A Windows Vista Thread

My interest in Vista has been peaking lately, and though I am still going to buy a new Macintel or Intellitosh, or whatever cutesy name they're going by now, chances are Windows will still be a part of my life, as most of my professional colleauges use it, and, after all, I fix computers as part of my career.

I just installed the latest build of Windows Vista, released to the beta community on Dec. 20. I am, in fact, posting using IE 7 right now.

Overall, it's looking pretty good. It's got more of a -- yes -- Mac feel, but that's what good companies do, respond to the competition. Apple is good competition for Microsoft and I think the next 5-10 years are going to be interesting.

Believe it or not, I like IE 7 a little tiny bit better than the latest Firefox only because I actually have a cursor when posting using the HTML editor here on the forums. LOL. In Firefox, I have no cursor.

I'm going to download SL here in a few minutes and see if it runs.

There's a new feature called Computer Ratings which benchmarks your system and comes up with a single number score. Using this number, you can see if your system can run software titles based on that score. I saw something like this a few years ago on GameSpot or one of the other game sites, but it never really took off. Now that it will be integrated in Windows, expect software titles to come with a minimum computer rating score. I don't know what mine is because I haven't run the test yet, as it said it could take a while and I wanted to start exploring.

Graphically, Vista is a major improvement, and Windows, upon installation, immediately recognized my two monitors and before I even used Windows for the first time, asked me what to do with them. Did I want to stretch the desktop to the left, to the right, mirror them, disable one, etc. It was really easy to set up and I didn't have to do anything.

The install took a lifetime, but all betas do. It took a little over an hour, compared to the last beta releast of Vista I tested that took 2.5 hours. Dummy me thought it had failed because my monitor was blank. My seocond monitor was off and Windows was on it instead; oops.

Pretty responsive. I'll keep adding to this post as I explore, test programs and whatnot.

I have a question.

One of the most powerful features of MacOS and Safari that I cannot do without is the integrated system dictionary. I get automatic spell checking in all browser text boxes as well as instant definitions that pop up either in the Dictionary window or hovering over the text in the web page. Does Vista and MSIE 7 have anything like that?

Also, how is the text antialiasing in MSIE 7? I'm always caught off guard at how blocky text looks in browsers (Firefox, MSIE, etc.) running in WinXP and Linux.

~Ulrika~

Microsoft developed several new fonts specifically for Vista, and it uses a new version of ClearType for rendering. It is OS specific, not application specific. Windows XP has ClearType as well, though you do have to turn it on - I believe it is off by default.

Here's a little something for you, from a Mac site, about the differences in type support on the two platforms:

http://www.macobserver.com/columns/devilsadvocate/2003/20030523.shtml

Anti-aliasing is supported in KDE, but if it's on or not, depends on the performance slider when you first install KDE. If it's up maximum (all effects), then Anti-aliasing should be enabled.

Freetype2 has some very nice 'above and beyond normal' antialiasing routines in it, but you wont be able to use them if you live in the USA due to software patents (although that may have changed).

-Adam

That article is almost three years old Cristiano. Apple releases an update of its operating system yearly. Core Image addressed these issues a while back.

~Ulrika~

We have Linux running on our server. I used to use KDE via a VNC session, however after an upgrade a library was messed up and now KDE won't start. Instead I use fvwm. I kind of like it. It feels so retro.

~Ulrika~

Yes an update to the OS that you have to pay for YEARLY, for what amounts to simple point releases that Apple should be providing for free. Regadless, the MacOS does not have better font support than Windows. Blurring fonts at big point sizes does not count as great font display support, which is the techinique the MacOS uses, making type difficult to read in small point sizes. ClearType is a superior technology to Apple's.

You know something I am shocked by about you Ulrika is that you are not a proponent of Linux, and instead choose to promote the proprietary operating system of a private company.

Your dismissal of MacOS font quality despite the age of your article and my link to Core Image makes me think you are waxing a bit fanboi on me.

As for Linux, I am a huge supporter of Linux (and Unix in general). All of our websites run on it and I've become quite familiar with the amazing command line interface. It's how I do all my forum font-changing magick. Frankly, if MacOS weren't a version of BSD, it wouldn't even be in our household.

With that said, I think Linux is a PITA to install and maintain and I've firmly taken over the Apple, displacing my code monkey to the Linux machine.

~Ulrika~

Oops. I missed this. Point releases are done quite often and for free for the OS as well as all Apple applications. The update system is simple, accessible, and efficient. It's not forced into a proprietary browser to justify how that browser is "part of the OS".

~Ulrika~