XP or Vista
Having installed Vista and upgraded from XP, of a previous version of Windows, would you go back? Personally, I use both Vista and XP in parallel, and occasionally Ubuntu and Tiger. Occasionally, should be read as extremely rare… And I have found that Vista has slowly become my preferred operating system. At this time, I use Vista far more frequently than I use XP. Approximately four times more often. But of course that I am one of the lucky few. My copy of Windows Vista Business never experienced any hardware or device compatibility problems, the drivers all fell into place, I never had need for hotfixes, never ran into unsolvable issues, the platform automatically identified and set up my network without any problems. The few glitches I did run into involved applications without Vista support. But even there I managed to make my way through with a debugger. Would I ever go back to Windows XP? The issuing list of reasons should provide an accurate reason why I’m going to stick with Vista.
1. Windows Aero
When it comes down to the default graphical user interface in Windows Vista, there is one obvious choice. Unless your system configuration has limited resources and you have to run Windows Vista Basic, Aero is for you. Yes, it will eat quite a consistent amount of your the graphics processor, and it will slow down your workflow with zero point something, but in terms of eye candy… with Aero, Microsoft was accused of working its photocopiers for Tiger’s Aqua. This is an old issue that dissipated following Vista’s release. Aero is simply superior to Aqua. And let’s face it, transparency and glass effects aside, Vista already has an equivalent to the Cover Flow technology Apple promised for Leopard dropping in October 2007 – Flip 3D. When it comes down to small details, the quality of the operating system’s surface influences directly user experience.
2. Ubiquitous Search
From the search box integrated in the Start Menu to the default search areas across Windows Explorer, Windows Vista streamlines the process of finding data, files, emails etc. The default Windows Desktop Search mechanism in Vista is nothing short of a godsend, and one of the best overhauls implemented by Microsoft in its latest operating system. And even though the feature is planned to be revamped in order to accommodate third-party desktop solutions in Vista Service Pack 1, the general functionality will remain the same. Now don’t get me wrong. Microsoft should definitely improve on the searching speeds, the indexing process and better highlight the search folders, there is always room to grow, but the ubiquitous search in Vista delivers a new standard for flexibility in the operating system, one unmatched by Windows XP’s alternative. Do you remember the old search in XP that felt like it was eating all your processor? Well… no more…
3. Navigation and Windows Explorer
The features are in no particular order, as you might have noticed. But the new Windows Explorer in Vista makes the version in XP look obsolete. Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates stressed at the Financial Analyst Meeting 2007 the need to move towards natural graphical user interfaces in the coming 10 years. Now, in all fairness, examples of natural user interfaces come from products such as Apple’s iPhone and Microsoft’s Surface table computer. Windows Explorer in Vista does not actually fall in the same category, as you still need the now traditional mouse and keyboard. But it is a huge leap forward from XP. Hiding the menu is a simple and comprehensive inspiration designed to save display space. And the new navigational capabilities introduced will make your life so much simpler. I have never been much of a fan of third party file organizing applications. And now with Vista’s Windows Explorer there’s no need to find alternative solutions. The intelligent navigation in the Folders tree, and in the address bar just feel natural and intuitive.
4. Control Panel
Well, not Control Panel all by itself, but in combination with the Instant Search box of the window. I can’t even remember the times when I was hunting down an option in the XP’s Control Panel, just vaguely knowing both its name and location. With Vista, this is no longer an issue. The Control Panel Search is in a league all of its own in Windows Vista. There is little doubt about that. Just try and find obscure options with the Instant search in the Start Menu. You won’t be able to. But as far as Control Panel is concerned, here you can search for a specific term such as “Turn Windows Features On or Off” or for something more general like “Display” or “Resolution.” All it takes is the slightest idea of what you are looking for and you will find it. If Microsoft could get all instances of Instant search across Windows Explorer, via the automated indexing service, to mimic the behavior of the Control Panel search, I am sure all objections related to the feature will be muted.
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Tags: aero, aqua, device_compatibility, Operating system, Windows, windows vista, windows xp
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