Windows Vista: Lipstick on a Pig

I think way too much is being devoted to how “things” look in Vista. Operating systems have become tools to access applications. Leave everything the same and give those that want “Green” doorknobs or pretty glass options to the option to change it the way they want. I get very frustrated search for “run” or “control panel”. My grandma is happy the way things are in XP. She uses it as a tool to communicate via email. And if things change too much she’ll just quit using it and use the telephone which is also a tool that basic interface/usage hasn’t changed in 50 years. And that age group does account for a large amount of users that will follow suit

Yay for Classic mode! And minimal browsers without loads of toolbars. And white on black desktops. And turning off most of the UI “effects”.

Kind of ironic that I’m most comfortable with Windows when it’s setup to look like Win 95. It’s a personal opinion but every single piece of eye candy and help for dumb users since then is a mistake that gets in the way. What’s scary is when you have to use somebody else’s PC with every XP setting on default, and with IE and Outlook “enhanced” with 5 toolbars each. Ugh! My mind recoils in horror.

I agree with Nick - Apple looks better all the time. I expect that my next PC purchase will be a Mac. The bummer is also a re-purchase of the apps I need, but Windows and Microsoft disappoint more and more, instead of improving as they go. Sigh…

“but if you’ve got your Xbox 360 that shouldn’t be a big problem.”
I disagree… many people, myself included, love gaming on a PC, and there are some games that just aren’t as fun on a console. I’ve been saying for ages that if another OS had the number and quality of games that Windows has, Windows would lose market share. Especially if that OS was free, and easy to use… like most Linux/Unix (Mac OSX Included) OSes are.

I’d hold my breath for an amazing looking Windows, but I don’t think I’d last long…

Windows Vista Review…

View This Video on You Tube

Alex Wolfe reviews Windows Vista beta 2.  Overall it seems he gives it a thumbs up…I would love to see Chris Pirillo do a video review on Vista, cuz he think’s it is Lipstick on a Pig. 

……

NICK,
“Games are the biggest reason why most people say they “couldn’t�? use a Macintosh, but if you’ve got your Xbox 360 that shouldn’t be a big problem.�?

Your point wasn’t that strong for describing how people don’t switch from Windows platform into Mac.

I would say that games (or entertaining) should not be a major reason for people not to switching from Windows platform to Mac platform.

Console machine reserved the major benefits of – constant performance.
People can just simply buy and play the console game without further considers its hardware requirement as what PC gamer need to.

There is no way for you to direct compare gaming/entertaining between computers (from any platform) and console machine as both of them has its own Pros and Cons.

Xbox360 is undoubtedly an awesome entertaining machine; but if you did experienced a truly ultimate gaming pc, you will easily realized that visual effects produced between both of them are almost equivalent, where PC is potentially better than Xbox 360.

Lastly, we are getting closed to Windows Vista; I do expect to see that there will be no more Windows 3.x/95’s era icons exist on Vista. E.g: Since Windows 95, The *undead* “Torchlight” still exist on Windows XP. ;-)

Chris Prillo points out Vista’s sloppiness. I completely agree. It is very sad that the top new features I am looking forward to are a networking stack that doesn’t suck (although Beta 2’s wireless tools have not given me alot of hope) and the fact that non

Chris, I’m with you 100%. But no one in the Windows world cares anymore about UI consistency. This is the main thing making me consider switching to Mac OS X.

WTF do any of you know about OS development? Nothing is right. None of you have been employed to develop one at any Linux shop or MS or MAC for that matter so **** off with what any of you think you know. RETARDS. The fact that it has anything that looks like an older OS is because grandma’s and people like you keep trying to run new OSes on old **** PC’s if MS took MAC’s directive in the 90’s youd all still be running Win95 and happily eating ****.

Go get a machine that can handle the “new” graphics and then say they are a pain. Go buy a new MAC (umm its a PC and runs windows) or go get Tiger (MAC OSX 10.4.6 for you smartasses) and run it on a PC and see some true comparisons. ******* Sun and MAC may invent but its a damn good thing no one reproduced the Model-T right or all you rice burning **** wouldnt have anything to drive.

