install as well as uninstall. You want Office, photoshop, eclipse and UT2004? Select them in the package list and click install. If the packages require software keys, have em handy.
If I think of anything else I'll repost untill then I am busy installing Gentoo on the my brand new laptop that came with Vista (YUCK!!)
I wish Vista would be smart enough to know when you're the one trying to access the administrative features and not a virus program or any kind of malicious software. I they can tell that I was the one that clicked the mouse to take an action, why is it asking me if I want to 'ALLOW' the program to run? Microsoft and any other company should have a layer in their operating system for hardware interactivity so you can tell when the actions are being taken from the keyboard or mouse (or any other input device for that matter) and respond accordingly.
just get a iMac
Make it less of a resource hog fist off. COMPLETELY CHANGE everything. Join forces with Symantec to have a AV built in, with the ability to remove it so that consumers can choose a AV of their own. Make networking a little easier for the NEWBS. Have everything from start to end, customizable from the splash screens, everything. I would also include OBJECTDOCK. The eject option for usb or firewire devices, a message would come up letting you know what was stopping you from ejecting it. The biggest thing is the resource problem. I think that blows. I dont ever find myself using VISTA. XP PRO. I think I am squeezing out every ounce of power of my system. I want it all.
there's nufin wrong wit vista.
it's great!!!
juz drop the price a little bit...
huh thats funny, i was wondering why this webpage took so long to open up. Vista Ultmiate decided to to hog 1 gig of my memory with nothing else open
There are kick ass GUI concept screenshots for Aero, the most impressive are those sexy Flip 3D reloaded pics.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/49608813@N00/
how i would change/improve vista? very easy, uninstall it and burn the install disk! there! huge improvement!
Why not simplify? Most of us don't use everything, so give us a basic OS that does 90% of what the majority of us need. I don't need gaming connections, for example. Same applies to Office. I use it, but Works by itself would do as well. Why not have a simple base OS like Works is to Office? One could then do add-ons like Firefox offers. Should speed up lots of stuff and not clutter memory.
rome total war!!!!!
I would make Windows Vista work. It would not randomly crash when attempting to use most video games, it wouldn't take forever to return to the desktop from the photos screensaver, it would actually be able to print to my printer, the list goes on... Granted, I think a few driver updates have made my installation stable enough to see more use than my XP partition, but Vista is still far from polished.
the price ios huge.you might as well just get a mac for the extra money. osx is 100 times better than vista anyway.
Remove UAC
Better hardware support
Less stupid "services" running in the background
Drop price of ultimate to 120 USD (seriously, ultimate is not worth that 400 bucks)
Cure networking problems, and make it better than xp so it will be upgrade-worthy for businesses
Maybe just throw it out, and add Aero into the XP SP3...
I would take the Stupid Security Programs off and Re-Design them a little more user friendly, they should of Tried to make it MORE like OSX cause than it wouldnt be a slow,overprotectove,easytohack, peice of shit as we know it today!
Hi!
I wonder if someone of you know how to leap from windows vista to windows Xp, I bought my laptop last mont, but i really don´t like windows vista. I heard that microsoft offers to come back for windows xp, but i can't figure out thow.
tnxs!
Hi!I wonder if someone of you know how to leap from windows
vista to
windows Xp, I bought my laptop last mont, but i really don´t like
windows vista. I heard that microsoft offers to come back for windows
xp, but i can't figure out thow.tnxs!
Hi!
I wonder if someone of you know how to leap from windows vista to windows Xp, I bought my laptop last mont, but i really don't like windows vista. I heard that microsoft offers to come back for
windows xp, but i can't figure out how.
tnxs!
Hi!
I wonder if someone of you know how to leap from windows vista to windows Xp, I bought my laptop last mont, but i really don't like windows vista. I heard that microsoft offers to come back for windows xp, but i can't figure out how.tnxs!
Give me an omnidirectional SEND TO function so I can choose any folder or location on my system for file movement
1. lose IE all together, or at least tell me how i can uninstall it, so that it won't keep on trying to open any time i open a link. (IE worked when i first got the laptop. i downloaded firefox, and forgot about IE until i clicked on a link that insisted on using it to open. i got an error message that told me that IE wouldn't open. i have since changed the settings on firefox to make it the default for opening links. there are still some sites, i.e. microsoft, that insist on using IE. i haven't the vaguest idea how to uninstall IE, and microsoft won't let me even download IE, as it tells me that IE is already installed with my version of vista. feels as though i'm stuck on a mobius strip.)
2. teach it NOT to decide to install updates while i'm on the 'net. i was in the middle of making a purchase on-line, when suddenly the screen went blank, then the screen came back to life and told me that it was installing updates. i sure as heck didn't ask it to, either!
3. stop asking me to allow or deny this or that every minute or so. make it recognize what i have already given permission to or denied. it's rather like hiring a security guard to watch over your business or home, then having to stand watch yourself, since the guard can't remember what you told her her duties were, and who was on the admit/deny list, when you hired her.
there are other things that i would change, but i think they are probably personal. i'm a relative newbie when it comes to features and don't understand the first thing abut code and such. i just know that i want an OS that lets me do what i want/need to do, and do it simply, easily, and, most of all, transparently. the OS on my old apple IIe ran better than vista does. :-P
all in all, it's enough to make me switch back to XP. wouldn't have chosen vista at all if it hadn't come with the laptop. XP pro and 2000Pro are the only versions of windows that i have ever liked. i don't have much hair to begin with, but vista is causing me to pull a lot of it out.