Despite the fact that Windows is the world's most-used desktop operating system, it lacks certain features and gimmicks that other operating systems do have (no, really?). PCWorld made a list of 18 features Windows should have, but in fact doesn't. While some are spot on, others are a bit of a stretch.
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Member since:
2006-02-01
Waa, the Mac has this... Waaa, the Mac has this..., ad infinitum.
As for #15, Windows 95/98 did come with a built in Web server. It, like any included complex service can be, was a gaping security hole. Microsoft rightly removed it. Adding in something like Apache by default and expecting non-technical users to understand it and not muck with the configuration in such a way as to open security holes is ludicrous. Never mind the fact that most residential ISP user agreements specifically prohibit the running of full time servers.
Member since:2006-01-06
Actually, every version of Windows since about 1995 had a web server (Not sure which version of NT introduced IIS, but it was there by 4.0. Windows 95 OSR2 at least had one.), except for XP Home, Vista Home and Home Basic. (The article acknowleges that Vista Business, Enterprise and Ultimate have it).
Microsoft never "removed it" although AFAIK it has never been installed/enabled by default (except on servers), they just rightly realised that most Home users have no need/use for such a thing.
Member since:2007-02-27
Member since:2006-02-04
The author I'm sure found this all very entertaining. Much of what he listed I really don't want on my Windows boxes. My two cents.
The dock and the start menu essentially serve the same purpose. The start menu is not like the unified menu. The unified menu is actually something I dislike about Mac OS but Expose really helps it work well. As Windows does not have a unified menu, Expose would just get in my way.
All in all, I'd have to say I like the way the Applications works on the Dock on my Mac over running through the start menu on my Windows machines. However, for applications I have in the quick launch versus apps directly on the dock, it's all the same.
The whole web server thing. I like having this built into the mac. I also install Apache on most of my Windows boxes. It's great for doing stuff locally or across the network.
I'd be be quite concerned about serving either to the Internet without going through the config files and make sure things are suitable for web consumption. If I recall correctly, the default Apache install in Windows clearly states that it is not suitable to be put on the web. If you wish to do so, you need to change some things.
I'm sure there was more but I forgot what else the article talked about already.
Member since:2005-07-06
"Waa, the Mac has this... Waaa, the Mac has this..., ad infinitum. "
Get over it already. That is one of the ways you come up with features an OS should have but doesn't. You compare it to the competition. Love it or hate it OS X is the main competitor to Windows at this time. And I agree with some and disagree with others.
All in all it was an interesting read. It would be tough writing an article if we could not make a comparison to something else.
Member since:2007-02-17
Not to mention that this so called whining about what the Mac has is the only reason windows exists in the first. Waa...waa this mac has these things called windows...waa...waa...and a trash can...waa...waa...whats a mouse and why don't I have one...waa... you get my drift. MS has taken a quite a lot of ideas from Apple, this whining is how they know what to steal next.
Edited 2008-04-30 19:38 UTC
Member since:2005-07-05
Member since:2006-05-13
Member since:
2005-07-06
I don't get it.
Almost all of these have free 3rd party (or in the case of Virtual Desktops, available from Microsoft) solutions available.
Would the author rather Microsoft include all these features natively and make Windows bigger than it is, so they can turn around and accuse Microsoft of "bloat" or "anti-competitive practices"?
Member since:2005-09-25
Member since:2006-08-10
Exactly. Simple and basic window manager features are inexcusable. Always on top, rollup, virtual desktops, and pin to all desktops should be a no brainer. The only reason they are not included is because of third party applications that hook into the windows or hacks.
Member since:2007-09-06
Not Invented Here. They don't hold the patent too those nice little features and probably avoid adding them too keep from possible infringement. This, I'd guess, is the same as keeping there developers from referencing non-MS source for fear or contamination.
Even MS get's screwed by software patents.
Member since:2007-03-25
Interestingly, apart from virtual desktops, Mac OS X doesn't have those basic window manager features by default either. That was a big surprise to me when I tried the Mac for the first time, after years of using Linux and taking "always on top" and "pin to all desktops" for granted. To get that functionality on Mac OS X, I had to install the free Afloat program.
