BigHungry04
Apr 28, 12:38 PM
I figured he was born in the United States, as Hawaii is a state and was when he was born there. Now this McCain guy, he was not born in the United States, he was born in the Panama Canal Zone, which was a US territory or protectorate, so it still counts. Maybe if he had won the presidency, someone would have made a big deal about it too. I doubt it.
Multimedia
Aug 27, 10:59 AM
Speaking of wish expectations Multimedia;
I know you're hangin' out for Santa Rosa. The article mentions that it's expected in early 2007. Do you think that would be the date for official announcement of production-standard architecture, or actual availability announcement?
Seems very early to be shipping...
I could go out in September and get a Merom notebook, but I don't mind waiting 6 months for Santa Rosa to hit the street.I don't expect the Santa Rosa setup to be ready before Leopard is next Spring. I was going to wait that long. But hanging out here makes me want something this Fall once Core 2 is in full swing - IE some of it hits the refurb page. :p
I'm thinking 17" MBP or MacBook depending on if MBP has the MB removable easy access HD feature. MacBook is really a bargain @ $949 refurb. I may even go for just a bottom of the line 1.66 GHz C2D refurb mini. But my penchant for spanning says a $949 MacBook at least. I've been a spanner since it became possible in 1986. Find one screen impossably confining - ESP since the 24" is also a TV most of the time thanks to Elgato's amazing EyeTV technologies.
Mac Pro does crush video about 33% faster than this Quad G5 does. Still not fast enough. But significantly faster than I can do it now. But so might the MacBook. I really can't say yet. My mind is in flux. Still have to test Core 2 Duo performance Vs. Mac Pro for my particular video crushing needs. Two bottom of the line Minis may be an option as well.
I know you're hangin' out for Santa Rosa. The article mentions that it's expected in early 2007. Do you think that would be the date for official announcement of production-standard architecture, or actual availability announcement?
Seems very early to be shipping...
I could go out in September and get a Merom notebook, but I don't mind waiting 6 months for Santa Rosa to hit the street.I don't expect the Santa Rosa setup to be ready before Leopard is next Spring. I was going to wait that long. But hanging out here makes me want something this Fall once Core 2 is in full swing - IE some of it hits the refurb page. :p
I'm thinking 17" MBP or MacBook depending on if MBP has the MB removable easy access HD feature. MacBook is really a bargain @ $949 refurb. I may even go for just a bottom of the line 1.66 GHz C2D refurb mini. But my penchant for spanning says a $949 MacBook at least. I've been a spanner since it became possible in 1986. Find one screen impossably confining - ESP since the 24" is also a TV most of the time thanks to Elgato's amazing EyeTV technologies.
Mac Pro does crush video about 33% faster than this Quad G5 does. Still not fast enough. But significantly faster than I can do it now. But so might the MacBook. I really can't say yet. My mind is in flux. Still have to test Core 2 Duo performance Vs. Mac Pro for my particular video crushing needs. Two bottom of the line Minis may be an option as well.
ugp
Jun 19, 05:58 PM
There is no telling how much Inventory RadioShack is going to actually receive. My buddy told me my pre-order, I mean reserve was the first one to go through in the district. Our district here was able to generate 60 PINs he was told by the DM. Not I don't believe anything RadioShack says and don't expect them to receive all 60 of the phones. I just pray that his store receives at least one iPhone 4 so I can have mine.
generik
Sep 19, 02:45 AM
Check out the surveys of tens of thousands of computer users at Consumer Reports. Apple's laptop reliability is within 1% of the best in the industry, and in the desktop department, Apple is by far the most reliable; some PCs are nearly twice as likely to need repairs as Macs. Rumor sites are hardly the best place to look for computer reliability data...
Ok... I suppose you like to put that much stock into Consumer Reports published by unbiased organisations! Now please excuse me, I need to place my order for some Snake Oil to take advantage of this "Buy 1 get 1 free" promotion on TV :rolleyes:
I don't really believe in all those reports, to date I have owned countless PCs (actually a lot of Thinkpads) and never once have I gotten a DOA, but yet there was actually one champion who got 5 DOAs in a row. Sure it can be argued that forums are hardly the best place to draw your sample, but how can it possibly be SO bad?! When I hardly ever got a single bad PC?
