The 18: Features Windows Can or Already Has – Part 2
PC World – 18 Features Windows Should Have (but Doesn’t)
18 Features Windows Should Have (but Doesn’t) … Or Does It? – SuperSite Blog
The Score is Strohmeyer 2, Thurrott 8. Not looking good for Strohmeyer. I also have to say, Strohmeyer even shoots himself in the foot by proving himself wrong in most of these. Let’s get back to it.
10. Desktop Cube – Linux feature that allows you to switch between desktops by rotating a cube.
I’m agreeing with Thurrott here, you didn’t just mention a visual effect for desktop switching. Note that Strohmeyer did not say “Virtual Desktops” as that was covered previously. Honestly, not that many people do use virtual desktops, so why should Microsoft add in this neat visual effect? I admit, it’s cool, but not necessary.
Strohmeyer 2, Thurrott 9
11. Application Dock – Found on Mac OS X
Umm, this is called the Task Bar in Windows and in my humble opinion, it works much better. START MENU FTW!
Strohmeyer 2, Thurrott 10
12. Automated Screen Shots
This I’m actually going to agree with. Basically all Strohmeyer is asking for is for screen shots to be saved to the desktop or something. Honestly, why isn’t think enabled in Windows? This should have been a basic when they set up Screen shots. Now, on Thurrott’s defense, there are plenty of free screen shots programs. Windows Vista comes with a Snipping Tool. My personal favorite screen shot program at the moment is Snag It, however, that’s not a free tool. It does have some nice features like recording screencasts. Snag It is not what we’re talking about here. Screen shot systems should be snap-save. The screen shot should not be put into the clipboard and not saved. This just makes the feature a lot more difficult to use. Come on Microsoft, save the screen shots as a jpg somewhere.
Strohmeyer 3, Thurrott 10
13. Multitouch Trackpad Gestures
Windows machines have already started with this by the fact that you can scroll by dragging your finger along the right side or bottom of the trackpad. Yes, the scrolling feature is a gesture. Now what Strohmeyer is pointing out is the additional gestures that Apple has added to the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro. The pinch, the using multiple fingers to flip through pictures and such. This is relatively new and the hardware to support this is starting to come out. I’m sure in either a Vista Service Pack or in Windows 7 we will get this support for windows application. Sorry, Strohmeyer, Thurrott gets this one. Besides, I’m not sure if I’d ever use the gestures.
Strohmeyer 3, Thurrott 11
14. Cover Flow
Really? Do we really need cover flow? I mean, it’s nice for browsing through my music in iTunes but I next to never use it in the Finder. On my Windows machines, iTunes does cover flow. I don’t need it in Explorer, I’ve got thumbnails.
Strohmeyer 3, Thurrott 12
15. Pre-Installed Web Server
How many people actually use this? Seriously. And, people who would would either use a Linux box or have more than Vista Basic or want to use Apache anyway.
Strohmeyer 3, Thurrott 13
16. POSIX Compliance
NT had this feature and we’re still using NT, but there wasn’t much interest in it. So it was dropped but still available separately.
Strohmeyer 3, Thurrott 14
17. Standardized Menu Ribbon
Sigh. Menu bars should be on the application itself, not at the top of the screen. I do agree that there should be more standards on where some of the options are but honestly, it’s almost an unspoken rule for Windows developers to put some menu options under certain menus. Most of the time there are the File, Edit, View, Tools, and Help Menus. The Help Menu is very much the same, but the other menus are pretty standard with other options appearing as oppropriate. New, Open, and Save are always in the File Menu; Copy, Cut, and Paste are in the Edit Menu; Preferences are always in the Tools Menu although it’s sometimes named Options. Either way it’s pretty standard.
Strohmeyer 3, Thurrott 15
18. Single File Applications
So, you think Strohmeyer had got Thurrott on this one? Essentially, the install of a program is drag and drop into the applications folder. Uninstall is to drag the program into the trash. Now, the problem with Strohmeyer’s argument is . . . even the Mac doesn’t have Single File Applications. Essentially the “file” is a package of other files, kind of like a zip file. When you double click the package, it launches the program within using the resources within the package. There’s no registry, no shared libraries, nothing. It’s actually a very good program set up. Now, Microsoft has something called SoftGrid which does this for some business applications but it’s only available for business. Also, this type of set up is somewhat how it works for PortableApps which basically gives you the ability to install the program into a directory and then you can just copy the program to a USB drive to be used on any computer. Not as easy as just putting everything in a package file but it’s at least portable. This round is a tie as both Strohmeyer and Thurrott agree.
Strohmeyer 4, Thurrott 16
Final thoughts. Strohmeyer is weak in his article for a couple of reasons. 1) He talks about a bunch of features that most people will never use, and 2) He keeps proving himself wrong by giving solutions on how to get the feature in Windows. He’s not proving his point as to why these features should be put into Windows as an OS feature. Some features, like the Desktop Cube and Cover Flow, are just looks. It’s not necessarily something that an OS needs. I mean, the Mac doesn’t have a Desktop Cube to switch between it’s spaces desktop. Linux doesn’t have Cover Flow and I don’t think developers are going to add the functionality anytime soon. Strohmeyer, your only strengths in this article are Automated Screen Shots and Single File Applications. That’s not strong enough. Give me something more.
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