10 ways that Vista is even more annoying now that Windows 7 is out.

Wednesday, November 4, 2009 by Frogboy | Discussion: Personal Computing

It’s no secret I was a bit disappointed with Windows Vista. It was an incredibly ambitious project that delivered a massive, under-the-hood update to Windows. Where it failed was that it was released just a bit too early.  Too early means not enough polish on things that could have dramatically improved the first impression of the new OS.

Here is what I said back in 2006 prior to Vista’s launch:

What will happen if they ship Windows Vista if it comes out in 1Q2007? I predict it will be a disaster. Driver compatibility, rough edges in software working, weird and unpolished UI design, etc.  The acronymn UAC will come to haunt Microsoft and they will rue the day they didn't wait just a few more months to get driver compatibility together.

Windows 7, by contrast, is all about polish. It fixes the mistakes made with Windows Vista.

Unfortunately, I still have to deal with Windows Vista. And now, even issues I hadn’t noticed before in Windows Vista become painfully obvious now that I’m used to Windows 7.

Below are 10 things that are driving me crazy about Windows Vista now that I’ve got Windows 7.

 

Reason #1: Nothing is ever responding

image 

In Windows Vista, it seems like the OS is just waiting to declare a window isn’t responding. This is particularly obnoxious when it comes to network windows.  The Windows 7 GUI is much more responsive and it’s far less likely to have that annoying “not responding” behavior occur.

 

Reason #2: The UAC

image

I still can’t believe Microsoft hasn’t updated UAC in Windows Vista so to make it less annoying.  Every time I go back to a Windows Vista machine, it’s one of the first things that comes up. Prompts. Prompts. Prompts over the silliest of things.

2009-11-04_0958

On Windows 7, there’s a lot more control of these annoyances. Windows is still the “are you sure” OS but it’s a lot less annoying.

 

2009-11-04_1000

Programs like Tweak 7 make it easy to further refine this. For instance, the delay/darkening of the screen theoretically can add more security but it’s just annoying. On Windows 7, I can turn that off.

 

Reason #3: Basic Usability

image

In Windows Vista, if you want to change the resolution, you either use the video card’s built in add-on (seen at the top) or you have to jump through menus. It’s ridiculous.

 

menuy

in Windows 7, you can get to screen resolution quickly by default. A very nice touch.

 

Reason #4: The System Tray

image

I had no idea how annoying the system tray system of Windows Vista (and before) was until I started using Windows 7.  Going back to Windows Vista is like going back to system tray hell.

 

2009-11-04_0952

No comparison. On Windows 7, it’s clean and nice.

 

Reason #5: Explorer Usability

image

Windows Vista (above) is just a lot less useful with explorer even though it seems more cluttered (to me anyway).

 2009-11-04_0955

By contrast, Windows 7 (above) has common sense options up above and the navigation pane on the left is much more useful as well.

Reason #6: Customization – Vista sucks at it.

image

For reasons unknown, Microsoft insisted on putting lots of hard-coded colored images in the Vista UI. 

Windows 7 still has the problem somewhat (baby blue) but it’s a lot easier for programs to customize a color than it is to deal with an image.  So if you run a program like WindowBlinds that lets you customize Windows, Windows 7 makes life even better.

 

Reason #7: Cyan borders.

image

This goes with Microsoft’s love affair with various blue-like colors being baked in. Vista had cyan borders on the edges.

2009-11-04_0953a

On Windows 7, the colors are neutral.  I should also add that Aero doesn’t have that annoying reflection texture in it anymore.

 

Reason #8: Useless network object

image

How often are you going to want to sift through all the computers on your network?  Windows 7 cleans up (it could still be better) the network experience.

 

Reason #9: Devices

2009-11-04_0953

This is something that seems obvious in hindsight but Windows Vista does not have it. A nice, simple screen for dealing with the real world stuff that people use.

 

Reason #10: Windows XP mode

Windows 7 Professional and Ultimate include “Windows XP mode”. For most people, it’s not a big deal. But it’s a handy tool that one would have thought Vista would have included for programs that had compatibility problems.

image

You can install things from within the environment and then they will run seamlessly on your desktop.

image

So if you have programs that don’t like Vista (or Windows 7) you can run them within Windows XP on the desktop.  Unfortunately, it doesn’t work well with games very well.

But imagine how things might have gone with Windows Vista if it had had something like this. 

 

There you have it…

Well look here, I just got handed a Windows 7 Professional DVD.  Goodbye Windows Vista.

First Previous Page 1 of 5 Next Last
Charvel1
Reply #1 Wednesday, November 4, 2009 1:23 PM

Reason #11: Homegroups

I upgraded my wife's laptop and my own laptop back in August to Windows 7 RTM and one of the best features for sharing stuff across our computers was this Homegroups thing. It's so easy a caveman could do it.

Myles
Reply #2 Wednesday, November 4, 2009 2:05 PM

That's it!

cplair
Reply #3 Wednesday, November 4, 2009 2:11 PM

I respect and appreciate your impartiality with this Brad

 

DrJBHL
Reply #4 Wednesday, November 4, 2009 2:25 PM

I've got to say that I agree with every single point. The UAC though, is making me pull my hair out. They should have done a whole lot more with the UAC. I hope to see "adjustments" in the future. The way it is now disappoints me.

vStyler
Reply #5 Wednesday, November 4, 2009 2:29 PM

I agree with all of them, some nice little improvements that set it apart from vista ... except resolution in the menu, most monitors operate at a native resolution thesedays and anything else is blurry or at the wrong ratio, should be set and forget. Having it clutter up the menu is redundancy imo for most people who don't change res. for testing purposes.

