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Mac: Hints of change | |
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| Time: 15:26 EST/20:26 GMT | News Source: Macworld | Posted By: Andre Da Costa | ||
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Since Steve Jobs returned to Apple, only the Power Mac G4 Cube and the round mouse spring to mind as clear missteps. Microsoft, on the other hand, stumbles around as though someone tied its shoelaces together. When the company initially talked up its upcoming Longhorn (now renamed Vista) operating system, it claimed that the new OS would be the same kind of built-from-the-ground-up effort as Mac OS X. After years of delay, Microsoft eventually released four flavors of a tarted-up version of Windows XP that even Windows enthusiasts find to be slow, bloated, and bug ridden. | ||
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| #1 By 32132 (142.32.208.234) at 5/14/2007 4:24:08 PM |
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"Apple’s numbers are up."
Not so. They've lost 3.8% of the music player market in 3 months. "According to sales numbers consolidated by NPD Group for the month of March, Apple iPod sales were down as the player lost market share again. The iPod fell below 70 percent market share for the first time since early 2006. Picking up the extra share was SanDisk which reached 11.2 percent, and Creative which reached 3.6 percent." "Apple held onto a 68.9 per cent share, down from 72.3 per cent in February and 72.7 per cent in January." http://www.afterdawn.com/news/archive/9680.cfm |
| #2 By 3653 (68.52.143.149) at 5/14/2007 4:28:25 PM |
| me smells flamebait. no thanks. |
| #3 By 23275 (24.179.4.158) at 5/14/2007 4:58:12 PM |
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Andre, Andre, Andre... what is an Awin'er to do...?
You start with this, then add what is at best, a blog post recap from Angus Kidman at this post, http://www.macobserver.com/article/2007/05/14.9.shtml Mac Observer? Macworld? After I toss back some chow, I'm going to post my own 10 things I love about Windows Vista and Microsoft at each of these. |
| #4 By 32313 (208.131.186.18) at 5/14/2007 5:22:12 PM |
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Hey lketchum,
I would love to hear your 10 favorite things about Vista. :) |
| #5 By 17996 (131.107.0.105) at 5/14/2007 6:32:15 PM |
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"... [Microsoft] claimed that the new OS would be the same kind of built-from-the-ground-up effort as Mac OS X."
I stopped reading right there. Microsoft never claimed such a thing; Longhorn was always built upon the existing foundation of previous Windows versions. What *was* going to be different, is that there would be very few "old-style" Win32 APIs, and all the new developer features would be via managed code (WinFX). Well, that was a terrible idea (as I remember saying at the time), so after the restart, most of the OS's new developer features are still Win32 APIs; the former WinFX (.NET 3.0: WPF, WCF) is separate enough that it's hardly accurate to call them features of the OS. Microsoft already did its "start from scratch" effort back when it started on NT back in 1989. It took 12 years (till XP's release in 2001) for that OS to truly become mainstream, but they did it, and aren't about to scrap it all and start over again. |
| #6 By 23275 (24.179.4.158) at 5/14/2007 6:39:04 PM |
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Ok, here it is, my Top Ten Things I Love About Windows Vista personal list.
In many cases the things I love about Windows Vista are not the features that others most often list - they are in many cases, the things that pundits rarely speak to, or that underwrite the operating system's functions in one or more ways. I've provided a link to more information about each item and a brief reason why I like it, or it why it is significant to users. I've also tried to cover related topics in several areas - to provide information for most types of users and engineers. 10 - Windows Vista's Integrity Mechanism Windows Vista includes an addition to the access control security mechanism of Windows that labels processes and other securable objects with an integrity level. Internet-facing programs are at higher risk for exploits than other programs because they download untrustworthy content from unknown sources. Running these programs with fewer permissions, or at a lower integrity level, than other programs reduces the ability of an exploit to modify the system or harm user data files. Internet Explorer 7 in Windows Vista uses the Integrity Mechanism and it is what is behind IE 7's Protected Mode. But That is only the beginning - ANY developer has access to the tools that make this possible and it gets better, any single process may be executed in this space, or any grouping of them - so the parts of an application that face the Internet should use them. Think of these as objects, or securable objects in MS speak - see, http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa379557.aspx also see, http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/IETechCol/dnwebgen/ProtectedMode.asp 9 - User Interface Privilege Isolation (UIPI)prevents processes from sending selected window messages and other USER APIs to processes running with higher integrity. If UAC and Protected Mode are straight rights in Vista's security arsenal, the UIPI is one of Vista's stiff jabs. UIPI continually counters attempts to escalate processes and it keeps bad-guy-code off balance. At the same time, it provides developers with an easy way to check process escalation without burning the user experience. Go here to learn how to use it, http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms644950.aspx 8 - Windows Imaging Format I can't say enough good about how Microsoft has made installing and deploying Windows Vista so easy, fast and consistent. (WIM) is a file-based disk image format. WIM files are created with a command-line tool named ImageX. It is officially available in several of Microsoft's deployment tools, such as in the Windows Automated Installation Kit (WAIK), Windows OEM Pre-installation Kit (OPK) or in Business Desktop Deployment 2007. A set of public APIs for manipulating WIMs have also been released with Vista, included under WIMGAPI.DLL. Now, this is a big deal and very broad, but to get the best start, go here, http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windowsvista/aa905068.aspx now onto 7 and a WIM related tool most users and all sys admins will love. Cont... This post was edited by lketchum on Monday, May 14, 2007 at 18:45. |
| #7 By 23275 (24.179.4.158) at 5/14/2007 7:11:08 PM |
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7 - User State Migration Tool 3.0 (USMT) If there is a PC tech or network admin out there that does not fall in love with USMT, he is either Latch, or his soul has been taken over by the devil. USMT is amazing. Admins may migrate user files and settings during large deployments of Microsoft Windows XP and Microsoft Windows Vista operating systems for sure, but for the small tech company or IT/MIS department, USMT allows one to capture and move all user data in one easy whack - to new machines, or for storage and later recovery. Our guys love USMT.
