Discussion on:

10 things you'll miss when you upgrade to Vista (and how to get some of them back)

Are some of these items on your own list of features you miss in Windows Vista? What else do you wish you had back--and how are you dealing with those shortcomings?

The Image Toolbar in IE 6- I seem to save a lot of jpegs whilst browsing and it was a lot quicker than Right-Click Save As.

I also don't like that I can't resize the Address Bar in IE7. I used to be able to resize it and squeeze in a small toolbar next to it (like SnagIT) but the only way to add a 1.5" toolbar is to add it vertically, reducing viewing space.

XP had a great feature that allowed almost one-click publish the directory or a picture to the web. The default was to MSN only, but third-party software (e.g., Gallery 2) had plug-ins for it as well. I hope next service pack will resurrect it!

First off, good job on the article. Big help. Most importantly, we need to stop whining about the interface changes. If we linger in the "way it used to be" world, nothing progresses. The Ribbon in Office 2007 is a perfect example. You'll hate it the first three days, then all of a sudden you realize how SMART the thing is laid out. So, Vista has things removed now. Big whoop. You can't learn a newer, WAY slicker interface?

Keep whining, and it'll just continue to vindicate Apple's ads making PC users appear to be dweebs. Tear into Vista and make it happen!

I personally think the interface changes in Vista is plain dumb. Microsoft needs to get in their heads that simple and secure is what is best. Not everyone out there wants change and not every one out there is a propeller head.

While I am a computer professonal and I will figure out how use and support the new OS, I do not think it is worth the time and effort to roll it out.

So, this is what we waited for for 5 years, and cost 6 Billion Dollars to create. You gotta be kidding!!! The user access control is the most annoying thing I have ever seen. It assumes we are SO STUPID we can't even "start" some apps. without the annoying popup it gives you. Then go turn it off, and some apps. will not even run properly (BTW these are apps. that are Vista capable!!!). Try changing a file association. Used to be real easy in XP: go in Windows Explorer to Tools, Folder Options, File Types, and you could change file associations for just about anything quickly & easily. Not in Vista, that feature is GONE????

The new Defrag is absolutely worthless, as you have no idea on its progress, so you do not know how long it is going to take to complete??? Thank God for after market products like Diskeeper 2007.

Brand New Windows Vista Laptop, on Feb 1st, needed 11 Windows Vista Updates!!!! Give me a Break.

In XP the task scheduler was extremely easy to use. Not anymore!!!
Heck what the hell is all the stuff listed in there anyway. I have been in the computer business in corp America for over 30 Years, and have owned my own business for over 10 years. I truly feel sorry for P/C users going from XP to this, as it will be very confusing, and in the corp arena definitely require re-training the users at the desktop
level.

It will be a cold day in Hell, before I switch from XP Pro to this crap!!!

Linux is the future, and hopefully it will eventually be the un-doing of M$.

I have been a Windows user since I was 4 years old (yeah ok, I'm only 21). I have often defended Microsoft and their products. However, I think Windows Vista will be the last straw that pushes me over to Linux.

I currently run XP, program in .Net, and use SQL Server 2005 exclusively for databases. As Vista becomes more popular and XP is supported less and less, I will slowly be switching over my computing habits to Linux and other Microsoft Alternatives. If I ever fulfill my dream of starting my own development company (within the next 12 months I hope!!) it will be an all-linux shop.

So far there are only 2 good things I have to say about Microsofts new round of products:
1. Excel 2007 works very well with (SQL Server 2005) OLAP cubes.
2. Office 2007 uses an XML format that Microsoft is making publicly available (so it will be easy for OpenOffice to read/write the new format.

There's my 2 cents.

linux is more and more popular,but it's not easy for children& the ages.it's a good suggestion for the developer of linux to hear what u have said.wish you career success.

In this case, "not easier for children" will be a good thing!
If they can't screw stuff up without a root password
But back on topic, I have also noticed most of these annoyances, & most of them, to me, are just that: annoyances. The real problem, as has been stated before, will be for the average, inept users out there. The ones that think that they don't have a certain program if it's not on the desktop o_O
(you would not believe the number of people I have run into that use winXP, but have never used the Start Menu )

After fiddling with it for awhile I give up. Something simple as loading a driver for my video card turned into days of agravation. Wonkly command line code, getting it into the right folder and so forth. I never got it to work. That should be computer 101 right? run filename.exe right?

It was much worse in the past though video drivers are still an area that Linux based OS (BSD et all non-win32/osX that is) should be commended on since all the work is generally through reverse engineering. Outside of video and wifi, I've not seen any issues in a long time and those two are getting better too. I flopped back and forth for years happily but I love exploring different OS rather than simply running things on top of a specific platform.

Anyhow, play with some liveCD to see what distro works best for you if your really interested. I'm partial to Mandriva which will give you a very nice "control panel" in the GUI. I run the livdCD seamlessly on my Thinkpad T60 including ATI video and the wifi. And not a single thing I've had to do by command prompt (except by loving choice of course). You might also try Kubuntu and Ubuntu distrobutions on liveCD.. PCLinuxOS seems a favourite of others also.

