Like everything else in my life, I'm still undecided about this whole Windows Vista thing. I installed it on my work computer last week. I installed Windows Vista Ultimate and am trying to duplicate my previous windows setup with all my cool networking tools on it. I wasn't completely dumb about it, I set it up to dual boot back to my old XP installation just in case.
I do have to say, that it's pretty. It looks very good. I am using aero which of course adds to the "Pretty" factor. A few of the windows have been cleaned up and are a little easier to navigate and understand then in previous versions. I do think I like the new "start" menu much better. In older version when you open the start menu, if you had many folders and many icons in those folders you will get this situation where you would have to scroll your menu and if you had a small resolution it may actually run off the end of the screen. With the new "start" menu it incorporates your recently used programs as well as a start menu that eliminates that need to have the menu cascading across your screen. They have also re-worked the file system structure. It's more Unix/Linux/Mac like. They got rid of the "Documents and Settings" folder and replaced it with "Users".
On the other hand there are a few things I don't really like about it. UAC (User Account Control) is horrible. Don't get me wrong, it's a great idea. I whole heartedly believe that any program that is going to modify the system should have to ask for permissions before doing so. But with Vista UAC is asked for EVERY SINGLE ACTION I do. Have you seen the Mac commercial with the windows guy having to say Accept like 15 times, that's not an exaggeration. That's pretty much fact. This isn't COMPLETELY Microsoft's fault, but some rest on the software companies. For so long they just expected to have admin right so they wrote their software so it would function only with admin rights. They had admin rights due to Microsoft's short sighted outlook on security. Now that they are tightening the noose so to speak, all these programs are still expecting to be able to do what they please. Thus a thousand freakin popup's asking for permission. I'll be totally honest, I had to turn mine off. I don't suggest that for others, but for the security conscience, it's the only way to go.
There are of course other things that I like and don't like about Vista. Too many to go into here. For now I'm still in the Mac camp but I reserve the right to change my mind if MS pulls something outta their asses and makes this a usable yet safe operating system.
P. S. Get well Grandpa!