Check it out here, http://technet2.microsoft.com/WindowsVista/en/library/91f62fc4-621f-4537-b311-1307df0105611033.mspx?mfr=true ***Learn to script for it and then mod your scripts and WOW that pants off of customers. USMT can make a harder job easy and look even easier. 6 - Windows Imaging Component (WIC) Yeah, I know, one can download some support for WIC in XP, but... what they don't tell people is that WIC is for everyone and it allows developers with no understanding of image file formats to access a consistent model that automates the delivery of required support, like codecs, from within an application. It allows independent shops to write their own codecs, yet access the platform in the same way well known file types can. Companies like TechSmith who produce amazing products like Camtasia and SnagIT make use on WIC in Vista. We make use of it to ship custom graphing applications and entire digital dashes. Please see, http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms737408.aspx 5 - Greatly enhanced support for Non-Uniform Memory Access or Non-Uniform Memory Architecture (NUMA) No, not the Numa Numa guy on Youtube... Ok, This one seems out there.... but listen up... if you have a multi-core processor, or happier still, two multi-core CPU's in the same machine, then NUMA is going to seem sexier the more you learn about what it does under Vista. Now, before we go further into NUMA, one has to understand that a great many people outside Microsoft evolved it a very long time ago - heavy hitters like, Burroughs Corp. and Unisys - some dating back to 1961 when I was still easy to look at. Under Vista, NUMA support is very smart and it helps manage, or should I say balance performance - the complex relationship between CPU, Memory and the OS systems that manage them. Under Vista, this management and exposed API's is better than ever and it is what we use to make a system run as smooth as silk - no matter what a person is doing. Cont... |
| #8 By 23275 (24.179.4.158) at 5/14/2007 7:44:51 PM |
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4 - Transactional NTFS I could have made a list made up of the top ten things I love about Windows Vista's I/O performance, but that might not excite a large number of people - so I picked the one I like the most and the one people will likely notice more than all I/O related goodness. When one says, Transactional NTFS, think Atomicity. This is like the atomic transaction processor which monitors whether database operations all complete, or none complete - in other words, and a simple example, did a write operation complete? This is very important in Vista as such transactions have been extended to NTFS and it allows devs to monitor whether transactions have been completed. This is leveraged in Vista to allow multiple, simultaneous file transfers to be monitored and managed independently - no more Explorer.exe death in the event one or more transfers dies. Definitely read this blog,
http://blogs.msdn.com/because_we_can/ 3 - Windows CardSpace (formerly "InfoCard") In Windows Vista, this is the component that provides the consistent user experience required by the identity metasystem. It is specifically hardened against tampering and spoofing to protect the end user's digital identities and maintain end-user control. It is leveraged in so many ways I can hardly count them, but some make using Vista and writing for it not only safe, but a dream for dev and sys admin alike. CardSpace and all that is related in Vista is a big part of how virtual folders are supported and tied to a user, or name space - in fact, all user folders are virtual and they can be moved all over the place and replication set up on them. For a practical way to use what this is all about now, go here and look into Windows Vista Folder Re-Direction http://blogs.msdn.com/ie/archive/2007/03/01/ie7-in-vista-folder-redirection-for-favorites-on-the-same-machine.aspx While it does appear that way, "Identities" and how they are managed is behind both CardSpace and things as seemingly unrelated as who owns what folder and where is it, or may it be moved to. 2 - Remote Differential Compression (RDC) - I know, doesn't sound very sexy, but it is. Now, we'll have to go into FRS and DFRS some, but not a lot to get why RDC is so hot. Distributed File Replication and FRS came into near perfection with W2K3 Server R2 - which truly virtualized the name space. So now what to do with it? Anything, from any place - really fast. That is where RDC is so amazing. With it and Vista, one can roam a profile like never before and even the largest of profiles can be managed and only what you need, accessed right now. Spin up your propellers a bit and you'll catch a glimpse of how and why Microsoft's hybrid desktop and cloud based services are going to kick Google in the private parts. With Vista it is possible to roam all over - not just a network, but a planet. See, http://technet2.microsoft.com/WindowsVista/en/library/f77670d4-3bad-4f88-98c8-e9df5f88fee81033.mspx?mfr=true Cont... |
| #9 By 23275 (24.179.4.158) at 5/14/2007 8:16:06 PM |
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1 - The Number One Thing I Love About Windows Vista - Microsoft Built It!
