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Windows Vista Build 5231 Review

Posted by samzenpus on from the read-all-about-it dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Microsoft has just released a new build for Windows Vista and it looks like Microsoft has made quite a few graphical changes. "This is possibly the only application with more anticipation surrounding it than Internet Explorer 7, if not Vista itself. We wonder if Microsoft would bundle Windows Media Player 11 with Vista exclusively or would it be available for download separately for Windows XP as well. It most certainly will end up looking a lot better (graphically) than most music players out there, iTunes included. Although it appears to look pretty straightforward, the interface has changed drastically, which makes it far more attractive than Windows Media Player 10 as well as competing applications."

15 of 390 comments (clear)

  1. Not working by gregbains · · Score: 1, Informative

    Link /.'d already?? I get timeout errors.

    1. Re:Not working by bhtooefr · · Score: 2, Informative

      Show me a category view, and then I can comment.

      OS X appears to have a decent category view.

      However, the Vista screenshot you linked was in Classic view. Not only that, but it was in details view.

      XP's category view kinda blows, but let's see the Category view on Vista first.

      (Posted by someone who will NOT be running Vista. I'm just interested because I may well end up having to support the thing...)

    2. Re:Not working by Ucklak · · Score: 2, Informative

      So browser development stopped at Version 6 in 2001 and the antitrust suit probably made Microsoft scared to develop their browser anymore other than security patches.

      In regards to Media Players, they were on version 6 for the longest time IIRC then 6.4 became the defacto player and favorite among many because it was lightweight and fast.
      Someone can correct me, I'm just going from memory here:

      7 started that DRM crap and had that skinnable crap as well and was a resource hog. There was a Mac version but I don't think that skins were available.
      8 was XP exclusive and I don't know what was different from 7 to 8.
      9 seemed to be an update to 7 but didn't seem to do anything that 7 didn't do. There is a Mac version of this version where it is current.
      10 introduced HD.
      What pray tell is version 11 going to do that 10 can't?

      Now, IIRC, the only Windows version that the Media Player can be removed is the N series. Will Vista allow the media player to be removed by default or will it be some Vista-N version only allowed in the EU?

      --
      if you steal from one source, that is plagiarism, if you steal from many, well, that's just research.
    3. Re:Not working by NatasRevol · · Score: 3, Informative

      WTF, did you even try?

      Go to the desktop, View>Show View Options,

      You can:
      -change the icon size
      -change the text size
      -uncheck snap to grid

      --
      There are two types of people in the world: Those who crave closure
  2. off google by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    I typed build 5231 into google ... heck out the sreenshots from winsupersite:
      http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/winvista_5231 _gallery_02.asp

  3. MIRRORS by dsginter · · Score: 4, Informative

    Mirrors

    --
    More
  4. Re:Marketing first, function second... by Red+Flayer · · Score: 2, Informative

    "Now maybe since the thing looks prettier, they'll start working on adding some revolutionary functionality"

    Well, that's a problem. If you decide to add functionality, especially revolutionary functionality, after you've fleshed out your framework and GUI, then you have weird-ass code that isn't cohesive, nor coherent. You should start with the functionality, and finish with the bells and whistles.

    --
    "Trolls they were, but filled with the evil will of their master: a fell race..." -- J.R.R. Tolkien on Olog-hai
  5. Some working screenshots by jgritz · · Score: 4, Informative

    are here

  6. a site thats not ./'d and thoughts by jkind · · Score: 1, Informative

    http://www.winsupersite.com/reviews/winvista_5231. asp
    I'm personally anxiously awaiting to see what deformations the .NET framework has received in this process. I must say the screenshot for mediaplayer doesn't excite me at all.
    http://www.winsupersite.com/images/reviews/vista_c tp2_01.jpg as it looks just as bloated as the one I'm using now. How much do you care about being able to view the album covers? My music is all mix cd's anyway.
    I think translucent eye candy will be nice but not that big of a deal. The "Mobility" center doesn't seem to offer anything new from what I read. Just a new name/packaging. ActiveX opt-in is nice for grandma and grandpa, but most people have that setting now I'd imagine. Oh and I like the part about power management from the review. "Though the actual power management states--Sleep, Hibernation, and so on--haven't changed in this build, Microsoft tells me that it has improved the reliability of these states." So in other words its not as flakey, trust us. Independent volume control.. Now theres a feature I've been waiting for.. zzzz

    --
    ~jennifer.k~
  7. Re:I like that window selection thing by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

    That is just the full screen GUI for the Picture part of Windows Media Center. However, if you are talking about a feature like Expose on the Mac, I did think that MS was putting something like that in, and it is indeed a fast and intuitive way to navigate your windows...assuming of course that they are not all terminal windows. Text is just too hard to differentiate.

  8. Re:Too much Player! by Jugalator · · Score: 2, Informative

    Winamp was good because there was virtually nothing wasted in the display

    Then you haven't seen the "new and improved" Winamp 5. ;-)

    When will Microsoft and Real catch up?

    Uh? WMP 9

    --
    Beware: In C++, your friends can see your privates!
  9. um no by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

    wm11 has graphical album covers and stuff in the playlist, along with related online content. not that winamp5 doesnt have that, but your comment is just typical crap from someone who didnt read the article!

  10. It's the classic view of the Control Panel by janaagaard · · Score: 2, Informative
    Indeed! I find these new attempts at GUI creation to be terrible.

    I mean, look at this screenshot:
    http://www.winsupersite.com/images/showcase/vista5 231_2_cpl.jpg

    Look at all the text there! That's not a very good interface for finding the icon you want quickly and efficiently. There's too much textual distraction.

    You're looking at the Control Panel in classic view in details mode, i.e. the nerdiest mode. I guess you point is the exact reason that they've added a categorized view since Windows XP. In XP you can stick with the classic view and remove the describing text by choosing another view mode like tiles. I'm pretty shure that Vista will keep these possiblities.
  11. Re:seriously by TuringTest · · Score: 2, Informative

    what's with all the dead space around toolbars, blocks of text, etc?

    Ever heard of Fitt's Law?

    It's also a good thing to display information in a clean, uncluttered. It improves efficiency when scanning the screen for the information you need, and it reduces stress (really!) and makes for an easy-to-love interface.

    --
    Singularity: a belief in the "God" idea with the "demiurge" relation inverted.
  12. Re:In other news by Stephan+Seidt · · Score: 2, Informative

    http://yro.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=05/09/03/05 15250