The key is to realize that Linux is the kernel not a single OS. Linux based OS are many different distrobutions made from the same lego pieces; each distrobution has different values and goals resulting in very differetn but similar operating systems.

If video is your biggest issue then I'd hazzard a guess that it's Games your realy after and in that regard; keep a windows partition to run the latest games and a Linux distro dual boot for everything else.

- The Windows boot can be tuned for your specific games instead of all generall tasks you through at it.

- The Linux boot can be used for everything it does well and doesn't really need the 3D support unless you just can't possibly live without eye-candy adding no additional function to your desktop.

In my case I have the following outstanding functions but all else has been replaced under my Mandriva boot:

- Games.. Windowes has lesser broken ATI drivers and first pick of the native game support.

- Syncing PalmOS too Outlook too Cellphone.. discontinued for the moment since the motorola V3 cell sync software sucks badly.

- Editing office files from years of Windows at home and Windows at work.. now done under a VM guest Windows running windowed on the Mandriva host OS thanks to VMware.

- Last, supporting IE so I can admin my dd-wrt router since, for some ungodly reason, the dd-wrt developers build the web interface to only support IE (that may change in later v24 release candidates)...This is again done exlusively under the win32 VM.

Take your time and replace Windows functions with Linux functions as you get comfortable. If your changing to be cool like everyone else then don't.. if your interested in exploring a different OS or moving to a Linux based OS for your own reasons then persevere; there's no loss, even if it's only learning about how a computer actually works.

I agree 100%, there are many users that do not want to learn a new OS.

It would be nice to have a "Classic View"
button in vista that would let the average PC user use there new PC with Vista, but without all the advance features or menus.

Just my $0.02

I have ignored this persistent error for months now but I can do so no longer. It is as common and as irritating as "your a mron" instead of "you're a moron". I refer, of course, to the incorrect use of "here here" instead of the correct "hear hear". Think about what the expression means for a moment and err no more. Thanks.

You "have ignored this persistent error for months now but I can do so no longer"...

Do you get sleepless nights over the poor use of grammar?

The changes are initially irritating and there will always be resistance to change from those who insist on doing things the same old way. Some of the new features, like the new filtering and organising features of Explorer may go unnoticed initially. The trick is, to accept the changes, get used to new ways of working, and THEN see if overall you are more or less productive. The time for change over, in my experience, is very brief in real terms.
I am reminded, back in the days of the introduction of Windows 95, that I had a student who insisted on reloading the File Manager that he was so familiar with in Windows 3.1. I had to virtually tie him down, deleting File Manager, to get him to become productive with Explorer.

You had to "virtually tie him down, deleting File Manager, to get him to become productive with Explorer." If a person does not wish to change, then that decision lies solely with the person not desiring to change. Change has to come from within the person. I oft remember this maxim, 'a man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still.' Many times, I would go against the flow, sit, when people stood, stand when people stood...and when I was forced to comply, inside I was still doing the opposite.

The most you can hope to do in life, is to show the horse the water, if the horse chooses not to drink, then so be it. Brush the dust from your sandals, and move on.

People change at their pace at there hearts desire and not because they are 'forced'.

"I had to virtually tie him down, deleting File Manager, to get him to become productive with Explorer."

What a joke this is!

I'd much rather have Winfile.exe (Win3.1 version) than the joke that explorer is! With Winfile, I could view more than one directory/folder at a time(I regularly view 2-4 directories at once, passing files between them). With explorer, in order to do the same thing, I must open a NEW Copy for each. Each copy of explorer that gets open, slows the system just a little more.

The only down side (that I found)to Winfile.exe, was the 8.3 file name restriction.

That being said, Which way is more productive?

I would hazard a guess to say that the best way a person is more productive is by using what they are comfy using rather than going through the learning curvem however short or long that may be.

If I came into work and they had put a unix workstation on my desk, telling me its now company standard, then it would be my standard to resign. Not due to unix but due to the attitude of the company. Dont get me wrong I am looking at linux (I know its not unix, but it is a flavour) to use instead of M$ but at my pace.

Too bad Microsoft couldn't come up with an OS upgrade which featured was Secure, Fast and Stable instead of just flashy. We won't be installing this at my organization until there's no avoiding it.

And Microsoft will not rest until there's no avoiding it

Ah, nevermind...

...thus the reason for Microsoft sucking NOVELL into their current fiasco with SUSE Linux and making the statement that MS wouldn't sue any of SUSE users for patent infringment! SCO lost all it's credibility as the front for MS so now they have to figure out a way to do their dirty work themselves!

I have no problems with change.
Change that attempts to improve is good.
Change just for change's sake is bad.
Change that costs more and reduces functionality is just plain wrong.

people will find and use it. Don't make power users spend untold hours getting their systems back to a state they are comfortable with. Don't make computer novices feel lost. Of course, with that "compelling" philosophy, Microsoft would have had a hard time selling anything over the years.

I'd bet the main consideration Microsoft has for many of its changes are to drive recertification income and how-to books. They don't make as much money if people pass the tests the first time, and they are harder to pass if you have to know multiple operating systems.

I don't need an address bar (IE7) that takes up most of a toolbar. I know how to scroll if I need to. I also don't need a search box that duplicates my Google toolbar search. Give me the option to turn it off and put something useful there.