Koroush Ghazi (of Windows Vista's Enthusiastic Licensing Restrictions fame) has written an intriguing article about resolving some of the problems he sees in Windows Vista (among other things). This is a valid effort, of course. But what I really like about it is the way he frames his work:
This article ... takes an objective and up-to-date look at the current state of Vista, with a range of facts, clear examples and informed opinions aimed squarely at debunking a lot of the myths and FUD we've been gagging on for the past year. So for those of you still considering whether to make the switch from XP, for those of you who want to abandon Vista and go back to XP, for those of you who used Vista a while ago and who are wondering whether it's worth using again now - this article puts things in perspective with the latest facts.
What this article doesn't do: it doesn't try to make you believe that Vista is the greatest (or worst) thing since sliced bread. It doesn't try to force you to think a certain way by taking liberties with the truth just to prove a point. It doesn't try to highlight how witty and incisively sarcastic I can be. And most certainly this article doesn't try to dazzle you with technical jargon.
Some of the annoyances he tackles include:
1. Constantly Changing Folder Views
2. Nagging UAC Prompts
3. Constant Hard Drive Activity
4. Vista Has Bad Driver Support
5. Vista Is A Memory Hog
6. Drive Space Keeps Shrinking
7. Windows Photo Gallery Freezes
8. Vista's Eye Candy is a Performance Drain
9. Vista Is Loaded With DRM
Frankly, some of these are real annoyances, while others are just FUD/misunderstandings/lies, perhaps spread by annoying people. But fair enough: When it comes to Vista, you almost have to address the imagined problems along with the real ones.
He also goes on to discuss reasons you should like Vista. I feel that I covered that stuff enough.
I am, however, interested in discussing Vista problems. You know, real problems that really occur and to real people, really. Stuff I see that I'd like to have fixed. I know others have tried to address these issues in various ways. But maybe it's time for something a little more intelligent than a "what Microsoft needs to fix in Windows 7 list." You know, something along the lines of "what Microsoft should fix by Vista SP2." Real world stuff.
So what am I talking about?
How about the weird folder/file deletion bugs where you somehow can't get the proper privileges to delete something even though you've navigated through all the required UAC prompts?
Why do Windows Sidebar gadgets move across the screen, right to left, over time, when not attached the Sidebar (i.e. floating on the desktop)?
Why is networking so obtuse in Windows Vista? The Location dialog (home, work, public) is wonderful. Network and Sharing is a disaster.
Why can't Windows burn and create ISO files?
Why can't I have different backgrounds (or background colors) on different monitors? Or span a widescreen image across multiple monitors?
Why does Windows Vista feel the need to tell me (via balloon window) when it has successfully done something (like install a driver)? Isn't "just working" the baseline? Bug me when something goes wrong, and leave me alone otherwise. Just work.
Why doesn't the Explorer Favorites list order itself consistently between different window types (like File Open and Computer)? Why doesn't IE remember the size of its File Open dialog when I resize it?
Why doesn't Windows Vista just remember per-folder settings every single time and without question?
And so on.