The Web & The Wire

Technology Column with Joe Granese

April 09, 2008

Vista has its pros and cons

I’ve spent a quarter on Vista so far. Not 25 cents, but three months using the latest operating system from Microsoft on a daily basis, and I have developed some opinions, both good and bad. While my experience has been mainly positive, I do have a couple of virtual bones to pick with the Redmond gang.
I built a new computer in December and set it up under Windows Vista Ultimate, the top-of-the-line version of the new operating system, fat with features, including spanky new graphics and full media center enhancements. Fond of watching television on my computer, I felt that these would be important additions to my capabilities.
So far, Vista has been great. My migration experience was simple and pleasant. My mail and contact information converted seamlessly to the new system, as did all my documents and data files. Most of my everyday applications worked under the new environment, too. That was good news, as I have yet to come to terms with the new interface in Office 2007. Happily, my trusty Office XP works like a charm.
When I first installed Vista, I was thrilled with Aero, the glitzy new user interface graphical display. The colors were rich and vibrant, and I even enjoyed the transparent folders that drove many users mad. The honeymoon was over in just a few weeks, as I found the fanciness more and more annoying.

You just can’t go back
I set my display back to Classic mode, expecting to find the same old friendly look that I had been using since Windows 98 debuted. Sadly, it was not to be. While much of Vista did look like the old system, plenty of things had been irretrievably changed. Classic mode was no longer classic.
I was most annoyed by the menu system within the folders. Older versions offered just enough information to operate efficiently, with a few customization options to let users personalize their system. In Vista, no matter how hard you try, you cannot return to those simple old windows.
My menu bars keep changing on their own, responding to the contents of the folders without input or instruction from me. When I attempt to customize them, they return to their own preferred format in just a few days. At first I thought I was barmy as the Bolivar and began to keep notes. Surprisingly, I was still sane, and my observations were correct.
Worse, my default desktop arrangement was no longer working correctly. I like to create two application folders on the desktop and leave them open all the time. Windows contains a setting that directs the OS to remember their state, but Vista occasionally decides that a better arrangement is available.
So, some mornings I boot up to see my folders in their normal configuration, symmetrically arranged top to bottom with medium icons. Other days, like today, I am greeted by square folders, one filled with large icons, the other in list view.
Again, I hustled online and found many other users complaining about the same kinds of problems. I tried most of the fixes with no success. Now I have simply modified my daily routine to include a little extra time for folder arrangement.

Help is on the way
Slow file copy speed was another problem that many users found annoying. Microsoft has prepared Service Pack 1 for Vista, but has not, at the time I write this, released it to the public. I managed to secure a copy and install it, and found that my copy and delete times improved. While it is still slower than good ol’ XP, I have happily moved the problem into the “solved” column.
Finding solutions in Vista is incredibly easy, thanks to the uncanny speed of the search routine. A sophisticated indexing system keeps everything handy. When you want to find a file, even if you only know one word in the title, you can have an array of possible candidates in front of you in no time.
Given that I have kept full images of my last four computers on this system, and now carry almost 3TB of storage, searching for one little text file from 2001 could be an Herculean task. Instead, it is a pleasure, thanks to Vista. When I return to my XP computer at work, I find myself a lot less excited about having to find something.

Building better shortcuts
Another pet peeve involved the creation of shortcuts in Vista. I like to have shortcuts to my most frequently used programs accessible at all times. Back in the days of XP, shortcuts were clearly marked as shortcuts, a system that threw off the symmetry of my folders. Fortunately, there was an easy fix for the problem.
Vista improved the shortcutting issue somewhat by putting the marker at the end of the filename. This allowed shortcuts to alphabetize properly, but still created annoyingly large names.
As I was writing this column, a neighbor handed me a post from a Vista forum explaining how to correct the problem.
This operation is one of those “Kids, don’t try this at home!” items, because messing with one’s registry can be a nonstop ticket to Meltdown City. If you are determined to find it, a little bit of Googling should point you in the right direction. Use all registry mods at your own risk, and remember that I warned you not to do it. Mine works great, by the way, but I have always enjoyed living on the edge.

Time for a game break
All work and no play is not my idea of a good time, so I like to parcel my productivity between frequent game breaks to keep my mind fresh. I have already discussed “Ink Ball” at length in an earlier review. While I have countless options for a quick play break, I find myself playing Vista’s free “Mahjong Titans” frequently.
Sure, all mahjong games are essentially the same, but this one is great fun. The object is to remove pairs of tiles from the board until none remain. “Mahjong Titans” offers a beautiful 3-D display with just enough sound and visual effects to enhance the experience.
When you remove a pair of dragons, for example, they warp out in a pleasant pyrotechnic poof. The sounds are not loud enough to wake up your entire household if you decide to play at night, but I suggest turning down the volume a bit if you start up a quick game at work. The game appears on the premium versions of Vista, another great reason to upgrade.
I have more high and low points to discuss, but that will have to wait for another column. With Microsoft cutting off XP sales at the end of June, the time is right to begin considering making the move to Windows Vista. So for me, so far, so good. I would like to hear your Vista stories. Let me know how you feel about the sleek new OS by email to granese@juno.com.