Vista delivers better security in a number of ways, including (but not limited to):
- The new IE 7 browser offers a protected mode to keep malicious software (malware) or Web sites from changing configuration settings.
- Windows Service Hardening keeps OS services from making changes to the registry, file system, etc., without your permission.
- Windows Firewall now controls outbound traffic as well as inbound; firewall settings can be controlled via Group Policy.
- User Account Control does away with the need to run as an administrator for everyday tasks and prevents standard users from making dangerous changes to settings or running potentially harmful executable programs.
- Remote Desktop can now be configured to require Network Level Authentication for better security on RDP sessions.
- Smart cards are easier to deploy.
- The Network Access Protection (NAP) agent is included in Vista and prevents Vista clients from connecting to your network if they don't have the proper security updates, virus signatures, and other criteria.
- BitLocker is a new feature that can encrypt the entire system volume, including Windows system files and the hibernation file, to protect from offline attacks if a machine is physically accessed (such as a stolen laptop).
Usability
I first installed the public Vista
beta on a Dell Dimension with a 3.0 GHz processor and 4 GB of RAM. The
installation went smoothly for the most part. (You can read details of the
experience at http://www.wxpnews.com/archives/wxpnews-231-20060613.htm.)
So far, I've found it easy to work with, other than a few minor bugs. For
example, it won't allow me to change the picture associated with my user
account, and a few of my standard applications wouldn't install at first -- until
I learnt the secret.
Vista compatibility mode
After trying several times to install CorelDraw, I
discovered Vista compatibility mode. If an
application won't install or (as Corel did) won't open or work properly after
you install it, try this: Go to the application's executable file and right-click
on it. Select Properties and click the Compatibility tab. As shown in Figure
I, as with XP you can choose to run the program in compatibility mode for a
previous version of Windows (Windows XP SP2, Server 2003 SP1, or even Windows
2000, NT, or 9x). Unlike with XP, there is also a check box to run the
application as an administrator. Checking that box caused Corel to work.
Figure I |
 |
| Vista compatibility mode gives you the option to run the program as an administrator. |
Windows Explorer
The Windows Explorer interface doesn't look that different
at first glance, but then you notice the subtle changes that make it easier to
navigate the file system. For instance, as you scroll down the folder tree in
the left pane, and expanded items go farther to the right, the window
automatically scrolls horizontally to keep them in view.
Or how about the new clickable path displayed in the top location bar? Instead of having to click half a dozen times on the Up button, you can go directly to any folder in the hierarchy above the one you're in simply by clicking its name there.
And you don't have to be in the Thumbnails view now to see a preview of your graphics files. As shown in Figure J, even in Details view the icons present a tiny thumbnail of your pictures.
Figure J |
 |
| There are many subtle changes that make Windows Explorer easier to use. |
There are many changes to Explorer that make a computer user's life easier. For a more detailed look, see "More than just a pretty interface: File management with Vista Explorer."
Summary
The new Vista interface is
great to look at, but it also adds a lot of functionality, in both obvious and
not-so-obvious ways. Sure, there are some annoyances. The constant popping up
of the User Account Control dialog box (shown in Figure K) each time you
want to install a program or do anything else that requires administrative
privileges gets tiresome (but there is a
way to turn it off). And you may have trouble finding the Run command at first
(it's in the Programs | Accessories menu, but I quickly made a shortcut to it
on my Quick Launch bar). Despite these minor issues, working in Vista is a pleasant experience -- and a more secure one.
Figure K |
 |
| You'll become intimately familiar with the UAC dialog box if you install many new programs. |
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Vista is the biggest rip off of OSX. It has features that have been in linux and OSX for ages. Instead of ripping of ideas off other companies and infecting your pc with viruses how about some real innovation for Microsoft.