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"Longhorn" Alpha Preview
An anonymous reader submitted an actual review of the leaked Longhorn Alpha. Finally someone has provided us with more than a few screenshots. Here's your chance to see what the future of the microsoft desktop is gonna look like!
I've seen loads of leaked screenshots. Why should I believe this are not faked like they rest?
what about leaked videos?
;)
I'll say it again that this server is unlikely to cope with many requests - so if anyone can provide a mirror, feel free
The "plex" theme looked familiar, and then I realized where I've seen it before. It is Redhat's Bluecurve theme, with windows with rounded corners, combined with Aqua's jellybean/translucent buttons.
Or am I imagining it?
A few things about XP are a little prettier but I have a feeling that Win2k isn't going anywhere for a long time. I use XP at home (came w/ computer) but win2k at work. No one wants to change. Interestigly there's a mix of reasons. Part of it is the the new licencing scheme and part of it is the general fear that microsoft has instilled in people with their new OS versions. General concensus seems to be that one should wait at least 1 year before considering changing to the new OS. Given that win2k is arguably really hitting maturity now (sp3) people are really likely to stay put for a while.
and speaking of the burning capability in XP...
Does anyone actually use it? The idea is good but, the interface has some problems. Drag the files that you want to burn into the CD-R's folder, see files in the folder, forget to hit burn to CD (it just puts fake links in the folder as place holders and waits for you to hit burn to CD to actually do anything). Also, I've found that it uses a screwy driver or something. I haven't been able to burn CD's reliably this way, most (>80%) are F'd up. I've had to use the burning software that came with the drive instead of using the XP interface. It's a good idea, but it doesn't seem to work. If CD-R's were still $2 each I'd be pretty pissed. Can't wait for them to mung up DVD-R burning as well.
I especially like Windows XP in this regard.. the _professional_ edition, alledgedly for business use, comes complete with "MSN Gaming Zone" .. and all the files in it are covered by Windows File Protection, so you can't delete them easily.
Dear Microsoft, this is not a way to win over your corporate customers.
I doubt Longhorn is more stable than XP (it's an alpha, after all), but I've had terrible experiences with the stability of XP. Of course, it's probably all my fault (installing drivers from the HW manufacturers instead of the ones you get from Windows Update). My point is, XP is far from crash-proof if you use crash-prone drivers. The same goes for 2000, BeOS and Linux. And probably FreeBSD, although it hasn't crashed on me yet.
The moral of this is of course: if it works, don't try to install drivers supplied by ATI.
Actually, they ultimately DO want you to log onto your own computer via .NET, and use MSN as the interface. That's essentially the direction M$'s own people have been talking about at their own seminars.
And you thought you were joking!!
~REZ~ #43301. Who'd fake being me anyway?
I don't understand why people call Windows XP or Longhorn or whatever new version of Windows "userfriendly". Look at the screenshots!
There's now some kind of sidebar which duplicates the functions of the Start menu ---> confusing to new users.
If you open Windows Explorer and check My Computer, you get a complex screen with buttons, icons and progress bars.
If you go to My Documents you get overloaded with options! Any new user will get confused by that!
Not to mention all the eyecandy. Sure, it looks nice, but all those gradients and icons do is overload the user with information. New users will get confused and will have a hard time recognizing standard controls.
The entire UI is extremely cluttered.
The Longhorn GUI is good for advanced users, but will confuse new users! If GNOME or KDE do this, the Windows people will flame us down for creating a "hacker desktop" that's "not consistent" and "overloads the user with too much information". But if Windows does this, it's suddenly allright and called "huge improvements" or "innovation".
I just don't get it...
Make a software so that everyone's grandmother can use it, and only they will ever use it.
Not true!
While your remark would be true in general, it is not true in this specific instance.
The masses of sheep who aren't enlightened to open source are locked in to windows. Its like a narcotic. They can't break free of it. (Just like 50% of slashdotters who still can't break their habit.) Therefore the existing locked in users are not who the new interfaces are designed for. The new interfaces are designed for sheep who are so sheepish that they have not yet dived in and gotten a computer. How much pain this causes existing users is irrelevant, they are stuck with it. (Except for the few who get enlightened and break the cycle.)
Your remark would be true in a general sense. Make a {car,phone,tv} so that idiots can use it, and only idiots will use it. Implication: because the non-idiots will flock to competition. But in this industry there is no significant competition.
I'll see your senator, and I'll raise you two judges.