Bill Gates takes wraps off Microsoft Windows Vista

Reuters | January 5, 2005

[martin_fierro]

As broadband and high-definition content become more ubiquitous, Gates said the unifying factor will be software.

And the unifying factor of the software will be the universal user annoyance at all the BSODs.

[goldstategop]

Can Windows really give Apple a run for the money? The jury's still out. Right now OSX Tiger is a winner and people are waiting to see what's in store for the upcoming Leopard release.

(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")

[js1138]

...displayed a new interface with 3-D scrolling between different windows, which can appear translucent to allow users to see the information beneath

If you're going to see any information, they better be transparent rather than translucent.

[goldstategop]

OSX has had translucent effects for sometime now. Gates is always trying to play catch-up. By the time Vista comes out, Apple will have left Microsoft behind in the dust. With the Mac Mini available, there's really no compelling reason to wait for Windows Vista. The future is already here and its spelled U-N-I-X.

(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")

[js1138]

I hope you mean transparent rather than translucent.

[goldstategop]

Whatever. Its not the eye candy people are interested in. What they want to know are two things: will Windows Vista be secure from viruses and malware and will it be backwards compatible with current software applications? If it isn't, Joe Six Pack will see no reason to shell out the $$$ for a glorified version of Windows XP.

(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")

[LK44-40]

And the unifying factor of the software will be the universal user annoyance at all the BSODs.

I wish I knew what "BSODs" were, because I am pretty sure that I, too, would like to say something nasty about them.

[js1138]

No OS will ever be completely secure from programs voluntarily installed by users. 64 bit computers can be completely secure from the kind of exploit used in image files.

[HAL9000]

If you're going to see any information, they better be transparent rather than translucent.

Vista and Mac OS X both support transparency/opacity for windows, menus, etc. in their screen compositing engines. Vista uses too much translucency in their window frames, in my opinion.

[kingu]

Yeah, umm, whatever, Mr. Gates. I'm pretty sure that I'm at my last version of Windows. I've seen what your techies did to Windows Mobile 5, and am not interested in doing the same to my desktop.

XP, so long as it don't go boom, will hold me for a few years more, at the very least, and at that point, I'll consider what OS I'll be switching all my computers to... There's six in the home, four at the office, and at the predicted price structures, the money spent flipping them all to the newest version would be better spent in buying better hardware.

[grey_whiskers]

I wish I knew what "BSODs" were, because I am pretty sure that I, too, would like to say something nasty about them.

BSOD= blue screen of death. Unknown on UNIX :-)

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

Can Windows really give Apple a run for the money?

Yeah....Bill Gates and Co. are simply terrified at the prospect of having to compete with Apple. You can see it in their eyes.

[goldstategop]

I'd like to see a souped up Mac Mini with an upgradeable video card and jacks allowing easy hookup to a HDTV. It would kill Microsoft and TiVO in short order.

(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")

[ShadowAce]

[Vinnie]

I like the transparent aspect.
I can have a page up and watch a virus attacking in the background.
Sort of an MRI.

[antiRepublicrat]

Some of the elements of Vista featured in Gates' speech took aim at Microsoft's various competitors, such as Google Inc. and Apple Computer Inc. .

What could his shot at Apple have been, "Pretty soon we'll be caught up to where they were last year!"?

The interesting thing here is Flight Simulator 10.

[antiRepublicrat]

BSOD= blue screen of death. Unknown on UNIX :-)

Of course, in UNIX it's called a "kernel panic."

[unixfox]

The future is already here and its spelled U-N-I-X.

I don't know if I'd go that far. Unix has been around for almost 35 years now. It's had had more ups and downs than a yo yo. I've been doing Unix for almost 20 years and I can tell you, the "future" may still be a long way off.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

That would probably be the thing that would get me to buy an Apple product.