Ed Bott's Microsoft Challenge--11/9/00

One of the first things I'd add to the existing configuration is the ability to adjust the location of the Start button when repositioning the Taskbar. (For instance, it would be nice to have the button remain on the bottom when the bar is placed onthe left hand side of the screen.)

Another interesting addition would be the capability to add additional taskbars to the other edges of the screen.

The Windows GUI sure has come a long way over the years, but one of my biggest complaints remains the fact that most dialog boxes aren't re-sizeable. Windows is full of "dinky" dialogs designed to fit on 640x480 screens, and these dialogs often havescrollable lists that can only display a few lines of data, and also require horizontal scrolling. Most computers today use a minimum of 1024x768 resolution, and yet we must painfully scroll these little lists, like trying to work while wearing blacked-out goggles with small holes punched in them. The intuitive idea of stretching the dialog box with the mouse almost never works!

The Organize Favorites dialog in IE is the only exception to this rule that I can think of at the moment, but eventhen - it doesn't remember it's new size, so you have to re-stretch it upon every use.

This problem extends from the OS to all applications that use it. Why? Because there's no direct support for this feature in the OS, so it requires extra work for all application developers to provide such a feature.

I make extensive use of the Office shortcut bar, so all of the things I use regularly (including shortcuts to admin tools, certain applications, and template documents) are handy, yet not in the way. I'd like to see that feature moved into Windows, and easily customizable (the Office 2000 version is more difficult to customize than the Office 97 version).

I'd also like access to everything that runs at startup (maybe something like the Windows 2000 interface in the MMC), without having to resort to Registry hacks to find out that some app has slithered in a sneaky little routine that's impacting system performance, or merrily sending info about my system over the Internet without my consent. I want to be able to enable or disable theselittle monsters with a click, just as I can in W2K when adjusting security settings.

Get rid of that wretched "View As Webpage" default behavior for Windows Explorer. It wastes a large piece of screen space, and generally slows things down when moving around.

For the guy who wants dialog boxes to be resizable, that is something that is determined by the programmers/designers. 3rd party applications *can* make their dialogs resizable, but most choose not to. I agree that dialogs with multiline information boxes should be able to change size, but a simple Yes/No or Okay box doesn't need that.

I would like to see a modification of the Advanced Settings under MSCONFIG.

A current Advanced option allows you to enable the Startup menu each time you boot. I would like that option changed to Enable the Boot/Start menu Options menu. The Boot/Start menu would be new and would appear in the MSCONFIG|System Configuration Utility between the General and Config.sys options.

This option menu would have two purposes.

First:
It would display the Startup Menu options (Normal, Safe Mode,etc. and would let you set the Start Mode permanently for troubleshooting purposes to one of the alternate boot modes. It is frustrating restarting and trying to catch those modes when you are troublshooting a problem and may need to reboot many times in a row.

Second:
I would also like the ability to permanently turn Bootlog as well as other logs on permanently for troublshooting sessions. In fact breaking the BootLog into several logs would be optimum. Boot, Device Load, Network Connect,Program Start and Shutdown, System Shut down Logs, ect.

Besides helping the troublshooting process this option would also let the tech pinpoint a particular problem related to a particular application program. Where is the device or application stalling during startup and shutdown issues. Is the cache cleared, is memory being released to the system, etc.

PS Remember the Troubleshooter must be able to turn the options back off just as easily.

Probably the be all around improvement I can think of would be to include the MS Office Shortcut Bar as an integral part of Windows. I know people who use other applicaiton suites, but still have office installed just so they can use the Shortcut Bar.
Thanx.
malkor

my own list of suggestions:

1) more speed and responsiveness in loading the desktop and displaying items. greater stability

2) there was this experiment in MS Research that created a mouse and modified MS Word so that when you are not touchingthe mouse all the toolbars are hidden. it automatically shows up when you touch the mouse again. this would be a cool feature (just dont trade it off for system stability)

3) the feature of Windows NT Embedded to drastically restrict the actual files and subsystems loaded should be made a feature of the setup routine. If i want to install a server i generally expect to administer it remotely and i do not need directx, opengl, multimedia stuff loaded with the server. (this can be done manually after setup but its a hassle)

4)making choosing a standard security configuration of the server part of the setup routine.

5) when it is already feasible for all windows systems to be using NTFS..taking full advantage of resource forks in NTFS files. i can think of putting access logs together with the files so that i can configure auditing on a per file basis and the audit logs get moved with the file even if i move it to another computer, etc.

6) ability to add system folders (My Personal Documents, My Work Documents, etc) on a per user basis that supports roaming profiles

7) print all fonts..preview fonts using custom string..different sets of fonts ...greater capacity for the number of fonts installed as things start getting weird with a thousand or so fonts installed =)

8) play media playlists or selected files using the explorer (not just one file at a time)

9)better support for multiple desktops. each desktop can run under a different security context, resolution, color depth, etc...basically a greater form of "Run As..."

10) im not sure about this...integration of the office assistant with the OS (for the endusers)?