If you going to speak on innovation youd better come with something more then “I wish..” or “I hate/like..” and back it with some facts!

you bunch of ****-nuggets

MAC copies innovations from Sun and Microsoft too (one mouse button now 2) WOW so innovative

ve not tried the new version of Windows.  I have no idea if it’s as good or as bad as some people say.  But I’ve found Chris Pirillo’s commentaries are usually along the lines of what I would say if I wrote as well as he does.  So, see why Chris thinks Windows Vista is just lipstick on a pig. I wish I was making this **** up - I really do. I also wish that someone at Microsoft would wake up to the fact that the user experience in Windows Vista is 10x worse than it was in Windows XP (if only because they couldn’t get developers to adhere

Its obvious that you people that are complaining about Vista’s graphics because your hardware isn’t good enough to handle it. Windows Vista will not work well at all without the right hardware. Plus its not finished yet so stop complaining until its finished and you have upgraded your hardware. And personally i think Microsoft should change more on vista.

Thank You, Mr. Kanbara

[…] Or The Bride of Frankenstein is Alive and Well in Buildings with Numbers in the 20’s at Redmond Windows Vista: Lipsick on a Pig http://chris.pirillo.com/2006/.....-on-a-pig/ Latest Inconsistencies in Vista http://hive.net/Member/blogs/t.....Vista.aspx Robert and Robert Duh! http://chris.pirillo.com/index.php?s=vista dvd writer keeps disappearing […]

Contrary to the opinions of the “uber elitist” group, no the rest of us don’t have to actually back up complaints about the Vista UI with hard data or anything else. Why? Because we’re consumers. Because we will vote with out wallets. Because if upgrading the operating system means having to upgrade the entire machine as well, then it is indeed an ideal time to reevaluate whether WIndows really does meet our needs now, or if a Mac (which conveniently will run our old copy of WinXP so we don’t have to ditch our old stuff while we’re in the process of changing platforms) is a better choice for our current requirements. The barriers that used to be there really don’t apply to the same degree now. And I have to say, even as a certified tech, I’m starting to lean toward a Mac just because frankly Aero looks really ugly and nonfunctional to me.

[…] Chris Pirillo on Vista Several links of interest. This is coming from someone who has traditionally been a Windows enthusiast, and some of his readers (see his site) - one of the people quoted is me - but nevertheless, I felt compelled to share these links and stir some discussion and to make people think. Windows Vista Opinions Microsoft vs. Apple Windows Vista Thoughts The Vista Bashing Bandwagon Windows Vista - Lipstick on a Pig Windows Vista RC1 - A Piece of Sith Last edited by AnthonyKinyon : Today at 10:11 PM. […]

I have been using Vista since the very first beta version (May 2005). I was so disappointed with it back then and decided to wait a few months before trying it again. Since using RC1 and RC2 the last few months, I think it’s great. I love the multimedia experience. There are a lot of ideas as far as UI which are copied straight from the Mac and there are a few annoyances (mostly related to default security settings), but they are there for the user’s protection. I am an application developer, and I can tell you there is a lot more under the hood of the pretty “lipstick on a pig” interface. There are and will always be defects in Microsoft software as well as software from any other company. I think that Microsoft does tend to rely on a tool called “Windows Update” a little too much instead of getting the software built right on the first realease.

Beta 2 was practically unusable for anybody with an nvidia gfx card (single 6800GT), something which let’s be fair is ridiculous even for a beta. RC1 sorted that issue out and showed what Vista’s UI was capable of, not much apart from cycling through windows. A feature that was completly unusable on my laptop gfx card (intel 855GME I believe) which I accepted. That is until I used the new Fedora Core 6 on that same laptop, it featues AIGLX which provides far more stunnning effects and ran completly smoothly on my laptop. To me that just proves that Microsoft are making Aero purposefully hardware intensive when it clearly does not have to be.
The feature I was most impressed with on Vista btw was once you are connected to a network it asks you whether it is private or public and configures the firewall accordingly, useful but by no means unique.

