Windows Vista - first impressions

Nothing at all as Microsoft produce quality secure software

 

Yeah, I read the second paragraph, then I went on to read not a single word about the state of the APIs and suchlike, but instead a load of stuff on how Explorer looks, the Start menu and so on.

OK, analogy - it's a bit like like a car manufacturer developing a new next-gen platform and sticking a Ford Mondeo body on it and sending it out to magazines to review with the caveat that all they're reviewing is the driveline, not the body. You've effectively barely mentioned the driveline, and yet you've got pages about the body.

Like I said, I just don't see the point of a non-developer reviewing a release specifically for developers and decidedly not for the general public. Not to worry though, I daresay most bit-tech readers wouldn't care about a software developer's viewpoint anyway!

 

I can't see how it could possibly be an Alpha when microsoft have been already working on Longhorn for what? 1.5 to 2 years already?

not that the amount of time has anything to do with being a beta or an alpha but you get the point.

 

I think you answer your own question:

actually, no.

If you don't think it's an alpha, explain why. As you say, development time is irrelevant. Personally, I think it's a pretty rough cut to be called a beta, but it's qualified as a developer beta - it's designed not to give a look and feel for the final product, but to let developers play with the new APIs and the underlying structure, which I guess is pretty close to final, and do some bug splatting.

I'd bet the next beta will be far more of a 'final-except-bug-fixes' release, and will look the part.

 

Just had a couple of hours with Vista and its not bad. Its a bit like windows xp with knobs on ,but not bad. Its closer to osx than I expected but still not as good overall.

Some of the menu's etc are a bit cluttered but the installation and driver stuff seems good.

 

I also had a little play with it this afternoon and I don't like it atm. Will probs give it another go later though

 

Hmmm...though its made by the ''evil empire microsoft'' I like it...
(unless thy built in countless backdoors for the CIA etc. to let them spy
on everybody...)
The new interface and application desinge looks pretty ''cool'' and fuctinal...
...unless the screw up

 

omfg they spent like 7 years developing that any to me it looks exactly the same with a few exceptions to making it a ice interface like linux, now you have to upgrade all your hardware and monitors to be able to use this.

 

Bingo.. I don't understand why you're reiterating something we already know and explained in the actual review itself. Feedback is only helpful if it's telling me something I'm not already aware of.

It's wonderful you're a software developer, however I suggest you go and read other Vista reviews if you want something you'll find helpful.

 

My concern is DRM in Vista, I have a Dell 2405FPW 24" Widescreen TFT and I expect to be able to play the latest HD content without replacing my hardware. This insanity will simply drive me to use possibly illegal hacks so I can enjoy content I have legally paid to enjoy.

 

OK, since you don't appear to be understanding, I'll state it in very simple terms - a non-developer 'reviewing' a developer release for a non-developer audience is a COMPLETE WASTE OF TIME AND SPACE imo. There, was that blunt enough that the point didn't get lost? You'll be doing reviews of Visual Studio from a non-developer standpoint next...

 

hope to get copy of that soon. I'm just waiting to deliver 10pcs of Ubuntu Linux. LOL.

 

Dude, seriously...chill... This isn't worth gettin' angry about. If you didn't like the review, you made your point clear, and we can move on with the discussion. S'all good.

 

This may be a Developer release of Vista but that certainly doesn't stop websites making an article out of the stuff that you can play with in this vista release. I was interested to see the install screenshots, to see what they've been doing with the start bar and to see the changes they've made to explorer. I'm sure a lot of people read it for the same reasons (i haven't read much of this thread) even though it is a developer release, and even though it wasn't written from a developers POV.

Does it need to be written from a developer POV if we're saying 'this is what they've done to explorer so far?' So what if it is a developer release? So what if some or all of this may change? I'm still interested to see the work-in-progress. I'll be even more interested to be able to compare this release to the next release. Did it cross your mind that there was definitely stuff in this developer release that made it possible to write about it from a non developer point of view? MS probably placed a whole lot of stuff in there to be reviewed by people like bit-tech because they know that review websites out-number developer review websites.

Does reviewing a prototype of a road car make it any less worthy?

 

It's a bit naive to think that absolutely nobody else would be interested, dontcha think? Considering that it's a glimpse at the future OS we'll all be running in the next couple of years or so, I think the review stands fair.

Apart from the Apple-isms

 

What about reviewing reference video cards, reference motherboards (first implementation of a new chipset) or engineering sample CPUs? You can't buy them, but they fall in the same category as this - a 'technology preview' / first look.

 

i hope vista is good !! i hate xp

 

Personally, I'm not sure if I like it or not. KNA, I thought your review of it was very well done. If it HAD been a review from a developer's side, I would not have had a clue wtf you were talking about. But, I like to look at the pretty pictures. You gave me that. Thank you.

I do think some of the features, such as the virtual folders, are a wonderful idea. Not a fan of the new start bar though. I guess I'll just keep an eye on the next release(s) as they come out, and hope things get better. Overall, I'd say things look fairly good for ol' MS.