Vista looks like OSX but a little, dare I say it, better!

[jacobj]

Has anyone been watching the Bill Gates keynote speech at CES.

Particularly the bit about Vista.

It has to be said that it is to all intents and purposes a clone of OSX with some really quite nice additions. Points that I noticed are:

• Photo Editing: the original file is stored so that it can be retrieved at any time
• A Dashboard type environment
• An Expose type minimisation of windows
• Slideshows with nice transitions
• Central Photo and Movie management
• Fast Searching
• IE Tab Browsing

Each of the above is like OSX but many have been improved such as the Alt+Tab window switching displaying realtime minatures of the the screens or the realtime minatures on the task bar.

The Dashboard area is on the main screen. If the user is interested in the information the widget is explaining then they can drag the widget onto the desktop and and the functionality and detail of the widget expand into a mini application. Not all will do this it has to be said, but the concept is not even in OSX.

I liked the tab browsing in the new IE where the user can see realtime miniatures of all tabs a manage them, i.e. close them, reload them or focus on them. Quite nice it has to be said.

I have to say that the stuff that I use in OSX all looked to be there with enhancements and were I not someone that looked merely at the now I would be tempted. If the functionality demonstrated in Vista is as good as it appeared then the only things that would keep me with OSX are MS' security track record and the fact that Windows develops more slowly and I am therefore likely to have to wait for the next big chunk of nice to haves.

I suppose there is also the fact that I am waiting on the new PowerBooks so that I can get Aperture which is an application like no other on Windows.

If you are interested in the keynote you can find it here.

 

[silverback66]

Yeah it does look pretty nice. It's still quite a ways off though and I'm sure Apple is working to go beyond that with their next OS.

 

[Lacero]

Vista looks nice, but let's see how it is in everyday use. Remember when OSX debuted, we had an overload on transparency of pulldown menus, shadows, dock magnification and pinstripes.

Fortunately, those days are over. Tiger is much more refined and easy of the graphical treatments. Vista looks to be where Cheetah was.

Here's to the Crazy Ones ​

 

[javiercr]

Vista is not out yet, Mac OSX is, eye candy is not the key

The key is not the eye candy, the key is the elegance of design and underlying operating system, MacOSX based on decades of unix development is more likely to be more robust than Vista and everyone knows that.

Apart from that MacOSX has been out for years and Vista is still not in the shops and by the time it is 10.5 will be coming out and will have some improvements to Tiger!

 

[Cooknn]

Looks can be deceiving

 

[MacsRgr8]

I have tried the first Vista build which was up for eh.. grabs...

The "eyecandy" is more "eye-ship-load-o'-sugar"... Installing FireFox made me nauseous... all those extremely colourfull windows & buttons....

OK, I admit I haven't looked at it in detail, nor been very open minded when I looked at it. But, it didn't invite me to look further.

 

[MacAficionado]

Plus, iPhoto also saves an original picture when it is edited. Nothing new there.

 

[Voidness]

As mentioned above, Vista might visually look nice. But it's overly transparent, which could be very confusing when windows overlap each other. Personally I think Vista's UI is overdone, but I'll wait for the final release to judge.

 

[j_maddison]

I can't get the webcast to load, anyone else having this problem?



Jason

 

[0098386]

Gah why do .asx files refuse to work on my machine! where are my .mov's!

anywho.... the biggest fault in windows, besides security, is the lack of an Expose system. but hey if they have that then whilst simultaneously crying "you thieving b***ards! i'll be rejoicing that Windows gets that bit easier to use.

 

[iGary]

I can't get it to play.

 

[iGary]

I can't get the webcast to load, anyone else having this problem?



Jason

Yeah, what you said.

I'm really really upset I can't watch it.

 

[thedude110]

Machines will have never BSODed in such a beautiful shade of blue ...

 

[steelfist]

i can't play the video either. bill gates sure knows how to make us very annoyed!

i find the aero transparency concept something good to look at in screenshots, but once you started using it as your primary theme, it gets irratating. i tried ruler aero, a nice theme for shapeshifter, and when i looked at the transparency of the windows, it made me sick. it dosen't look simple and easy to use at all, it looks like too many things right behind you! and it's only a bit transparent! i would say NAY to transparency!

 

[technocoy]

eh...

it's still windows period... and all the eye candy in the world is no good if it still runs like ass and viruses still permeate every inch and it's still a maze to get through the inner workings. period.

i wouldn't go jumping ship just from a pretty controlled demo.

also, it's such a blatant rip-off of features i wouldn't use it just on principal.

that said... VISUALLY it's "ok".

i can't wait for 10.5 myself.

 

[Randall]

Machines will have never BSODed in such a beautiful shade of blue ...

The BSOD is Red now!... Smarta$$.

FYI to everyone about asx files. they're actually just a text file that links to a windows media video file. it's stupid a hell, but here is what the asx file for the keynote looks like. (300K)

<ASX VERSION="3.0">
<TITLE>CES - Bill Gates Keynote</TITLE>
<entry>
<TITLE>CES - Bill Gates Keynote</TITLE>
<AUTHOR>Microsoft</AUTHOR>             
<COPYRIGHT>©2005 Microsoft</COPYRIGHT> 
<ref href="mms:/bg1msftwm.fplive.net/bg1msft/ces_billgates_keynote_20060104_300.wmv" />
</entry>
</ASX>

that said, I still can't get the thing to load, since i'm behind a firewall that prevents upstream streaming videos. Anybody have a mirror that I can physically download to watch?

 

[Lacero]

I can't get the webcast to load, anyone else having this problem?

Right from the source: Link removed.

Plays in Quicktime too... might be that I have flip4mac installed.

Here's to the Crazy Ones ​

 

[freeny]

Do you think that the designers at Microsoft when brainstorming ideas for new products and interfaces say "We need to make it like Macintosh but different" allot?

 

[Randall]

Plays in Quicktime too... might be that I have flip4mac installed.

That's definately why it works in QT. Otherwise there is no way.

 

[iGary]

How do tools like this CES CEO get a job?

My cat could give a better presentation.

 

[Macmaniac]

Bah, make it as pretty as you want, but its still Windows Bloatware. If the specs are any sign it will tank on any older machines, but this means lots of upgrading and lots of money for PC makers.

I will stick with Mac OS X thank you very much!

 

[iGary]

Bill Gates:

People will be online playing with each other.

Conan:

Leave that one alone, folks.

I nearly fell on the floor. I though Conan would let it slide.

 

[iGary]

And, by the way, these guys just don't get it.

I think Apple is going to continue dominate the digital music and media market.

 

[redAPPLE]

I can't get the webcast to load, anyone else having this problem?

https://forums.macrumors.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=38053&d=1136471209

Jason

the problem is windows media player. hmm. come to think of it. i am not sure if the problem is the player. the media. or windows?

 

[Diatribe]

You know... talking about a system that's already out and running in it's almost 4th incarnation and one that has it's first beta phase is kinda pointless. Let's start comparing Vista with Leopard when we know the details. Then we'll know how it might pan out. For sure we'll know in 2007 when both are released.