The New Windows - Microsoft Windows Vista
"We live in a digital world that is filled with more information, more things to do, and more ways to communicate with others. " - Microsoft Windows Vista Website
This is how Microsoft introduce their latest version of Windows, previously known as Longhorn, to the millions of uses that will soon be purchasing PCs with Vista already installed.
Operating Systems - How did Microsoft become the daddy?
That fact is that over 90% of computers are running windows. Linux and Mac make up the next 6.5% and some other small systems take up the remaining. Why do so many people use Microsoft Windows? It wasn't the first, it isn't the fastest but it is the most universally useful. This is where Microsoft struck gold. By getting their product pre-installed on computers when personal computers were just starting out they captured the market. Users like the familiar interface and mechanisms. Also programmers pick Microsoft because it has the most users, then the users pick Microsoft becuase it has the most applications availible for it. Its a never-ending cycle. The only way another OS system can start to edge into the market is if it can offer Windows-based programs full support and more importantly be shipped in PCs. Very few people change the operating system of a PC once they have purchased it.
Now back to the topic of this article - the new windows.
Microsoft Windows Vista - the new generation?
Tecnical wizards the world over are split over the new release of windows. The ones that shout the loudest are always critical of windows, however many feely admit to using windows themselves. There is a wide voice of intrested caution over the new release. But these are the people who will be working with Microsoft trying to get their programs to work right or websites to look correct with the new system - they want to know that they will have less problems to fix in the future. For the average user, who for the most part hasn't had a chance to register their thoughts, I think it will be an improvement. I doubt it will have any major changes to the interface (there are small visual changes but nothing serious). For the most part it will function exactly the same as the previous versions most users are used to.
The Features
Windows Vista clearly centres around keeping the user safe. Microsoft have evidently spent most of their production time on security. Which on the whole is a good thing. There could be some problems depending on how they decide what is a good program and what is not. You could find your favourite game not working due to Vista beleiving it's a virus.
Microsoft has also gone into partnership with MTV to create the URGE system. It is beleived that this section of Windows Media Player 11 will directly link with an online shop system so you will be able to purchase single songs, whole albums or join up for a subscription service from within Media Player - similar to the system iTunes uses.
Another theme vista attacks is ease of access. It will pre-load common programs to save on starting-up time, it as a new layout for the start menu and it also has a search that Microsoft claim is much better. This is not surprising considering the success of Google Desktop at the moment. The program manages to find any file you want instantly rather than Microsoft's previous attempts that could spend up to an hour to search a particually large disk. By the looks of things Microsoft has taken the consept and run with it. As you can see in the picture, the search bar is now mounted on the start menu and works on a similar indexing system as Googles succesful Desktop search.
The Look & Feel
Windows XP was the first version since 3.1 that had a go and redesigning the immediate interface - the start bar and the window frames that are around nearly every program on the desktop. Some liked it, some didn't. Vista has another go. The interface has been made more XP-ish, cartoon-ish raised buttons are common-place. As you can see in the image above, all windows can be given what Microsoft call Areo - which basically amounts to shaded transparacy for the windows.
The taskbar as also got a new addition - thumbnails. This feature could be very useful but could also be unessasary and resource absorbing. Fact is that will wont know how well the whole system really works until we are using it everyday. I have tested out a beta version of the Vista but parts of the OS are disabled and the whole experience isn't finished.
Summary
Overall Windows Vista will be a worthy addition to the Microsoft (Unlike Windows ME), however there is unlikely that there will be any massive changes. This is a bitter-sweet situation becuase as things haven't changed very much you will be able to instantly start using the new system. But it's still a shame theres not some vast improvements.
The biggest real benifit is that this system has been built with 64-bit computers in mind so it should be able to make more use out of the increased performance.