I'll explain why this is number one with two words - audio and Video. Audio and Video in Windows Vista are treated in completely new ways. I know there has been a lot of noise about driver coverage in these areas, but perhaps this explanation will help people understand why and where we are headed - but before I get into these two areas as they are enhanced by Vista, let me explain that audio and video are not just features supported in Vista - they are passions shared by Microsoft engineers, executives and their families. I know this to be true because I see it in everything they have ever done and most especially what they did in Vista. Microsoft engineers are just like us - they share the same passions for the same technologies. Vista Audio - Microsoft kicked off the Universal Audio Architecture in 2002. It didn't begin to materialize in any way as desired until Vista was shipped. The UAA provides a standardized interface which audio devices can follow, ensuring that the device's capabilities will be recognized and used effectively by Windows, without the need for additional drivers or custom control panels - think of what this means... device manufacturers and CE manufacturers of all types, now have an agnostic set of interfaces which will not require new drivers from separate suppliers. This is huge, but I suspect we will not see just how huge until Windows Vista is deployed more widely. Please see, http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/device/audio/default.mspx Vista Video - early Nvidia drivers aside, and slow to ship AMD R6xx based AMD 2000 Series Cards excused, video under Vista is more than exciting - it is stunning and will only get better. We can bitch about its support for protected content paths - but at least it has such paths! How loud would the complaints be shouted if Vista did not support HDCP Compliant HD Video? Vista does and we use it all the time and it is nothing short of amazing to look at. ***If anyone brings up Apple or the Quartz Compositor, I wouldn't - I'll counter any comparison - so be prepared to get deep into it. There is so much in this one area that no link I can provide here even starts one off well. I'll add some in a later post. Ok, so there it is, my personal 10 things I love about Windows Vista and why - with Microsoft heading the list - for their passion for all things PC and all that we do with them and with one another. That is the best part for me - knowing that they'll continue to add to it and improve upon it as much for themselves as they do to help their company succeed. Steve Jobs described Apple as a products company. Microsoft describes itself as a people centric company and to me that explains why Microsoft's platform is so successful. Steve Jobs focuses on products and how they reflect an image - of himself and his user base. Microsoft focuses on people and building a platform to allow them to do and be their best. This post was edited by lketchum on Monday, May 14, 2007 at 20:49. |
| #10 By 3653 (68.52.143.149) at 5/14/2007 11:41:28 PM |
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Just my opinion...
I think activewin should extend some advertising revenues to lketchum, and let him write a feature article every couple of weeks. His posts are such higher grade than the rest of us, that they deserve more spotlight. I would say the same about sodablue, if he were still around. Both exhibited a deep technology understanding, but nicely balanced with an understanding of market dynamics. This post was edited by mooresa56 on Monday, May 14, 2007 at 23:42. |
| #11 By 37047 (216.191.227.68) at 5/15/2007 8:14:30 AM |
| FWIW, OS X wasn't entirely built "from the ground up". It was heavily based on the old NeXTStep / OpenStep foundation, with a new GUI and an updated BSD core. They updated the Mach microkernel, which is done with most new releases, and put a more Mac-like UI on it. Otherwise, it is still basically OpenStep at its core. |
| #12 By 2960 (24.254.95.224) at 5/15/2007 2:23:24 PM |
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Yep. But a seriously modified Openstep Core :)
This whole project was a success mainly because they had the chief enginieer of the core itself on the payroll (Avie Tevanian). I was sad to see him go. He's a brilliant man. I was heavily involved with Apple during this transition. People, it was far from pain free :) TL |
| #13 By 3653 (68.52.143.149) at 5/15/2007 10:38:55 PM |
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TL, it would have gone faster if you would just finally move off phonenet.
;-) |
| #14 By 7754 (75.72.156.204) at 5/16/2007 1:23:49 AM |
| #12: no doubt that Tevanian is brilliant... but the Mach kernel is a liability to OS X, not an asset. |
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