Windows 7, would you switch?

[chikorita157]

Originally Posted by SeijiSensei

I've used Linux for well over a decade now, and I can't think of one major program where the configuration file I've edited is in XML. Most of them are simply key-value pairs in plain text. Compared to the registry, these files are much easier to manage, if you know where to find them (usually in /etc but not always). Apache has some tendency to use tags in configurations, especially for VirtualHost definitions where you'll see things like:

<VirtualHost *:80>
ServerName blahblah.animesuki.com
DirectoryRoot /home/animesuki/blahblah
<Directory "/home/animesuki/blahblah">
Options All
</Directory>
</VirtualHost>

I guess that's vaguely XML-like, but in general Apache configurations use key-value pairs like

Listen 192.168.99.1:80

I haven't use Linux much (since it's installed on my old Dell and it's not plugged in), but I know they use some kind of plain text to store settings... Mac OS X stores the settings in plist files, which are practically XML-like files and they can be easily edited in a plist editor or any kind of text editor. Of course, Mac OS X is a Unix based OS, so they will also have plain text configuration files.

Anyways, I decided to test XP-Mode out since my computer supports hardware assisted visualization (since the Macbook Pros don't use the stripped down Intel CPUs without VT) and I'm using the Professional version of 7. I give my thoughts once I have installed it.

Update: Finally got XP Mode installed. You need to download a 500 MB file used for XP Mode that contains the preinstalled Windows XP Professional and install Windows Virtual PC. After you installed and restart the computer, once you run XP Mode, it will ask you to create a password and automatically create a virtual machine of XP and log you in.

Not that XP Mode isn't suitable for any type of 3D Gaming since the graphics are still S3 Trio 64 which is used by Virtual PC that have no support for DirectX.

[Ledgem]

That bit about the graphics is interesting. Granted, XP emulation mode isn't geared toward gamers or people with overly demanding applications (I'd imagine), but it's a bit of a surprise to see that two third-party virtualization companies - Parallels and VMware - have been able to reverse-engineer and implement up to DirectX 9.0c (maybe not fully, but shader support is now there), whereas Microsoft has no DirectX support in their own virtualization solution. (Yes, I know that VirtualPC was originally a separate company that was purchased by Microsoft, but that purchase occurred quite a while ago.)

[chikorita157]

It seems that Microsoft doesn't seem to have any interest in adding DirectX support for Virtual PC and it still up to this day won't support Aero, which the next version of VMWare Workstation and Fusion 3 will support... In my view, VirtualPC is lagging behind the competition (and I don't think it supports 64-bit guest and multi-core support in the guest virtual machine.

Not to mention, when you enable the integration mode in XP Mode, it uses Remote Desktop protocol to connect and integrate with the desktop, but at the same time, you cannot install any programs without disabling it.

By the way, Connectix is the company who developed Virtual PC before Microsoft bought it and they use to develop Mac and Windows versions of the program.

[Ledgem]

Heh, I've been doing "virtualization" (if it could have been called that) since the days of Soft Windows... it's come a long way! Still a surprise to see that Microsoft hasn't put much work into their variant. It's the ultimate answer to backward-compatibility, one would think... perhaps it'll be refined in coming versions.

[synaesthetic]

What, I wonder, is not compatible with both Vista/7 and XP, unless it is a very old program that is also barely compatible with XP?

It seems like it would be easier to just dual-boot OSes (but of course I've always been a multi-boot person with many OSes installed on all my computers).

[npal]

XP Mode basically addresses business concerns that they XP set applications won't run in 7. It doesn't really apply to home users since indeed almost every application out there can run in 7.

[synaesthetic]

Even when I get my new computer with Windows 7 (which I am still undecided on but leaning toward Vaio CW) I will keep an nlite'd version of XP Pro on my netbook, especially since I intend to pull the hard drive and put a 32GB fast SSD in it.

[straferd]

About 2 months ago or so we were able to switch to Win 7 at work thanks to our partnership with microsoft.

I can tell you guys that it's by far the best windows version ever released. Ok that might not be worth much since every windows version except XP sp 3 is, well lets just say not that good.

Still it is a very good OS and I recommend it.

[GHDpro]

Hmm, I just got Windows 7 Home Premium in from Amazon UK (at 66 pounds / ~75 euro for full retail, pre-ordered late August) when something odd happened.

While I was sitting at a table (at least a meter from my PC) to unpack, my PC (Windows 7 RC) blue screened and automatically rebooted.

As if it was nudging me to install the RTM soon

[LoweGear]

Official Windows 7 Nanami Madobe wallpapers:







Zettai Ryouiki!

*SHOT*

[GHDpro]

Actually the whole theme pack is already available through torrent sites too and appears to work with English & non-Ultimate versions of Windows 7.

In the theme there is actually a third wallpaper, one that's full of Engrish (random tech terms).

I've tried it now for a minute, but I got to say... that "ja-jyaan!" (sound effect made by Nanami) sound every time you restore a window will get annoying... fast. But for now it's just hilarious

Edit:
Also fun - they have Nanami voice the "critical stop" event: "Ara? System error da!"
The "exclamation" event is "Are---?"

[AnimeTheme]

Originally Posted by Vexx

That remains my biggest beef with the usability of Windows -- the registry. Using it for the OS? Sure, whatever. Using it for apps and games? Biggest dumbass move in the world. Thanks, you made it an utter mess to back up applications or games.
"Just re-install" sucks your remaining seconds of life away ...

That's why I prefer "portable" apps (i.e. no need to install) these days lol

[npal]

Can someone explain WHY orphaned registry entries somehow are not the 3rd party software dev's fault and become an inherent registry flaw, that is a Windows architecture fault?