Hmm, How do I start. Comparing Mac to Vista, hmmm. “Mac had that look look 3 years ago.” Does that mean you fell for the “eye candy” before others ? As gamers tend to like “eye candy”, as in, if you “love” how it looks, then it’s called “awesome graphics”, if you don’t like how it looks, then it’s “eye candy”. Funny how things can be percieved. Do I like Vista, sure, I am enjoying some of it’s functions and, lord forbid “eye candy”. It’s about time I took advantage and enjoyed some pretty over worring about pure speed. Did I like changing from 98 to XP, hell no, It was different, things were in different places, didn’t seem to be as easy to navigate, (oh ****, that must mean it wasn’t “intuitive”.) Once again perception has creeped into the back of my mind. Now, here I am again, clicking away and learning another OS. Is it as “intuitive” as XP, not at first, why ? you ask, cause it IS a DIFFERENT OS than XP. Do I like how it pounded my system ? Of course not, but will I upgrade in the very near future, of course I will. Just like everyone of us has in the past to keep up. Did I like it when say,, Doom3 came out and my system wasn’t up to snuff,,, You see were this is going I am sure. I personally still love Windows 64bit, why cause it is all speed(even though the annoying rundll32 file loads twice at boot-up). Do I like the Vista eye candy, sure do. Will I use the Flip-3D cause it is so “cool”, most likely not, but it sure is fun to play with :). Vista has impressed me in some areas, others, I am disappointed. The Readyboost is cool, I like the idea of it. But without change I would still be in 3.11 cursing everything that has come since then. The security issues I can’t begin to talk about, it comes down to more people use windows, therefore more people will take aim to hack it. Would you steal a Chevette to sell on the black market or would you steal the Corvette ? Perception, it’s a funny thing.

[…]   Tell it like it is………….65 more reasons to avoid VISTA.VISTA MISTAKESLIPSTICKONAPIG  How many thousands of people and billions of dollars to produce this "THING" ? […]

What can one say about this, for example? Windows 3.1 Add Font Dialog Still In Vista - Bink.nu Forums No? How about a more common interface problem? At least I’m not alone in my apprehension. Chris Prillo describes Vista as ‘lipstick on a pig‘, or the OS iteration of the Phantom Menace. Not that it will matter. People who think cases like these are cool will buy it in droves because it’s cheap - or so we thought. Here are a few bits to mull over

Wow. Seriously. Wow. ads, advertisement, commercial, sponsor, sponsorship, television, tv Related Content: Microsoft Windows Vista Who Needs Windows Vista? Windows Vista Launch Microsoft Windows Commercials Windows Vista: Lipstick on a Pig Super Bowl Commercials Upgrade XP by Installing Windows Vista Microsoft Windows Vista: Senile Edition Robert and Robert: Duh! Windows Vista RC1: a Piece of Sith [IMG]

I just want to say that I have seen this all before. All I want is a fast safe and secure OS to run my programs on. I can get all the eye candy I want from somewhere else. PS don’t try to tell me what I can or cannot do with my computer in my home. You sold it to me now hands off. DMR is a not the way to promote a friendly computer. If you want to control how I use my computer then you pay for it. Because I will not.

[…] Windows Vista: Lipstick on a Pig […]

succeed in every facet of our lives. This was, quite possibly, the longest post I’ve ever written; I’m only trying to help. virtualization, vmware Related Content:Microsoft Windows VistaWho Needs Windows Vista?Windows Vista LaunchWindows Vista: Lipstick on a PigFile Sharing from Windows Vista to OS XUpgrade XP by Installing Windows VistaMicrosoft Windows Vista: Senile EditionRobert and Robert: Duh!Windows Vista RC1: a Piece of SithSwitching from XP to Vista to XP to

Microsoft Windows Vista Who Needs Windows Vista? Windows Vista Launch Windows Vista: Lipstick on a Pig File Sharing from Windows Vista to OS X Upgrade XP by Installing Windows Vista Microsoft Windows Vista: Senile Edition Robert and Robert: Duh! Windows Vista RC1: a Piece of Sith Switching from XP to Vista to XP to…?