Edit: Oh and by the way, I have dealt with Applecare twice at various times for the last 4 Macs I owned (1 PBG4, 2 Minis, 1 Macbook), I have to say I am not WOWed by Apple's service at all. Likewise if you ask around here you will find that Dell actually gives pretty no quibble service. Perhaps they know what they are selling is crap and hence are not surprised when it goes bad.. who knows... but I'd rather deal with a humble organisation than a "Think different" know-it-all turd.
Ok... I suppose you like to put that much stock into Consumer Reports published by unbiased organisations! Now please excuse me, I need to place my order for some Snake Oil to take advantage of this "Buy 1 get 1 free" promotion on TV :rolleyes:
I don't really believe in all those reports, to date I have owned countless PCs (actually a lot of Thinkpads) and never once have I gotten a DOA, but yet there was actually one champion who got 5 DOAs in a row. Sure it can be argued that forums are hardly the best place to draw your sample, but how can it possibly be SO bad?! When I hardly ever got a single bad PC?
Edit: Oh and by the way, I have dealt with Applecare twice at various times for the last 4 Macs I owned (1 PBG4, 2 Minis, 1 Macbook), I have to say I am not WOWed by Apple's service at all. Likewise if you ask around here you will find that Dell actually gives pretty no quibble service. Perhaps they know what they are selling is crap and hence are not surprised when it goes bad.. who knows... but I'd rather deal with a humble organisation than a "Think different" know-it-all turd.
Dr.Gargoyle
Aug 11, 03:07 PM
MS Windows has about 95% of the world market...doesn't mean the technology is better.:)
There is a huge difference between an OS and a cellphone standard. Having two cellphone standards is like having two internets. You as a customer have no idea weather you use CDMA or GSM. I dont know about you, but I use my cell for talking end send/receive data. I dont give a rats ass whether this done through code division or time division...
There is a huge difference between an OS and a cellphone standard. Having two cellphone standards is like having two internets. You as a customer have no idea weather you use CDMA or GSM. I dont know about you, but I use my cell for talking end send/receive data. I dont give a rats ass whether this done through code division or time division...
jwdsail
Apr 6, 12:08 PM
Maybe, just maybe, this would be the first Air I'd consider buying..
If, this update would bring Thunderbolt to the Air..
USB-only is still a deal-breaker for me, I'd rather walk to the internet, uphill, both ways, in the snow, than be that limited in a laptop..
An Air, with Thunderbolt... Wouldn't be my primary Mac, but would make an Air/iMac combo look better than a maxed-out 15" MBP...
Shrug..
If, this update would bring Thunderbolt to the Air..
USB-only is still a deal-breaker for me, I'd rather walk to the internet, uphill, both ways, in the snow, than be that limited in a laptop..
An Air, with Thunderbolt... Wouldn't be my primary Mac, but would make an Air/iMac combo look better than a maxed-out 15" MBP...
Shrug..
KnightWRX
Apr 20, 12:06 PM
Not as a separate thing. It's the grid IN COMBINATION with the other things that constitutes the trade dress.
Then it sure doesn't apply to all models then if the trade dress claim is an AND'd combination. Is the trade dress claim only applicable to certain models in the ones listed in the complaint ?
Then it sure doesn't apply to all models then if the trade dress claim is an AND'd combination. Is the trade dress claim only applicable to certain models in the ones listed in the complaint ?
aafuss1
Aug 5, 10:56 PM
To me the answer to the whole IR/Mac Pro/Front Row thing is obvious - put an integrated IR receiver into the keyboard. The keyboard would come with the Mac Pro (unlike the display) and is rarely under the desk. :)
Plus they could sell the keyboard for any Mac (including ones that don't have Front Row - they could include the app with it).
A redesigned keyboard-should come in Mac Pro and white colors
Plus they could sell the keyboard for any Mac (including ones that don't have Front Row - they could include the app with it).
A redesigned keyboard-should come in Mac Pro and white colors
ChrisTX
Apr 11, 09:22 PM
Why wouldn't Apple also just release a VZ iPhone 5 in June/July time frame also. It shouldn't matter that VZ was late to the party and only just now got the iPhone. Apple has made their money off the VZ folks that have been waiting forever for the iPhone, and then June/July Apple can make their money off the rest. I recently just got my iPhone 4 replaced for free by Apple due to a faulty sleep/wake button, so I'm more concerned with iOS 5, but I still want to see new Apple hardware soon!
shamino
Jul 21, 10:07 AM
With all these new technologies with 4, 8 and eventually 24-core capacities (some time in the not too distant future) all running at 64-bit, we musn't forget that software also has tobe developed for these machienes in order to get the most out of the hardware. At the moment we aren't even maximising core-duo, let alone a quad core and all the rest!!!!