Just got Nanami's soundset. Kinda fun but the "chin" sound seems to pop up at random. But it's Nana, so who cares

[chikorita157]

The registry is a flawed piece that plagued Windows up to this day... and some programs don't even use the Windows registry anymore and store settings in plain text or XML. The advantage of XML or plain text setting files is that they are easy to get rid of even after uninstalling opposed to the registry which in most cases will leave entries behind. The only possible solution is to get a registry cleaner and run it (such as CCleaner) to remove all those entries that are left behind.

Anyways, Windows 7 oddly runs Audiosurf better than Vista although I had no problem with it. The problem with Audiosurf and Vista is that the sound seems to freeze which interrupts the gameplay and sometimes lag... that problem seem to gone away in 7. For some odd reason, it crashes when it's minimized when you first load it... Opps..

Also, the ribbon interface sucks on the new programs... I want my old interface back since it was alot easier to use (a main reason I don't use Office 2007 since the ribbon interface is too confusing and counterproductive)

[npal]

Originally Posted by chikorita157

The registry is a flawed piece that plagued Windows up to this day... and some programs don't even use the Windows registry anymore and store settings in plain text or XML. The advantage of XML or plain text setting files is that they are easy to get rid of even after uninstalling opposed to the registry which in most cases will leave entries behind. The only possible solution is to get a registry cleaner and run it (such as CCleaner) to remove all those entries that are left behind.

That doesn't answer my question at all. I don't care what the advantages of XML and plain text settings are, nor I asked how you use totally crappy and dangerous (for OS well being) programs like Registry cleaners to tweak the registry. What I asked was WHY is the registry's orphaned or messed up entries an inherent registry flaw and not the software dev's fault for not correctly writing an uninstallation process for his software.

[felix]

Originally Posted by npal

What I asked was WHY is the registry's orphaned or messed up entries an inherent registry flaw and not the software dev's fault for not correctly writing an uninstallation process for his software.

Well, if the settings were in some other format or convention that allowed them to exist only in the folder of said application you could never have a registry entry with out a target. Registry was suppose to hold system settings, specific to all users and such (in simple terms, think of the Windows folder as a scope).

However the first flaw was it didn't work like that, it was/is like a system Windows thing that applications shouldn't have anything to do with but someone left the door open. Yes, the problem is people just used use it for every piece of nonsense you could think of and since the trend stands as "no configuration = no go" (I've heard of cases where the so called "one" registry entry is almost idiotically simple), it only makes sense, no registry entry means no application. Honestly, I think its just the easiest way to force most users to go though the installer each time. The problem is like that of XML: it is meant as a universal format, for when "universal" makes sense of course, but no, people understand it as a "one size fits all" and simple things thus become unnecessarily complicated and slow with no effective gain; yey for overkill.

Unfortunately it then gets worse. The registry is wonderfully over-designed. For example, I do believe it had some direct binary alteration on executable skills at one point (supposedly for the purpose of setting up configuration). It could have been a simple database, like you have font files you could have configuration files, but no its binary (woo hoo!). Why is this bad? well if you had one bad setting file that wouldn't be much of a deal, but the registry is just one big file, so if it gets corrupted say hello to system wide failure (well its more like two files as far as the individual user is concerned, I think, but still no less easier to break).

So... you have this file which if it breaks down causes your system to stop working and its there and open to everybody (with a api too). Sound like a good idea? From what I understand there have been some changes so its not even half as bad as it used to be. Things like alternative recommended ways that came about with Vista also help.

I don't think that really answers your questions, but oh well...

[npal]

So whether it's XML, the registry, or any sort of settings file, it seems like it's the 3rd party developer's fault, but in the case of a single, per-program XML or text file, the knowledgeable user can easily remove it and get over the developer's screwup, which is not the case with the registry. That sounds understandable. In the end though, it all seems to point that it's the devs that screw up the system because they can't use the registry correctly. If their screwup is locked in a per-app XML or text file, you remove it and are done with it, if it's a system file that's hard to edit, they basically messed up your system.

That kinda answers my q, thanks

[Ledgem]

Originally Posted by npal

So whether it's XML, the registry, or any sort of settings file, it seems like it's the 3rd party developer's fault

Theoretically you could blame the developers for not implementing it properly. If it was meant to be used for system and critical applications only, access to it should have been locked. However it wasn't, and third-party programmers simply made use of it to fit their own ends. If it wasn't designed for that usage (and it sounds like it wasn't) then Microsoft should have blocked it off.

Placing blame never got anyone anywhere, of course...

[npal]

Originally Posted by Ledgem

Theoretically you could blame the developers for not implementing it properly. If it was meant to be used for system and critical applications only, access to it should have been locked. However it wasn't, and third-party programmers simply made use of it to fit their own ends. If it wasn't designed for that usage (and it sounds like it wasn't) then Microsoft should have blocked it off.

Placing blame never got anyone anywhere, of course...

Cleaning their own mess should be the obvious step. Seeing as there ARE programs that can clean after themselves, I don't see how that's not the developer's fault. Uninstallation of something, unless I specifically request settings to be left intact, should remove any reference to the program. I fail to see how that shouldn't apply to their registry entries. Developers aren't kids playing in an open backyard, ruining everything and then running off. They should know better but then, personal experience says most of them hardly know how to program something to uninstall correctly, which forces me to abandon a number of programs and find program-specific uninstallers to remove the rest. The whole situation is beyond ridiculous when it happens on a logic machine.

[SaintessHeart]

Windows Registry is actually planned as a system to make file browsing faster through indexing or every single piece of sh*t install, a retro-DOS kind of idea. But since DOS has already been put to rest, it seems that Windows Registry screwed itself up.

P.S Anyone got tried the Nanami Madobe themepack out for dls? My friend couldn't get it to work.