MS Windows, still making apple sauce out of apple after all these years;

Still squeezing cider out of apple after a gazillion dollar disingenuios ad compaign;

Geeks may cry, techies may sigh, linux lovers wish it would die;

Still the masses continue to scream…”Long live MS Window and PC as KING!”
**************************

thoughts from a linux on pc loving ******* that abhors apple toadies, apple toadyism and apple sour grapes…or maybe it’s sour apples. LOLOLOLOLOL

ok… I have …

a mac with OS X
a pentium 4 laptop running xp
and dual core athlon 64 running vista

OS X is good…
XP pretty much sux… I run it on my laptop cause i works

on my 64bit PC i’ve run ubuntu linux, mandriva linux, xp, and vista
the fact of the matter is I could care less about the bells and whistles in vista BUT my 64 bit processor performs WAAAAAY better on vista then any other OS currently out… sure they’re selling it to the masses using the pointless flash ****.. but can u blame them.. people love shiny things… but vista really does run much much stronger on new hardware then XP

and i’m done

“Lipstick on a Pig”? Good quote, but not sure thats an accurate description. I started my OEM business back in the 95 days and once the market moved to 98 and then 98SE I was still satisfied overall with the OS. Sure they all had problems in the beginning. Fact is even with the problems that were eventually fixed, we had one Windows OS that did it’s job. As an IT Tech I was able to manipulate the system and essentially was able to overcome any obstacle that created a problem. An average user may not be able to do this but overall 98 and 98SE along with Windows 2000 gave us choices and most problems with a little research could be overcome. Xp was a nightmare in the beginning, but over time with all of the patching it finally resulted into a great OS. Any OS will have it’s occasional problems but most could be worked out in time. XP SP2 finally became a stable OS with few problems. Vista is a joke. It offers way too many choices for the common user and what most people don’t get is that Vista is just a warmed over XP with added features that simply don’t work. Even with a new computer with the highest end specs, Vista simply will not work with most software and hartdware on the market. Sure you can buy all new software and hardware which most people can’t afford and yet you still have problems. I am a member of the MS Partnership Program and I am supposed to be promoting their new products. On the other hand I have customers who rely on my advise and trust my decisions and suggestions. I do not sell or promote Vista. There are way too many choices and I feel MS is deliberately mis leading the public with them. Number one all of the advertised features of Vista promoting it as the new wave of technology is a load of ****. Only the Ultimate edition which you won’t find any any retail store offers all of the new features. Anything less than Ultimate is a faulty system with a different look than XP. Sure the new look is appealing, but if none of your software or hardware will work with it, what is the point? Even with Ultimate, if you can afford a new system that supports it as well as buying new hardware such as printers, scanners, etc. as well as the newest software that supports it, you still have continuous problems getting anything to run as it should. XP SP2 has finally become about as stable an OS as can be expected. MS should have taken that OS and added all the new features it falsely advertises about Vista and incorporated them into a newer version of XP and they may have created a decent system. To make it worse MS has changed the support cycle of XP in order to force people into Vista knowing full well that Vista is a dud. What the public don’t know is that MS is already working on the next OS to be released in 2010 which is based on XP SP2 or the upcoming SP3. It’s called Windows 7 right now. By 2012 Vista will no longer be supported and they will again force people on to the newer Windows 7 which if truly based on XP and incorporating the good Vista features it may be a truly good OS. Without coming out and admitting it, MS knows Vista is a fluke and are forcing customers into it to try and recover their expense in R&D. They are mis-leading the public with their lies and unfair business practices and hoping to get by with it until they finally are able to create an OS that will truly offer a new age of computing. I am honest with my customers and will not recommend Vista to no one. This may end up shutting my doors as MS has already announced they are pulling XP from OEM vendors by the first of 08 so we have no choice but to mislead consumers into Vista until they can come up with something better. I will turn to Linux and Mac at that time until MS is able to truly offer a good OS that actually works. I could go on and on about the unfair practices of MS as well as the under the table deals they have with the larger manufacturers such as Dell, HP, Compaq, etc. who have no choice but to follow their lead or destroy their business by not doing so. Although I was on MS’s side during their earlier trial of monopolizing the industry, I now fully support that fact and know they are truly a deceptive company that will take advantage of everyone they can and could care less for the people that has supported them for so long. If they were to be charged again for unfair practices and trying to monopolize the industry I would definately be on the opposing side now. I am a fair, honest business man and do my best to make my customers happy, sometimes at my expense, and do not want to deal with any company that doesn’t do the same. You may or may not agree, but don’t judge until you have the facts. The public is totally unaware of the truth behind MS and if they knew, it would ultimately bring them down if the truth was known. They have plenty of money and just like our declining government they can not be trusted yet nothing will change until the truth is out and people realize it.