I'm still new to Mac OS X, so if I'm wrong about those features not being in the base system by default, please feel free to correct me.
Member since:2006-01-02
Member since:2007-09-06
The pretty much are optional now since the user must find and download them but the "user must find" part means they are not easily available.
MS could easily include these in the next Windows install disk as optional (default too not included) features which users could include. Win98's themes and theme manager where purely eye candy features yet they where available but not embedded by default.
The complaint is not that MS includes everything in there OS. It's that they do so in a way that assumes the user wants everything available too be installed. It's also that they do so in a way that keeps those "optional" pieces not uninstallable. Example; Can I uninstall IE yet and replace it with another browser and still expect the install to be supported?
Member since:
2005-04-01
Most of these suggestions seem reasonable enough to me. There are a few exceptions: the Dock (which exists well enough via the taskbar), Coverflow and the consistent menubar ribbon. Those are just "implement Mac on Windows" comments. The desktop cube (which would be cool, but is not something Windows "should" have), and software repos are "Linux on Windows."
All the others seems fair to me. Beautiful backups, a decent Window Management tool (Expose > Flip3D), Podcast recording, a decent screenshot tool, etc are certainly fair things to expect from your OS. I also think self-contained apps are by far and away the best way for apps to exist.
Member since:2006-01-06
I take screenshots fairly regularly, and I've never needed anything that wasn't built-in to Windows, most users very rarely take screenshots.
Microsoft even included Tablet PC's Clipping Tool in Vista for those people who can't be bothered to do their cropping in Paint.
Member since:2005-04-01
I take screenshots fairly regularly too. Here's the procedure:
1. Activate window you want to shoot.
2. Press Alt + Print Screen to capture active window.
3. Open Paint
4. Paste picture
5. Highlight section of item I want to shoot
6. Ctrl + X
7. Open paint.net
8. File > New
9. Press "OK"
10. Ctrl+V to paste content
Here's how I do it on Mac:
1. Cmd + Shift + 4
2. Highlight area
3. Click
You decide.
Member since:2006-01-06
You realise that step 7 is entirely unnecessary, right?
Plus, I take it that you are going to do something with the image (I am often writing technical documentation)?
To insert the resulting image in Word (for instance, since it is available on both platforms):
Mac: Insert, Picture, From File, Browse to file, OK.
Win: Ctrl+V.
Edited 2008-04-30 14:29 UTC
Member since:2005-04-01
Member since:2008-04-30
Member since:2005-11-10
Member since:2005-07-06
Member since:2005-04-01
I have decided. I chose Mac. How is dragging your mouse across a 20" screen to a cascade of menus easier than a key combo to capture the action?
You haven't compared apples to apples here, so to speak. The other posts described taking a chunk of a screen and properly saving it. Both the Windows way (hit PrintScreen) and the Mac way (one keystroke combo) are easier than your description above.
If you just want a snapshot, straight away, no editing at all, on Mac, it's Cmd+Shift+3 and you're done.
YOU decide.
Member since:2007-02-17
Member since:2006-12-05
Member since:2005-07-06
Member since:2007-09-06
MS sort of tried to implement it with the software store available through Windows Update though I couldn't tell you what's become of it since I looked last. It felt like a store displaying only the company private brand merchandise but with lots of empty space if other vendors took interest.
Apple's iTunes does seem to be going the same route. They have a better chance of it since the more strict Apple certification program already vett's software. I think that was one of the things around the iPhone API anyhow.
Where they both can't compete is still the volume of software included. Apple can use the iTunes business model and there existing osX certification program to come closest. Microsoft hasn't the controls in place too become a gateway for all win32/64 available programs.
They are both also profit motivated. Due to corporate law, the profit margin is the bottom line. If a decision chooses between better quality and better return for investors then legally, the second choice must be accepted. Providing equal access too one's own products along side the competitions products does not maintain barriers against competition. Expensing more budget to hire repository administration staff also works agains the profit margin.
We'll see what Apple does though. It has the smaller software library so it may be managable for one company to maintain the library along with the rest of it's day to day product design and retail.
Member since:
2006-11-17
GNU/Linux has everything built in.
The author just doesn't know anything but MacOS X.
