The 18: Features Windows Can or Already Has – Part 1
PC World – 18 Features Windows Should Have (but Doesn’t)
18 Features Windows Should Have (but Doesn’t) … Or Does It? – SuperSite Blog
Paul Thurrott is my Windows hero. He knows the real truth about Windows and it capabilities. He pointed to this almost absurd article on PC World by Robert Strohmeyer about features that Windows should have. Then, he rebutted. Now, my take on the whole debacle after the cut.
1. Exposé – Mac feature that displays all the open windows at once so you can select which one you want to go to.
In my opinion, I love Exposé on my Mac. When I’m at work I wish I had it there and even occasionally I do at home. I miss that squeeze of the mighty mouse to quickly display everything on the screen. However, Paul is right, it’s just a next-gen window switching, but it’s really slick and quick. I do have to say that the Windows’ Alt+Tab is better than Mac’s Cmd+Tab. Windows switches between (gasp) windows, while Mac switches between Programs, but you need to use Cmd+`to cycle through the windows of that program. This isn’t as easy as it should be. Hence, Exposé. You can get something of Exposé using a program called iEx. Thus, this problem is solved. Sorry Robert, Paul is right, Yawn, I have Exposé.
2. Virtual Workspaces – Basically, multiple desktops. Mac OS X calls this feature Spaces.
This feature is really cool! I never really use it. I’ve tried but it just has not been useful for me. Hey, look, Virtual Desktop Manager PowerToy for XP. Well, XP’s got it. What about Vista? Well, apparently Microsoft doesn’t provide one but CodePlex has something for you and it actually works with XP also. By the way, the reason why this works; the ability has been in Windows the whole time, you just needed something to control it.
Strohmeyer 0, Thurrott 2.
3. Back to My Mac – Access your Mac from any other Mac.
If you’re using Windows, why would you be going back to your Mac? Anyway, I’m going to have to mark this one up to Strohmeyer almost. The only problem is that in order to use this feature on a Mac you need a .Mac account. It’ll cost ya $99 a year. Is it really worth it? Now, Microsoft is coming out with Live Mesh and Folder Share, which so far will be free services, you’ll be able to access most things. The only problem is that it’s not like remote assistance, to do that you can hook up with things like WebEx, GoToMeeting, DimDim, or Windows Remote Desktop Assistance, but that still requires someone to be on the host computer to use it. I think Microsoft could use their Windows Live services to provide this ability. Free would be great but a small fee would not be to bad either.
Strohmeyer 1, Thurrott 2
4. Screensharing – Nuff Said.
WebEx, GoToMeeting, DimDim, Microsoft SharedView Beta2 or Windows Remote Desktop Assistance. Nuff Said.
Strohmeyer 1, Thurrott 3
5. Time Machine
This was almost a Strohmeyer score for this round. Time Machine really beats any backup utility for Windowsthat I could find. More in the user UI at least. However, Vista does have a backup utility Windows Backup and Restore Center which gives you an Automatic Backup and Complete PC Backup options. Unfortunately, the Complete PC Backup is only available for Business, Ultimate, and Enterprise editions. Windows Home Server also provides an automatic backup function for all your Windows Machines on your network. This one I’ll call a tie as Windows just doesn’t have a utility as slick as Time Machine.
Strohmeyer 2, Thurrott 4
6. ISO Burning
Honestly, how many people actually need to burn ISOs? It’s nice that Linux and Mac provides it as a system function but at this juncture, who cares. Go to Download.com and search for ISO Burning and you get a whole bunch of programs. There is no lack in ISO Burning so this does not count.
Strohmeyer 2, Thurrott 5
7. Stickies
Stickies 6.0c found on Download.com. 5 Star Editor’s Choice Rating, and 4.5 stars for User Rating, totally free. Do you think Microsoft could have made a Stickies program this well liked to be integrated into the operating system? I don’t think so.
Strohmeyer 2, Thurrott 6
8. Podcast Capture.
Essentially what Strohmeyer is talking about here is Podcasting Software. Honestly, I haven’t really found the perfect solution for this on either the Mac or the PC. In General, Mac has Garageband which does a really good job of creating a podcast but it doesn’t quite have the features and flexibility that I want. Garageband is easy to use but it doesn’t allow you to trigger items in real time. Also, you have to download and install at least 2 other pieces of software and do several configuration steps to get Garageband to record a Skype call. No matter if you are on Mac, Linux, or Windows, Podcasting is not necessarily simple. Adobe Audition and the open source Audacity are great programs for recording multitrack audio. Then you can use a program like EasyPodcast to fill in all the metadata. Next, upload it to Mevio, Libsyn, or even Archive.org for your podcast hosting. Next, create a blog on WordPress.com or Blogspot or other blog site and you are ready to go.
Strohmeyer 2, Thurrott 7
9. Software Repositories. Find new software for your computer.
This is a Linux and PC-BSD feature. In Ubuntu, you are able to open up a windows, browse for software, check them off, hit apply, and Ubuntu installs them for you. This is a great utility and would definitely be a nice feature. However, some programs may not get registered for the Repository or what have you. Thurrott argues that Windows Marketplace and Digital Locker take care of this. I would also argue that CNET’sDownload.com would help in this. It doesn’t necessarily help with the ease of install but it would help with discovering new software. As Linux and PC-BSD have a very small marketshare, they need to give people something to help them discover new software, Windows and OS X don’t have that problem. Software Repositories are just not needed.
Strohmeyer 2, Thurrott 8
We’re half way through the course, I’ll post the back 9 soon.
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