What You Want from Windows 7
So, the beta version of Vista SP2 is
now
available, which is only important if you bothered with Vista or Vista SP1.
Already, the reviews for SP2 beta
lack
enthusiasm but, hey, it's only a beta version, right? And Vista's only two
years old -- it could still catch on. Right? Right?
Well, just in case it doesn't -- where's that "rolling eyes" emoticon
when we need it? -- Windows 7 is well on its way. We asked you last week what
you wanted from Windows 7, and some of you answered, in great detail, in
the comments section of the RCPU blog online (and thank you for that). Some
of you took the other route, though, and e-mailed your editor directly. We like
both forms of feedback, so let's get to those e-mails:
Keith starts us off:
"The IT department here has been using Vista in case we decided to
roll it out to the whole company, and I can definitely state that I have no
intentions of doing so. I will use XP on my network as long as I possibly
can. If Windows 7 is just a glorified version of Vista, then it may be time
to migrate to Macs. It's obvious that Microsoft has lost its edge. But it
remains to be seen if Apple, which has historically failed to capture the
mainstream market, can use the Vista debacle to make strong gains on corporate
America. I believe losing market share is the only way Microsoft will wake
up and realize that Vista is a flop. It should have built Windows 7 on the
XP core instead of the Vista core, in my opinion."
Keith, that whole message makes a lot of sense, especially the last bit. Why
Microsoft insists that Vista's core is the way forward is as baffling to us
as it is to you. (Then again, we here at RCPU don't build operating systems,
so...) It certainly feels as though Redmond is trying to force the Vista-Windows
7 model down our throats, but we wonder how much leverage Microsoft still has
to do that sort of thing these days. A lot, maybe, but it would be nice if Microsoft
would listen to its customers and accept that Vista is largely a flop. Maybe
Windows 7 will be much, much better than Vista -- but it'll have to be a massive
improvement if Microsoft wants to win back the hearts and minds of a lot of
users and partners.
Dave offers a similar perspective:
"IMO, Microsoft has three blind spots it will need to face before
the rest of us will take a look at a new OS:
- Legacy applications. Vista won't run them, and all security issues
aside, there has to be a way. If I wanted to re-buy all my applications,
I'd switch to Mac.
- Testing. I purchased a brand-new HP with brand-new Vista Ultimate,
and it's had unresolved problems since Day 1. I STILL have to reboot every
day. I want an OS that is tested before I buy it.
- Parity. My Vista computer refuses to install updates, even after a
complete re-install of Vista. XP gives me no trouble, so why change? I want
to go beyond parity.
"The bottom line is: What am I going through this kind of pain for?
The Aero interface? If that's the big attraction, then who cares? Microsoft
assumes we find value in Vista but fails to convince us that Vista has more
to offer than XP when, in fact, we find Vista to offer us less. What do I
want? In a word, MORE."
We hear you, Dave. We feel sure that Keith hears you as well. The question
is whether Microsoft hears you. Stay tuned.
Thanks to Keith and Dave for their thoughts on Vista. We'll be running more
reader feedback this week, so get your thoughts in on anything and everything
to [email protected].
Posted by Lee Pender on December 09, 2008