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The Ultimate Letdown?

cavalierex

Join Date 08/2001

The Ultimate Letdown?

Some say: "Failure to deliver... Failure to communicate..."

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Ultimate Promises

Recently, several caustic articles have criticized Microsoft's failure to deliver Vista Ultimate extras:

Truly, aside from Stardock's own efforts with DeskScapes, DreamScene seems all but abandoned as 'preview' beta software: still CPU-heavy, and not nearly close to delivering what it promised.

Does it strike anyone else as strange that it's been six months since Vista shipped, and there are still no new Extras? Surely, one would have expected Microsoft to at least ship some samples from their labs that employ WPF goodness. Even a WPF-based/sidebar-based MSN Messenger would be a welcome thing, not to mention PowerToys or the many extras that they hinted would arrive. Where are the "cutting-edge programs"? The "innovative services"? The "unique publications"? What happened to the cool stuff that was hilighted in the well-circulated Longhorn concept videos (Video #1 and Video #2)?

At the very least, Microsoft's own Ultimate blog (http://windowsultimate.com) should communicate with us... telling us what's taking so long. But the site's been inactive for months (last publication was in March!), and they haven't responded to any e-mails.

I'm curious to hear what everyone else thinks.

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This Just In...New Ultimate Extras Released!

Your eyes do not deceive you. This week, two new ultimate extras werer released:

1. Sound Scheme: "Glass" -- As if the sounds are made with glass instruments.
2. Sound Scheme: "Pearl" -- A brighter, "fuller" sound theme.
3. DreamScene: "ContentPack 3" -- More looped videos, but no dynamic content.

Ultimate users can download via Windows Update.

Long Zheng discusses the soundscapes here and link="http://www.istartedsomething.com/20080401/leaked-new-ultimate-extras-sound-scheme/"]WWW Link[/link].

Find the complete list of ultimate extras at Microsoft's new site, UltimatePC.com (Extras).

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I am so happy I never installed my free Vista upgrade. My XP is so much better. BTW MS is working on its next OS, since Windoes 6 (Vista) has been such a bomb. Read about Windows 7 WWW Link

Cool; can I have your Vista update?

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since Windoes 6 (Vista) has been such a bomb.

Actually they always start work on a new OS once they release one. They started work on Longhorn aka Vista when XP released. Nothing new there.

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Adding to my growing list of what could be a good Extra:

- Sidebar/WPF version of MSN Messenger
- Sidebar integration for Outlook (calendar, to-do, contacts) and OneNote. And I'm not talking about the little gadgets that have been released... I'm thinking real, powerful integration.
- A TweakUI for Vista (although the Stardock version is coming along nicely!)
- A graphing/programmable calculator
- Extensions for the Windows PhotoGallery... like simple resizing options
- Defrag for power-users!
- They promised "unique publications" in addition to software... How about a power-user's guide to the hidden secrets of Vista?
- Sidebar integration of MediaPlayer (so it shows cover-art and other details in the sidebar)
- FONTS! What about the fonts that were developed but not included with Vista? They could give them to Ultimate users!
- Icons, sound packages, wallpapers, avatars, etc.
- Better virtual desktop management (like www.cubedesktop.com)

- Ribbon customizer for Office 2007

- Flashcard program (for studying purposes)

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ALMonty

Join Date 01/2002

+242

A TweakUI for Vista

There is it's called TweakVI for Vista WWW Link

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