Concerned Citizen and former Microsoft Fan

I just wanted to make another comment and ask a question that maybe someone who sees this can answer, someone who really has an idea :). Vista is a big ol’ dud right? So my question first of all is… Does it have potential? Is it thought that with the introduction of Service Packs and whatnot that possibly Vista may become as great as XP or is it just **** from now to the end of it’s life cycle? What else I wanted to say to y’all is that I e-mailed a Microsoft representative and he assured me that they had a team working to “whip Vista into shape.” He stated that there are more devices compatible with Vista know than it’s release, something like 3x more and that goes for applications too. Unfortunately, when I told him of some issues I had with Vista he had no clue as to why they were happening and told me to “Update Windows and your drivers Kerr-Mae as this is usually the cause of bluescreens.” I’m sorry to say it but bull-pucky that is why. I took PC Repair myself and keep my PC’s updated as far as Operating System and drivers as well as maintenance wise. I STILL got bluescreens and whacky stuff happening to my brand new 1500$ laptop. I was upset with this answer and do not trust Microsoft anymore. As I stated above, This laptop CAME with Vista and I found within a week of owning this wonderful machine that Vista was a dud. I go back to my whole thing about Linux, it’s got potential and they are working on porting Windows programs it and game devlopers are even beginning to consider making versions of their games for Linux. I forsee Linux winning in the long run my friends and we all are gonna win with Linux… even those who say “I can’t switch because “Insert program or hardware here” won’t run with Linux.” :D

Kerri-Mae

I do agree with what you say Martin about Linux does have problems. I NEVER said it was perfect but who can dispute the fact that it has made huge jumps since its introduction and yes, our own federal gov’t is behind it. All operating systems are going to have problems but what I’m talking about here is quality. Linux is a MUCH more stable, efficient, and secure operating system and yes it does have flaws. They all do. I foolishly tried to go back to Vista with a clean boot with all the trial programs and all the **** that came on this computer gone and not being installed. It was a clean install with just Vista and nothing else and I put my programs in afterward. It still ran for about a week until it crashed, again. XP is better than Vista but ultimately, I think I CAN safely bring Linux into this because overall I’ve seen how stable it is and how fast it is. It does not eat system resources and no, you do not have to buy new hardware. There is 1 thing I will say and I may have said it before, it is NOT ready for the mainstream public yet. I’ve found that it is easier than Windows once you learn it but in my opinion, it’s not for the person who’s “afraid to turn on their computer” if you get my meaning behind that. Right now I think Linux is the only thing that we cannot call lousy and expensive. If you really take the time to sit down with it and really learn it’s ins and outs, it actually brings the fun back into owning a PC. I’d actually like some input in here from Chris Pirillo on this… What are YOUR views on Linux. I like what you have to say and read a lot of these articles you write. All I’m stating is 1 thing, my opinion and I honestly in my heart believe Linux has major potential and right now it is far from what the “industry” puts out there.

Kerri-Mae

I have just “Upgraded” a brand new Compaq Presario F700 - switched from VISTA to XP.

Unfortunately I lost the sound.
Couldn’t find an XP sound driver that will run on the Copmpac F700 H/W.

Will appreciate help in finding an XP sound driver that will run on the
Compaq Presario F700