18 Features Windows Should Have (but Doesn't)

[Capper]

Love it or hate it, Microsoft Windows is the world's most dominant operating system. But when you look at some of the hot features found in competitors such as Linux and Mac OS X, both XP and Vista can seem a little incomplete.

From intuitive interface features like Apple's application dock and Cover Flow to basic media capabilities such as ISO burning, Windows often falls short on built-in goodies. And some features that other operating systems offer by default-- such as 64-bit processing and business-networking tools--require a premium-version license in Windows.

We took a good look at a variety of OSs, from the Mac to Linux to PC-BSD and beyond, and we rounded up a list of our favorite features--few of which come standard in any version of Windows. We even considered some operating systems of yore, and recalled a couple of cool features that Microsoft still hasn't caught on to. Some of these features simply aren't available for Windows at all, owing to the way the OS is designed. But you can add most of them to XP or Vista with the help of third-party applications, and we'll show you how to get them.

18 Features Windows Should Have (but Doesn't)

[Panda Man]

1. Expose - Erm, alt+tab? :P

At least half of the things covered in this article, most people will never need. I'd rather install apps for my windows installation as I need them rather than have them preinstalled, I imagine that would cut down on bloat :P

[gvblake22]

Wow, that article just screams "Mac Fanboy"!
Granted, a lot of those feature are nifty, but like you mentioned Panda, they aren't really that useful for most people. I especially like the last one: "Single-File Applications". Yeah, the Mac appears to have such a "feature" but that's probably just because the operating system hides all of the other files from the user. I sincerely doubt that every application for Macs run from a single file and that's it...

[screwballl]

good stuff...

I have seen extras that can to most of those items for windows

Listed based on that story:
1: Microsoft has an official Alt+Tab replacement which is similar to this... there is also another program called TaskSwitchXP that can do just this.

2: Virtual desktop manager is also an extra available through Microsoft

4: screen sharing can easily be done via Crossloop which is a VNC based sharing tool.

5: the story listed a Windows program

6: theres plenty of little programs that can burn ISOs natively, but it is agreed that should be built into windows

7: Stickies? wtf? its called Notepad or Wordpad or Clipboard

8: podcast is for listening, not for capturing or recording every one possible

10: yes we need Compiz for Winblows!!!

11: whats up dock?

12: there is a free program for screenshots but I forget the name... it does work well though

13: agreed

14: WTF? other than 6 and 80 year olds, there is not enough of a market for this

15: with all the security issues out there, most home connections are not able to receive connection on port 80 or 8080 so this is a mute point.

16. Windows is DOS compliant but they really do need POSIX compliance, even if only in a Virtual Machine command type window

17. NO! that is OSX

18. agreed, this is something that is really needed... but I suspect we will not see this type of program start until Windows 7 witha modular kernel.

[gvblake22]

And what was that part about Apple making their own hardware?? I'm pretty sure everyone else makes it and Apple just tells them what to make and certifies it to only work with Mac OS's.

[polobunny]

1. Alt-tab
Microsoft PowerToys for Windows XP
SourceForge.net: TaskSwitchXP

2. Virtual desktops
VirtuaWin - Virtual Desktops for Windows
Virtual Dimension
GodlikeSoft.de

3. Remote desktop from browser
Installing Remote Desktop Web Connection in Windows XP
RealVNC - VNC Free Edition 4.1

4. Screen sharing
Uhhhhh... netmeeting has been around for ages, yo. :P

5. Time machine
Cobian's site - The home of Cobian Backup
Vista has ShadowCopy

6. ISO burning
The Official ImgBurn Website
Has more than just basic ISO burning functions

7. Stickies
Self-answered

8. Podcast capturing
Self-answered

9. Software repositories
NOW PRESENTING WORLD LARGEST AND EASIEST TO USE SEARCH ENGINE....
GOOGLE.COM
Alternatively:
The Portable Freeware Collection - Latest entries
Freeware Home - Free Software Downloads

10. Desktop cube
Shock Utility [EN] :: Summary

11. Application dock
RocketDock.com - About RocketDock
RK Launcher

12. Automated screenshots
ZScreen - brandonz.net

13. Multitouch trackpad gestures
hardware limitation

14. Cover flow
Self-answered

15. Pre-installed webserver *sigh*
lighttpd fly light
Much better than any pre-installed webserver

16. POSIX compliance
What the... @__@ Something is wrong with that guy.

17. Standardized menu ribbon
Ok this is getting silly, really.

18. Single-file applications
They're not single files on mac's either, they're just running seamlessly as one "folder".


I could feel the fanboyism from the start, but it really got ridiculous at the end from 13 and up.
Edit: All software I linked to are freeware. There might be better alternatives but you will likely have to pay for them.

[Capper]

well....my point was to generate conversation....and it seems you guys put together a great answer between all of you....why doesn't someone take this and turn it into an article/user guide?

[polobunny]

Originally Posted by Capper

well....my point was to generate conversation....and it seems you guys put together a great answer between all of you....why doesn't someone take this and turn it into an article/user guide?

Turn your PC in a mac-clone? :P

[othman11]

I agree with Capper. Those who haven't taken the exam for "Level 9 geek", will need to know these things.

[Smashing]

When I am forced to use a Mac, the dock makes me want to paint the wall behind me red.