Expose is available on compiz, for a start, and everything they listed, except maybe time machine.
Now should we go through the list of features GNU/linux have and MacOSX have not? That would make a huge list.
LiveCD/USB? Advanced office applications? network administration/sniffing? I can go on and on and on. You can't beat GNU/linux on features. Maybe ease of use, but not on features.
Member since:2005-07-06
The author just doesn't know anything but MacOS X.
Expose is available on compiz, for a start, and everything they listed, except maybe time machine.
Now should we go through the list of features GNU/linux have and MacOSX have not? That would make a huge list.
LiveCD/USB? Advanced office applications? network administration/sniffing? I can go on and on and on. You can't beat GNU/linux on features. Maybe ease of use, but not on features.
This article is about what Windows doesn't have, not what Linux may or may not have.
As for the article, it's of little value to me. While I agree that there's some basic things missing from the window manager, such as focus follows mouse, I think that downing Windows for stuff it doesn't have yet easily added for free is silly. But then again I am not the average user; I know where to look for free stuff
And for remote access to a PC, logmein.com is free, and works like gotomypc.com does.
This article is really just a thinly masked Mac leg-humping session.
Edited 2008-04-30 14:41 UTC
Member since:2005-07-06
You need to read the article ...
http://www.pcworld.com/printable/article/id,145118/printable.html
1. Expose Available on: Mac
2. Virtual Workspaces Available on: Linux, PC-BSD, Mac
3. Back to My Mac Available on: Mac
4. Screen Sharing Available on: Mac
5. Time Machine Available on: Mac
6. ISO Burning Available on: Mac, Linux, PC-BSD
7. Stickies Available on: Mac, Linux
8. Podcast Capture Available on: Mac
9. Software Repositories Available on: Linux, PC-BSD
10. Desktop Cube Available on: Linux, PC-BSD
11. Application Dock Available on: Mac
12. Automated Screen Shots Available on: Mac
13. Multitouch Trackpad Gestures Available on: Mac
14. Cover Flow Available on: Mac
15. Pre-Installed Web Server Available in: Mac, Linux, PC-BSD
16. POSIX Compliance Available on: BeOS, Mac, Linux, PC-BSD
17. Standardized Menu Ribbon Available on: Mac
18. Single-File Applications Available on: Mac
All of those are available on the default install on GNU/Linux ...
Edited 2008-05-01 00:08 UTC
Member since:2006-07-26
Xfce has stickes, so if PCBSD runs XFce, it should have them too.
Also, there is a dock available in Linux. It is called avant window manager I think.
ScreenSharing is available on Linux and Windows using VNC.
You might argue that VNC or Avant aren't included in Linux or Windows. Remember NOTHING is included in Linux. Compiz isn't, XFce isn't, Gnome isn't.
If you include anything that can be installed with a package manager in Linux, then you should include anything you can install with a web browser and double clicking on an exe in Windows. If that is the case, then a lot of what was said changes.
Edited 2008-05-01 14:18 UTC
Member since:2007-02-17
Also, there is a dock available in Linux. It is called avant window manager I think.
ScreenSharing is available on Linux and Windows using VNC.
You might argue that VNC or Avant aren't included in Linux or Windows. Remember NOTHING is included in Linux. Compiz isn't, XFce isn't, Gnome isn't.
If you include anything that can be installed with a package manager in Linux, then you should include anything you can install with a web browser and double clicking on an exe in Windows. If that is the case, then a lot of what was said changes.
Nope not the case. Any good distro should have most of these things enable by default. If that were the case then Linux would fail on all counts because at the end of the day its just a kernel, everything else is an installable package. Most distros like Ubuntu include compiz by default, as well as vnc.
Member since:2007-07-10
Member since:
2007-02-17
On that note I would have to disagree. Its more a matter of taste. The little bit of acceleration that compiz adds to most animations is visually appealing to me, while both KDE4 and Apple just move the window without any acceleration. There are things that compiz does that I miss seeing in expose sometimes. Compiz lets you do filtering by typing text if you know the app name or window title, another thing I keep trying to do in expose is right-clicking on windows to bring them to the front or pressing the middle mouse button to close windows. Its little things like that I think makes compiz batter in some ways. Other than that there are very little differences in how each one works. You can always turn off the acceleration if you don't like the, imo, more dynamic animation in compiz, and all of the other features could be turned off as well.
