Joe's Security

I'm actually a fan of most operating systems – Mac OS, Linux and Windows. That’s because I’ve used them all in various applications where all have their strengths and weaknesses. For inter-operable computing and the widest base of 3^rd party applications and games, Microsoft Windows beats every other o/s hands down.

Windows XP, in my humble opinion, is (still) the most outstanding Microsoft desktop operating systems, ever. Why? Because it does a superb job of combining ergonomics, speed, reliability and inter-operability. I hear someone saying “well I can run Windows inside my Mac, so there!” That can be a cool way to go… but then you've got to have Mac OS and you've still got to have Windows. But I digress.

In the evolution of operating systems, I and us consumers want to do more with less. As an o/s matures, we expect it to do more, and do it more efficiently and more securely. Where’s the magic in blowing (or should I say "bloating") in a few million more lines of code, and calling it an “upgrade?”

In my mind, that’s mostly what Vista did, and to make features look refreshed Vista makes many tasks harder to get to... Ouch! Vista does have some cool features, like a retooled protocol stack and deeper integration with Active Directory. But unless you’re a network admin, you could care less.

Microsoft Vista has made Steve Job's a happy man, since Vista user angst has resulted in some of the best sales of Mac OS X, ever! 

So for now, I still use XP. Using my dual-core 2.6 Ghz processor and 2 Gb ram, from power button to Internet browsing takes about 25 seconds. Of course I’ve tuned my XP, but I’ve yet to see any Vista box come close to that!

So Microsoft, here’s what will motivate us "Window-philes" to get excited about a new operating system – our wish list:

-          Do more, with greater efficiency and speed.

-          Make my PC more secure without nagging me to death.

-          “Pretty” and “shiny” are cool, but not at the expense of performance.

-          Make every feature of my PC easier, requiring less clicks to get to.

-          Every new version of Windows should get us closer to an “instant on” experience. I want my computer to come up as fast as my TV.  

Early comments from the Beta testing community show they're liking what they see in the upcoming Windows 7. Sure hope it comes with some of the items from the wish list.