I'll be removing all useless context menu entries with a nifty little app I use.. hopefully it works in 7.

Charvel1
Reply #6 Wednesday, November 4, 2009 2:35 PM

I've got to say that I agree with every single point. The UAC though, is making me pull my hair out. They should have done a whole lot more with the UAC. I hope to see "adjustments" in the future. The way it is now disappoints me.

I agree. I wish they would make it so that it 'remembered' your decisions on certain pop-up boxes that come up to ask for your permission. For example, I have Xfire installed and whenever it comes up a UAC box comes up that says 'Do you want this program to alter stuff on your hard drive.' Or something to that effect. I choose Yes every time and I wish it would remember that. Sort of like an 'Always trust' button or something.

Philly0381
Reply #7 Wednesday, November 4, 2009 2:44 PM

I would not have expected anything else from the owner of a cutting edge software company that is there for the expressed purpose of enhancing the user interface to one that is not only more pleasent to use but also increases your productivity.

Congratulations Brad for always trying and being one step ahead of the rest.

Rishkith
Reply #8 Wednesday, November 4, 2009 2:49 PM

I like Penny Arcade's take on it:

BoXXi
Reply #9 Wednesday, November 4, 2009 3:16 PM

The thing that annoys me the most about Vista is that the "Recent Places" thingy on the left side of windows has NEVER worked!! Is it a setting I missed that makes it work? And I really hate the fact that the "Enhanced Menu" program that Stardock made doesn't seem to work on Vista..... That was the best program ever made for me!!!

(Please make it work Brad........ )

BoXXi
Reply #10 Wednesday, November 4, 2009 3:18 PM

I meant "Enhanced Dialog" program.......  I miss it SO much!

 

RedneckDude
Reply #11 Wednesday, November 4, 2009 3:25 PM

I like the UAC disabled....that's the ticket!  7 Rocks. Good article Brad!

Hawawaa
Reply #12 Wednesday, November 4, 2009 6:09 PM

LOL that picture is so true!

AzDude
Reply #13 Wednesday, November 4, 2009 6:20 PM

Cameochi
Reply #14 Wednesday, November 4, 2009 8:58 PM

When I had Vista, I seemed to spend an awful lot of time under the hood.  I like the Aero effect, transparency, etc. but it always seemed just a little buggy.  Now that I have Windows 7, it's like coming home.  As you said, polished and smooth but also rock solid and no blue screens of death like I got with Vista at first.  I have Windows Home Premium so no XP mode but Windows 7 pulls no bones about compatibility.  It stops you from installing software that will cause problems.  I would rather it do that than let me install something that will cause problems.  I did get annoyed with the UAC so turned it off until I finish updating some of my software.  Still, it's not nearly as annoying as Vista. 

I agree with all of the reasons you stated and I am glad to be done with Vista.  For those considering an upgrade, it's simple and straight forward.  This is the first OS that I've ever installed as soon as it came out.  Usually I wait for SP1.  Not necessary this time.  Windows 7 is absolutely awesome.  It's everything you wished for with Vista. 

Jafo
Reply #15 Wednesday, November 4, 2009 9:18 PM

I managed to avoid Vista...other than an early beta....
....can't say I missed it...
I may give it another go via TechNet and VMWare...just for 'kicks'...

Agent of Kharma
Reply #16 Wednesday, November 4, 2009 10:20 PM

You could have avoided yourself all the annoyance by simply not ever going over to Vista, like me.  Of course, you might not have had that option, being a developer and all....

Jafo
Reply #17 Wednesday, November 4, 2009 10:24 PM

Of course, you might not have had that option, being a developer and all....

Sadly, no...

Audiafox
Reply #18 Saturday, November 7, 2009 5:24 PM

I recently found out I could get Windows 7 for $30 with a student discount through my university, but sadly it would be a bit of a waste to put it on my piece of crap computer.  Now I'm torn between waiting to get Windows 7 with a new computer, or just upgrading this one, silly as it would be.

Jafo
Reply #19 Saturday, November 7, 2009 8:49 PM

I recently found out I could get Windows 7 for $30 with a student discount through my university, but sadly it would be a bit of a waste to put it on my piece of crap computer. Now I'm torn between waiting to get Windows 7 with a new computer, or just upgrading this one, silly as it would be.

I fyour 'crap computer' can run Vista it'll definitely handle 7 ....and thank you for it...

zakai1369
Reply #20 Saturday, November 7, 2009 9:30 PM

and no blue screens of death like I got with Vista at first.

 

Just the opposite for me. I never had that problem with Vista (of course I didn't get it until just before SP2) but I've had it 3 times so far this week since installing 7.

Overall though it seems pretty good other than a couple of cosmetic flaws and not having the option of the quick launch anymore.

Please login to comment and/or vote for this skin.

Welcome Guest! Please take the time to register with us.
There are many great features available to you once you register, including:

  • Richer content, access to many features that are disabled for guests like commenting on the forums and downloading skins.
  • Access to a great community, with a massive database of many, many areas of interest.
  • Access to contests & subscription offers like exclusive emails.
  • It's simple, and FREE!



web-wc01