One feature I do like that iss missing in the list is the space bar thingy in OSX. I like being able to preview a file or get some information on a file just by tapping the space bar. That was genius imo.
Edited 2008-04-30 14:00 UTC
Member since:2007-02-27
Member since:2007-02-17
What does that have to do with Expose on the mac or the fact that I'm talking about filtering windows in in expose mode in compiz? As far as I know (and I'm using vista as I write this) you can't do that in flip3d mode. Not everything is an attack on Vista. I was comparing features between two different implementations of expose.
Member since:
2007-09-18
What the heck has the OS to do with recording podcasts?
Besides that infamous term "Podcast" is nothing else than a Soundfile that you can create in your personal way, i don't see any connection with the OS.
I'm using Mac OS X (and occ. Mac OS 9), just wanted to add that.
Member since:
2005-07-06
First off, there is definitely a reason Microsoft Windows doesn't have some of these features - it is a different economy. Microsoft has built an economy based on 3rd-party software vendors. By providing excellent development tools, from early VB to current Visual Studio, MS has paved a way for ISV to carve out a niche for themselves. This article is definitely a case of "Damned if the do, Damned if the don't". When MS integrates tools into the OS, the hurt the ISV's, and they get grief over it. Now, if they leave it to the ISV's, they are criticised. Which is it?
My second comment has to do with software repositories. I really believe this is the greatest strength of Linux/BSD. I don't just have Windows Update, I have everything-on-my-computer update. And how much easier can it get than the "Add/Remove Programs" on Ubuntu. Click the programs you want to add, and click Apply. I think package management is a must-have feature for a modern OS. It makes for a secure, easy-to-manage system.
Member since:
2005-11-13
Member since:
2006-01-06
1) Expose - Kinda useful, but since Windows has a per-window taskbar as opposed to the Mac's per-application dock, not as useful as on the Mac.
2) Virtual workspaces - Microsoft already make a powertoy (for XP at least) for this and there are several decent freeware implementations available. Useful, but not really missed.
3) Back To My Mac - Windows already has Remote Desktop, but it's not all that useful outside of a LAN unless you have a dynamic DNS provider, and even then it has no NAT traversal. I could imagine Microsoft putting together something more useful under the Windows Live or Home Server banners. Until then, LogMeIn has a free version, unlike the suggested GoToMyPC.
4) Screen Sharing - NetMeeting, Windows Meeting Space, SharedView. 'Nuff said.
5) Time Machine - Shadow Copy (mentioned in article) is part of Windows, just needs a better UI (currently accessed via file properties).
6) ISO Burning - I agree, definitely needed.
7) Stickies - Outlook has them, but I've never really seen the need to clutter up the screen with imitation post-its.
8) Podcast Capture - What? Very few people do/can/should podcast. Not really something that needs to be build in to Windows, but there is always Windows Sound Recorder (updated in Vista).
9) Software Repositories - A single application update system would be very welcome at least, although I think something more like Steam, but for all kinds of apps would work better than just coping apt.
10) Desktop cube - Would only work in conjunction with item 2, but even then, it's only a graphic effect.
11) Application Dock - Not sure exactly what it is asking for, we already have the sidebar and taskbar, what's missing?
12) Automated Screen Shots - Between "Print Screen", "Alt+Print Screen", Paint and Clipping Tool (Vista/Tablet PC), Windows has just about everything the Mac has, except I can never remember the key combinations on the Mac.
13) Multitouch Trackpad Gestures - "Some PC notebook vendors, such as AsusTek, are beginning to ship their notebooks with multitouch trackpads and the drivers required to make them work." - Already coming then.
14) Cover Flow - Just eye candy. I do, however use a cover-flow-esque UI to switch apps on Linux, so maybe a useful effect, but not something that is in any way required of Windows, in fact, I'd prefer Microsoft to come up with their own graphic effects.
15) Pre-Installed Web Server - All not non-"Home" versions of Windows already have it. Most users will never use it.
