As a Mac blogger I know it’s my job to deride Microsoft—particularly Windows—at any chance I can get. I’ve never really understood why, though. Isn’t the world a better place with more choices? Shouldn’t we, as computer users, want Windows to be a great operating system if only so that it spurs Apple to continually improve our OS of choice?
It is in that spirit that I write about Windows 7, recently unveiled at PDC (which is Microsoft’s version of WWDC, a chance for Windows developers to drink the Kool-Aid and see what’s coming down the Redmond pike). Many tech pundits are looking to Windows 7 to be the operating system that Vista was supposed to be. Judging from some videos and screenshots posted by Gizmodo it certainly looks like Microsoft is trying: Joining a WiFi network only requires one click in Windows 7, just as the OS gods intended, and the Windows Taskbar has been beefed up and reminds me quite a bit of the Dock (more on the new Taskbar at Ars Technica’s look at Windows 7’s UI).
Of note to folks that enjoy their media in Apple’s preferred formats, Windows 7 offers up native support for both AAC and H.264. Also, Microsoft has freed gadgets (which are their version of Widgets) from only being displayed in a sidebar on one side of your computer’s screen; they can now be placed anywhere on the desktop.
There are a host of other improvements that are aimed at the enterprise, but the real question is whether Windows 7 will suffer the backlash that Vista did? Since Windows 7 is just a technology preview at the moment and no release date has been set, we have no real way of knowing, but it looks like some PDC attendees are afraid that Windows 7 is just Vista warmed over.
The Ars Technica article makes it pretty clear that Windows 7 is Visa warmed over. But by the time it comes out, that won't be a problem. The important thing is that the experience moving from Vista to Windows 7 won't be like moving to Vista--largely because Windows 7 is just Vista warmed over. Similarly Snow Leopard is just Leopard at higher altitudes (and more northern latitudes).
I'm not liking the window behavior. XP has such a nasty window manager (I've never used Vista, perhaps those problems have been fixed), the answer is to automatically maximize/tile windows? Ugh.
Mark these words, there's going to come a time in the future where you'll question your life's mission of deriding Microsoft. It's when Apple becomes just as evil as the original evil empire. You see the signs on the wall. When you stop to think, there's nothing that makes Apple any less better, except for ... less marketshare, and a nicer user interface. Apple, even at this early stage of 9% marketshare, is showing signs. Draconian NDA's for iPhone developers. Removing the matte screen option when most polls show that between 40 and 60% of people prefer matte. Literally, Apple could not care a stuff about it's customers. It is all about their money. So, if that's how they are when they are 9% marketshare, imagine them when it gets to 40% marketshare. Truly --- and you mark these words -- you are going to wonder if you've spent your efforts wisely. You'll get disillusioned with yourself, and how, in your younger days, you realise you, in some small way, contributed to the growth of the new monster. It's like the Godzilla movies. When the old monster dies, a new even more vile monster rises to take it's place. And the world is no longer safe.
Indeed, as has been pointed out, Windows 7 looks like to should be what Vista should have been. In this respect I can see myself picking up a copy to use in a VM and in Boot Camp. I just find it very surprising that a company as experienced in writing operating systems, as Microsoft is should, has made such a mess of Vista that it is effectively taking them about 8-years to get it right. That it looks like they will is no doubt comforting to a lot of people out there.
What does the title mean? that makes no sense? 11?
@Eric: The title is reference to the movie Spinal Tap wherein one of the character's amps "goes to 11." See this Wikipedia article for more.
"Mark these words, there's going to come a time in the future where you'll question your life's mission of deriding Microsoft. It's when Apple becomes just as evil as the original evil empire. You see the signs on the wall. When you stop to think, there's nothing that makes Apple any less better, except for ... less marketshare, and a nicer user interface. Apple, even at this early stage of 9% marketshare, is showing signs. Draconian NDA's for iPhone developers. Removing the matte screen option when most polls show that between 40 and 60% of people prefer matte. Literally, Apple could not care a stuff about it's customers. It is all about their money. So, if that's how they are when they are 9% marketshare, imagine them when it gets to 40% marketshare. Truly --- and you mark these words -- you are going to wonder if you've spent your efforts wisely. You'll get disillusioned with yourself, and how, in your younger days, you realise you, in some small way, contributed to the growth of the new monster. It's like the Godzilla movies. When the old monster dies, a new even more vile monster rises to take it's place. And the world is no longer safe."
Could you let me know where you get the drugs you're taking.
JS hit the nail on the head.