Hi, my name is Aubrey Island. Here you'll find stories on how I manage to juggle life as a part time web designer, tennis player and full time student (What’s up with Windows Vista Calendar?
February 13th, 2008Well, I thought about going home, but then I opened Windows Vista Calendar, and thought, maybe I should share my Vista experience with everyone.
Microsoft Never Goes the Distance
What is the deal with Microsoft just not getting it right? I’ve had my share of all operating systems, and Microsoft just doesn’t seem to get it right. I mean, I’ll be the first to say Linux never gets it right, but anyone with IT knowledge knows Linux is a server operating system [that works], that some people are trying to convert to a desktop environment, yet, to no avail. But that’s okay, they haven’t been around for years as a Desktop OS, Windows, on the other hand, has.
Even Mac OSx hasn’t been around as long, and they hit the spot for the everyday user. I had a Mac for awhile, no complaints, easy to use, it even looked better.
But recently, after loosing my iMac, I was financially bottle-necked into buying a PC. It came with Windows Vista, but I don’t know if I was more excited or scared to try it out. Upon starting it up and digging in, I had to say at first sight, I thought, maybe they got it right this time.
Using Some Apps
It’s been a good seven months, and I still stand that Windows Vista almost got it right. Like Windows Calendar, seems to be a great application ‘ala iCal. I enjoy working in Windows Calendar, until, of course, I’d like to publish a calendar; given I can successfully subscribe and email bits and pieces of my calendar to my friends. Windows Mail is a god-send, in fact, it’s probably the most useful tool in the Windows Vista suite, and most complete.
Windows Movie Maker is very basic, iMovie, of course, whoops it’s ass! And what is the freaking problem with web-cams? Why can’t I record myself directly into Windows Movie Maker? That was my favorite pastime on my iMac!
I still don’t use IE, although it’s not that bad [Firebug users know what I mean], and Windows Photo Gallery works just as great as Windows Media Player, which, in my opinion, whoops iTunes ass, given you know what you’re doing. But, if I asked my mom to find a video in my WMP or Photo Gallery, she’d be so lost.
How did Microsoft decide that was the easiest way to browse videos, music [oh, and all that other stuff]?:
But, when it comes to WPM, I love that I can just drop files into my Music and Videos folder and everything, as if by magic, pops up. I can also tell it to ignore my Pictures folder, which has tons of random [un-entertaining] videos. I can keep WPM an entertainment center, of sorts. But, that’s only because I installed a giant codec pack, I don’t recall ever doing that on my iMac.
I mean, why can’t I export an OPML in Internet Explorer, all the cool kids are doing it? And, why can’t I open ISO’s, or .tar.gz’s? It’s open source, just throw it in there. Oh, oh, and that reminds me, how come when I open a .Zip file, extracting a text document takes nine years? Who has nine billion years to empty their Recycle Bin? What is even going on? Oh, and sometimes, I can’t delete files; what’s up with that?
But, all in all, I really like Windows Vista. If asked to go back to Mac, I really wouldn’t have any real reason. The real fact of the matter, although, is that I fear Microsoft is just going to mess all this up. I’ve seen the new Live versions of some of the Windows Suite applications, and my God, they are a mess; cluttered and to complicated. That might get me back on a Mac, just because the thing with Apple is, you can always trust they are paying attention. I worry Microsoft is having a short burst of actually paying attention to the details, and then when they have us, it’s back to making money!