16) POSIX Compliance - Not something that should really be user-visible. Application developers can already include the cygwin runtime with their ported app, Microsoft has made several attempts at this (NT POSIX subsystem, Services For Unix, Subsystem for Unix-based Applications) none of them particularly successful.
17) Standardized Menu Ribbon - Mac UI feature. Probably better than Microsoft's current strategy of building a custom UI for every application though.
18) Single-File Applications - Would be great. Even single-folder applications (as they really are on the Mac) would be good, but Microsoft follows the philosophy of hiding things, rather than simplifying them, so very unlikely to happen.
Member since:2005-07-06
1)On Linux with KDE and Compiz, I have *both* Expose-like features and the taskbar. They are both useful, especially if you have N different windows of the same application opened and you can't easily spot them from the taskbar.
2)The MS virtual desktop powertoy is next to unusable (at least, it was on XP). It allowed only 4 desktops (I am accustomed to at least 8!!) and it worked really bad.
7)I like 'em instead. If you don't want them, just don't use that. Having more features is never bad if those don't go into your way.
Member since:2005-07-06
Member since:2005-08-31
Member since:2005-08-31
3) Hamachi and Teamviewer are free as well.
4) Use Teamviewer as well
11) i think the taskbar+task-switching+icon tray in Vista is better than Mac (except Mac had Expose). Yes, Mac had even more eye-candy.
9) Software Repositories make sense to OSS world. If Microsoft implement it, it will only bring more trouble to them!
Point 8) 11) 12) 15) were added to discredit the article itself.
17) personally, i like Microsoft style. fairly speaking, i dont see anyone really had problem with using a menu. Sure, people may be confusing switching to/from Windows/Mac
Member since:
2006-05-14
Why isnt there a way to virtualize the user space, so whatever a user installs, it does not damage the underlying system, and when you remove the user, you remove all software/changes/data from that user.
It should be beyond file/device rights or jails, the user should have access to change everything, run services, etc, yet it does it only for that user.
Member since:
2007-10-24
Single file application should be spread to all OS! Yes it takes more disk space with duplicates and common files but who cares? HD space is cheap these days and it's so much easier to manage, it keeps the bloat out of the system. It'd be even better if applications were linked to their generated files/configs and those were destroyed along the app in case of a "deinstall".
Edited 2008-04-30 14:54 UTC
Member since:
2007-04-18
I don't need or want all the flash expose/dock icon resizing. I like my menu bar to be associated with the window (and there is standardisation, File Edit View(optional) Tools(optional) Help is the standard order for windows).
Most of the rest are included third party apps. Remember MS got sued for including a web browser and a media player in it's OS, so if the powers that be believe that that is too much bundling, how would they react to an app that recorded media and published it to the web!
The only thing on that list that I agree with is ISO burning, though I wonder how often non-power-users who are not pirating software actually need to burn an ISO?
This is ridiculous list, that could easily be replaced by the sentence "Windows is not Mac OS X"
Member since:
2008-04-30
18) Single-File Applications
Already coming. Portable Applications became a trend (http://portableapps.com/, http://www.portablefreeware.com/), Thinstall (now part of VMware), Altiris (now part of Symantec) and Softgrid (now part of Microsoft) brought easier deployment with the application virtualization and now the only thing left is that the process is standardized on all windows app.
Maybe soon will be the time for a registry-free windows?
on the rest... I agree, they mostly want a mac-on-win, and many of those things aren't even useful on windows... anyways, if you want them, go get them.. there are free docks (http://rocketdock.com/, full even with leopard stacks: http://rocketdock.com/addons/docklets/1791 and another option: http://home.cogeco.ca/~rklauncher/), free Expose clones (http://devrexster.googlepages.com/)... etc.. there are also non-free ones
for the desktop cube, there was Yodm3D, that was bought by Otakusoftware, but now there is Cubik Desktop (http://www.aqua-soft.org/board/showthread.php?t=46298)...
