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Windows Vista, More Than Just a Pretty Face

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the don't-judge-a-book-by-its-bsod dept.

Nash writes "Ars Technica takes a look under the hood of Vista, discussing the need for a new API and comparing the graphics engine in Vista to that of Mac OS X. 'With Windows Vista it will be possible to implement Exposé properly-with live window updates and low system overhead. That said, it doesn't thus far look like Microsoft will be doing anything so useful as Exposé. Though the blurred glass effect is rather attractive, it's not exactly useful. Other visual effects include miniature window previews when the mouse cursor is hovered over taskbar buttons and an upgraded alt-tab device, and Flip3D.'"

3 of 381 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Glass Effect and Screenshots by Applekid · · Score: 4, Insightful

    This is one feature I really like. I remember using NVTools to make all my windows in XP 75% transparent so I could "multitask" my screen real estate. Some applications which bypass the regular Windows GDI API tended to not be transparent and it usually was all for the best (games, mostly).

    While I hardly ever have to perform screenshots, I guess now you just need to set up your desktop for a snapshot just like you might have to set up to get a halfway decent picture of anything in real life.

    (I don't have Vista, but surely there's a way to turn off Aero if it's that big a deal?)

    --
    More Twoson than Cupertino
  2. Re:Glass Effect and Screenshots by Hatta · · Score: 4, Insightful

    This is one feature I really like. I remember using NVTools to make all my windows in XP 75% transparent so I could "multitask" my screen real estate.

    Real operating systems have virtual desktops so you don't have to layer everything 3 windows deep. Vista doesn't even have a power tool to do it.

    --
    Give me Classic Slashdot or give me death!
  3. Re:Can you give me one good reason to "upgrade" ? by dc29A · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Other than the pretty new theme, is there *any* new features that are relevant to anyone?

    There are some interesting features of Vista, but none that can impress the computer illiterate folks other than: "Hey, it's pretty!". Tell computer illiterate people about UAC, SuperFetch, new IP stack, new driver model, display driver in User space, DX10 and whatnot and they'll stare at you as if you are talking some alien language. Of course once you mention they need to buy more memory (probably new PC so they see the "pretty") because their 256/512 MB laptop would crawl under Vista ... they won't upgrade.

    But it's pretty! Then again, my mom would probably be lost with the new UI especially IE7, even if it's "pretty".