The biggest problem non-technical users have with the windows interface is the use of the tree view in explorer. I've had to completely redesign interfaces that contained it because the users didn't understand how to work it. It should be replacedwith a simpler, flat view of the file system.
Second, get rid of the double-click method of executing an action and replace it with right click or perhaps a simultaneous click of both buttons. Many older users find the double click difficult to master (I myself have had more trouble with it as I get older.)

It's shameful that the GUI is not more developed in various places. Although not strictly "desktop" or interface, these are critical to many users:
1. Visualizing and editing the Windows Registry. OS Integrity notwithstanding, there is NO reason MScould not visualize application values in the registry. If they can be "uninstalled", they can certainly be presented in an intelligent and useful manner and opened up for safe editing.
2. Network & Security Presentation. Rather than obscure geek-speak, MS could present GUI visualization of the network structure. Mouse-over/right-click could present more detailed info. Drag&drop could be used to install/remove features painlessly. Incompatabilities could be handled on the spot, rather than waiting for the next (failing) reboot. Security vulnerabilities could be instantly highlighted, with recommended resolutions.
3. "Application Registry Migration Wizard". MS should include this when installing/reinstalling the OS. This would facilitate full recovery of app. settings WITHOUT complete manual reinstall. (App. problems should be reported at that time, not just failed).
4. Prequalification for OS Install. Incompatible BIOS's, H/W devices, and S/W should be detected and reported BEFORE the install process begins/fails, giving the client an opportunity to correct or abort BEFORE time is nedlessly wasted and/or the system is trashed !
4.

I am linux user and the best thing I like about it is loging,Linux provides logging of every event or action that occurs and that helps a lot in trouble shooting.
I will also implement such kind of feature in Windows so that I know why and where I am making a mistake while performing an action.

OK, my priorities:
1) Create a unified place for system logs, with appropriate subdirs for each apps. No more abundant places to find logs. (Still, they must be allowed to spread amongst drives);
2) Active Desktop: more predefined _customizable_ templates, using XML and tables to easily find the right tool, still offering uncluttered display.
3) RegEdit: MMC design, hence ability to Add Favorites (bookmarks) to frequently needed places; and New MMC from Here to allow safe view/editing of a subkey without compromising the integrity of whole Registry.
4) Explorer: Ability to color-highlight files with non-inherited security settings. Must be able to turn off/on as needed.
5) Dial-up Networking: Ability to show the current time modem speed (thru +++ and ATO possibly), not the one it was connected to. Customizable refresh interval (0 = feature is off); Customize Modem Init String to EACH of the connections (W2k lacks this); Reduce the levels of indirection in modem settings (3 is way too much - hard to find the needed one) - might require a complete redesign;
6) SMART technology to incorporate into the OS for extended drive diagnostics.
7) Default system maintenance procedures must be scheduled in Task Manager. Document the keys needed to schedule tasks.
8) Yes, registry snapshots and ability to restore one at need - right in the OS.
9) Resizable dialogs: Add a Window Style to dialog windows as well, so that MessageBox can make use of it just like they use MB_OK.
10) Allow Minimize to Tray command instead of leaving it for third parties.
11) Allow to turn off GUI while running services (lights-out server operation).

I'm a system builder and having to reboot systems after every new software package is loaded is a real pain.
1.) It would be nice that MS would have the registry refresh after each software load instead of having to reboot each time. I customize every system for my customers and image loading is not possible for each system build varies in hardware and software available.
2.) Making the desktop truely interactive with mouse-over activations and a shortcut bar to house all shortcuts and not just office.

My suggestions are ,

1.Mobile users ( Laptop) needs a facility to access there mails from different branches of their companies . If there is no DHCP in their location means ,they will have to change the IP address of their laptop manually thenonly they were able to access the network printer , mail and other network related facilities. Considering a corporate environment there is more mobile users ( CEOs,EVPs,VPs,RMs and GLs) who are always running between the branches through out the world. So every time they have faced the difficulties in accessing the network facilitiies eventhough there branches has been interconnected through well network connections. So there should be a facilty to configure the multiple IP address with respective subnet mask and gateway , so that they can easily access the net work facilities with out expecting or disturbing their support group.Some third party softwares like MNM (muliple network manager-WWW.globesoft.com ) gives the certain level of solution for this. The same facility has to be implemented in windows new edition.

2.The new MS windows product should occupy less hdd space.

3.The new MS windows product should detect the the incompatible BIOS's, H/W devices, and S/W and that should be reported to the user before or at the time of installation .

4.There should be an folder/file management option which should delete the .tmp files ,~*.* files and which should keep the files in corresponding folders automatically by clicking the icon.It should give more options to thw user while moving or copying the folder or file.

Standard File Management application, that would allow moving, renaming files/directories with ease, such as Norton Commander, yet integrates the full capacity of Windows.

It seems that the address bar (in TOOLBAR, not in EXPLORER) is quite underestimated in Windows. While it could launch anything from it, yet it is so difficult to be in there to type anything that I want. I want to use the full flexibility of address bar without having to use the mouse to go over there and then typing one or two phrases, ENTER, then reach the mouse again. Allow me to use ONLY the KEYBOARD to reach the address bar. I NEED SPEED, and I couldn't have it if I got to switch between the mouse and keyboard everytime I need to launch an app.