Member since:
2006-03-10
The fact is... the per-window taskbar is a tool that works pretty well for me. Since I work on a mac I really miss it. Before I clicked on the right tab on the bar, I knew where the window was, so I had not to look for it. Now I either have to use Apple+TAB but that only switches beween Apps, or I have to use exposè, push the button, get a lot of windows that often look all the same, find the right window (I don't know where it is already), click on it. For me this is cubersome. Not really a must have.
Member since:
2005-11-11
Member since:
2005-07-08
I really miss BeOS tiny sliding window tabs, lets you stack up windows with just the tab as the visual cue, far better than iconifying. I know KDE can make windows sort of BeOS like if you want, tried that but it didn't quite feel right, the sliding part was missing IIRC. Every OS should offer this, its not a big thing to implement in the window server.
Did anyone ever do a Windows version of sliding tabs?
Of course all apps should be single file / hidden folder.
Even the OS should as much as possible be composed of single file objects that if present are available to use, would be pretty easy to upgrade or remove each item as needed.
Also I really wish C,D,E... drive names would just go away
Member since:2006-01-02
What's wrong with drive names? It really makes sense to me, actually, to separate the different physical media of the machine in the UI so users can easily know which one is their external HDD and which one is their cdrom. It's all under one namespace in NT anyway (the drive letters are just Object Manager symbolic links to \Devices\HarddiskNVolumeM).
Member since:2007-09-06
I think in WinXP, definately under Server and in Vista, you can choose to mount all drives off a root directory like the *nix folks do. If I heard correctly, letter name mount points remain for compatability with programs that can't manage without a drive:/path style setup.
If you really want drive letters to go away, you can do it already. It would be nice if that was the natural layout though.
Member since:
2006-05-13
Member since:
2005-07-12
Expose - goofy eye-candy bull cookies that is hardly missed, because we have a much CLEARER list of what applications are currently running in the Windows, KDE and Gnome world - it's called a taskbar. Expose is just oh so useful when you have three spreadsheets, two word documents, four browsers and three to six text editors open... Asking for handling multitasking how an Apple does it is a step BACKWARDS - frankly they've not even caught up to Windows 95 in that department!
Virtual Workspaces - Confuses Joe Sixpack, and frankly I've never needed it as if I need more 'workspace' I add another monitor - and have since Windows 3.1 using Targa boards. These people bragging about Twinview on linux or the total train wreck that is Xinerama need to take a look at how well it worked and how SIMPLE such things were in Win98.
Hell, Ubuntu 8.04 is the first time I've been able to get more than three displays working in the placement order I want, something I've considered basic functionality since Windows 98 and Mac System 6.
'Back to my Mac' - Sounds like a good idea for the author - Oh wait, he's talking about some the overpriced service. Rather than pay for some goof assed service, how about setting up the home PC as a server or use remote desktop. This one's just a total /FAIL/
Screen Sharing - Again, remote desktop, or more specifically "request remote assistance" which even in XP, much less Vista. The writer of the article knows jack about windows.
Time Machine - No matter how simple you make it, Joe user is going to be too lazy to bother with backups. For those of us who have important data though, I can see agreeing with this one... except anyone who has data important enough to spend the time backing up gigabytes is probably just gonna .rar or tar it anyways.
ISO Burning and Podcast Capture - and if they included it, I bet you'd have third party vendors screaming bloody murder just like they do over including a browser, a media player, .zip functionality, anti-spy tools, etc. etc. etc. Even when the competitors, as pointed out, also include THE SAME THINGS. Which is why the EU should be going after Apple for including Safari and iTunes and Ubuntu for including Firefox and Totem and/or RythmBox - for a law to be fair it MUST be applied equally. But of course, your dirty hippy FLOSS fanboys and prius driving california tofu Mac zealots can't possibly believe in fair and equal treatment.
Stickies - Funny, I just have a notepad replacement in my quicklaunch and save to the desktop with a meaningful title. Oh noes, I have to double click on it.
Software Repositories - Repositories are great, right up until you want an application that is NOT in the repositories. On windows, you download the program you want and run it... It's not that hard and billions do it daily. Big ****ing deal.
Desktop Cube - Because once again goof assed eye candy that distorts everything to the point that all those text and browser windows look the same is SO useful. Maybe if they spent less time on goofy crap like this they could write some stuff that added actual functionality?
