Friday Rant - Hey Microsoft! Where's the Windows Extras you promised me?
OK, today my rant is on a topic that others have been talking about for a few days now but which nonetheless bugs me and I feel I need to get it off my chest - Where are all the cool Windows Vista Extras we were promised?
Windows Vista has been out for months and so far Vista Ultimate users have been given four Extras:
- Hold 'Em – poker game
- BitLocker and EFS enhancements – encryption tool
- Language pack – sheesh, that's gotta be the most boring extra imaginable
- Windows DreamScene – a buggy utility that allows you to have video desktop backgrounds (and according to Long Zheng might never come out of beta)
Can you feel the "Wow!" yet? I sure as hell can't. Seriously, this current line-up of Extras suck real bad. The suckiest has to be the language pack which is nothing more than an add-on with limited appeal.
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What really winds me up is looking back at what we were promised by Microsoft when Vista was in beta:
- Cutting-edge programs Enjoy Microsoft programs that are only available through Windows Ultimate Extras ...
- Innovative services Benefit from unique services that can help you tailor your computing experience to your digital lifestyle ...
- Unique publications Download premium content that focuses on your digital lifestyle ...
Microsoft made some big promises back then, and I was one who bought into the Extras concept. Seeing the current offering is like a slap in the face. Right now, I feel like I’ve been had. The price difference between Home Premium and Ultimate is around $150, and when I look at the difference between Home Premium and Ultimate, I really don't see where my money was spent. Sure, Ultimate has Remote Desktop Connection and Shadow Copy and a few other useful features, but I can't make these add up to $150.
Wake up Microsoft! Months have gone by without a new Extra (all of the current extras were released in January apart from DreamScene which was released in March). Where are the programs, services and publications? What are they? If they're not ready yet, when will they be? Were customers who bought Windows Vista Ultimate sold a lie? It's certainly starting to feel like that to me.
Some of you might be reading this and wondering what all the rush is. After all, Windows Vista's only been out a few months and there's plenty of time for Microsoft to get the cool Extras out the door. I don't see it like that. Unlike Windows XP, Windows Vista's not going to have as long a shelf-life before being replaced by Windows 7 or whatever it'll end up being called. That means there's a limited window of opportunity (pardon the pun) for Extras to appear. Do you seriously think that Microsoft is going to be working on and releasing Ultimate Extras once Windows 7 is in beta? My bet is that once Microsoft moves on to starting to promote "the next big thing," you can kiss goodbye the chance of seeing any new Extras.
If Windows Vista Extras aren't a scam, then someone at Microsoft has seriously dropped the ball on the project.
Thoughts? And remember, since it's Friday, you can vent your spleen about anything tech-related that annoys you!