So I downloaded the final version of Vista last week and I’m now running Vista as my main environment. Am I mad? Let’s see how it goes. Lots of my favourite apps need to be run as admin because they write to the programs folder, or HKLM. For years, developers have made the bad habit of assuming the user is admin due to the way previous versions of Windows install by default. But with Vista defaulting to run apps at least user privileges, all that will have to change. But until these legacy apps get updated or replaced, there will be lots of workarounds. And I wouldn’t be surprised if many people switch off the new security features of Vista in order to run their old apps, and in so doing defeat the purpose of the main focus of this new operating system! Time will tell. Of course, Macro Scheduler is already Vista compliant and v9.0 has been built with Vista in mind, so no problems there.
I’ve already found what appears to be a bug in the final release. Vista wouldn’t let me attach to a network printer, shared by an XP machine. It kept saying access denied. Yet I was able to add the printer driver manually under LPT1 and then change the port to the network name of the shared printer. Then everything worked. Go figure.
Since RC1 I’ve been baffled by the shutdown options. And it seems I’m not alone. Why are there so many ways to switch off Vista, and what does the off button do that’s different to the six shutdown menu options? Do I want to lock/log off/switch user/switch off/restart or sleep!? Maybe I’ll just leave it running and not touch anything! Seems this is a result of design by committee and corporate bureaucracy.