Application Dock - up, definately a Mac *** since from a functionality standpoint the taskbar with quicklaunch kicks the Dock's ass (and I do go back and forth between OSX and WinXP to say that)- if for no other reason than it consumes less screen space. The dock is such a pathetic tool for figuring out what's running (oh yeah, those crappy little four pixel triangles are SO obvious). Sleek? That is the LAST word I'd use to describe the dock. Pain in the ASS comes to mind... But then since I prefer to run my taskbar in portrait mode on the left (especially on widescreen systems since no APPLICATIONS are really useful that direction) I tend to get more functionality out of quick launch than the dock would ever provide.
Automated Screenshots - Big ****ing deal - oh noes, you have to open an application. Honestly I prefer having an intermediate application handle that, so I can control saving the file or make necessary edits (since rarely would I want my full screencap displayed without editing out account names, etc).
Trackpad Gestures - Most of which you don't need if you add a second or ***SHOCK*** third button, much less a WHEEL. Apple accomplished trackpad gestures of course, because they have their head wedged up their ass about putting more mouse buttons on a laptop - and lack the technical foresight to design a mouse with real buttons (because 'tapping' one side is a>accurate and b>intuitive) or a trackball that can be opened up and cleaned without breaking it.
Cover Flow - Because of course, the icon is SO much more important than the title, date, filesize, and file type. Again, goof assed eye candy bull that provides LESS functionality than just switching to LIST view... Which you can navigate just fine with the keyboard and sort through a HELL of a lot quicker. (especially if you realize you can change the sort order by clicking on column headers and actually KNOW your alphabet)
Pre-installed Web Server - 'some versions' - even 98 included the personal web server, and sorry, XP home has it TOO. It's been tried, and it was a miserable failure nobody used and those who did usually ended up getting banned from their ISP for violating their EULA. Of course, having a desktop computer default to responding on port 80 is SO ******* brilliant from a security standpoint.
Posix compliance - because it has 'cost' windows so much in terms of getting developers to write software for it. Instead of posix, Microsoft took the time to make it so any jackass with a 4 year degree can churn out a VB crapplet - most of which STILL beat the tar out of 90% of the legacy crap Posix compliance would bring to the table. Remember, we're talking about the company who's representative said "DEVELOPERS, DEVELOPERS, DEVELOPERS, DEVELOPERS, DEVELOPERS, DEVELOPERS, DEVELOPERS, DEVELOPERS" - if they don't think they need posix for that, they're probably RIGHT.
Single file applications - Ok, on this I WHOLEHEARTEDLY AGREE. Every other OS has this completely *****ed up. I really like apples approach of making applications self contained to their own directories. DLL hell, dependancy hell, registry hell, inconsistant directory location hell - **** THAT SHIT. (though of course your 'binaries are evil' Gentoo FLOSS whackjobs are going to argue against this) It's one of the few things I think Apple ever did that can be held up as a shining example of how things SHOULD BE DONE. (You certainly can't do it for their rinky badly designed hardware, goof assed back-assward UI and fat bloated eye candy manure - I've seen cars built by BL that were better made)
All in all though, the article is a total miserable /FAIL/ by someone who doesn't know enough about windows to be writing such and article... Either that or they just don't use their computer to get actual WORK done on it.
Edited 2008-04-30 16:52 UTC
Member since:2007-02-17
Member since:2005-07-06
I disagree: in Windows or Linux, we have the taskbar AND the 'Alt+Tab' view/mode, Expose is a replacement (and an improvement) of the 'Alt+Tab' view/mode, this doesn't mean that the taskbar should be removed..
(sarcasm)Let them eat cake!(/sarcasm) Talk about an overpriced alternative..
I'd say that with the virtual cube for switching view a casual user shouldn't be too much confused with the virtual workspaces plus it's much cheaper and doesn't need physical space or power, so it's different.
You sound really arrogant here..
The simpler it is to backup your data, the better it is, point.
Given that Apple controls both the hardware and the software, IMHO they should do even more on this topic: provide by default an additionnal disk reserved for backup and push for configuration of online backup at first starup (to save data in case of theft|flood|fire).
Member since:2007-01-22
Member since:
2008-04-18