It really depends on your application.
On the desktop, if you're a typical user that's just interested in web surfing, playing music files, organizing your photo collection, etc., more than two cores will probably not be too useful. For these kinds of users, even two cores may be overkill, but two are useful for keeping a responsive UI when an application starts hogging all the CPU time.
If you start using higher-power applications (like video work - iMovie/iDVD, for instance) then more cores will speed up that kind of work (assuming the app is properly multithreaded, of course.) 4-core systems will definitely benefit this kind of user.
With current applications, however, I don't think more than 4 cores will be useful. The kind of work that will make 8 cores useful is the kinds that requires expensive professional software - which most people don't use.
If you get away from the desktop and look to the server market, however, the picture changes. A web server may only be running one copy of Apache, but it may create a thread for every simultaneous connection. If you have 8 cores, then you can handle 8 times as many connections as a 1-core system can (assuming sufficient memory and I/O bandwidth, of course.) Ditto for database, transaction, and all kinds of other servers. More cores means more simultaneous connections without performance degradation.
Cluster computing has similar benefits. With 8 cores in each processor, it is almost as good as having 8 times as many computers in the cluster, and a lot less expensive. This concept will scale up as the number of cores increases, assuming motherbaords can be designed with enough memory and FSB bandwidth to keep them all busy.
I think we might see a single quad-core chip in consumer systems, like the iMac. I think it is likely that we'll see them in Pro systems, like the Mac Pro (including a high-end model with two quad-core chips.)
I think processors with more than 4 cores will never be seen outside of servers - Xserves and maybe some configurations of Mac Pro. Mostly because that's where there is a need for this kind of power.
It really depends on your application.
On the desktop, if you're a typical user that's just interested in web surfing, playing music files, organizing your photo collection, etc., more than two cores will probably not be too useful. For these kinds of users, even two cores may be overkill, but two are useful for keeping a responsive UI when an application starts hogging all the CPU time.
If you start using higher-power applications (like video work - iMovie/iDVD, for instance) then more cores will speed up that kind of work (assuming the app is properly multithreaded, of course.) 4-core systems will definitely benefit this kind of user.
With current applications, however, I don't think more than 4 cores will be useful. The kind of work that will make 8 cores useful is the kinds that requires expensive professional software - which most people don't use.
If you get away from the desktop and look to the server market, however, the picture changes. A web server may only be running one copy of Apache, but it may create a thread for every simultaneous connection. If you have 8 cores, then you can handle 8 times as many connections as a 1-core system can (assuming sufficient memory and I/O bandwidth, of course.) Ditto for database, transaction, and all kinds of other servers. More cores means more simultaneous connections without performance degradation.
Cluster computing has similar benefits. With 8 cores in each processor, it is almost as good as having 8 times as many computers in the cluster, and a lot less expensive. This concept will scale up as the number of cores increases, assuming motherbaords can be designed with enough memory and FSB bandwidth to keep them all busy.
I think we might see a single quad-core chip in consumer systems, like the iMac. I think it is likely that we'll see them in Pro systems, like the Mac Pro (including a high-end model with two quad-core chips.)
I think processors with more than 4 cores will never be seen outside of servers - Xserves and maybe some configurations of Mac Pro. Mostly because that's where there is a need for this kind of power.
Cougarcat
Mar 25, 10:50 PM
So is there real resolution independence or just a x2 mode?
Neither, but there's the beginnings of support for "retina displays."
maybe they will release it in late july instead of late august like snow leopard. does anyone remember how much leopard cost. snow leopard wasnt really a new OS. just a speed bump from leopard so thats why it was $30. i just want to get an idea of what they price lion at because i heard $120 a while ago.
If they start pumping out release candidates now, I think late July is is too far away. WWDC early June is more likely.
Major OS releases have historically been $129. I don't think that'll happen this time--$99 or $79 makes more sense (Apple likes people to upgrade, and their software prices aren't as high as they used to be). But that's just me speculating.
i wonder if apple will release a version in the app store???
Almost definitely, that's how developers are getting it now.
Maybe not such a big update after all? Where are all the secrets? The UI could use more of an overhaul IMO.
It is a big update. Versions and Resume alone are huge, IMO. (Which you don't really appreciate until you start using them.)
The UI may not look radically different, but there's hardly a part of it that hasn't been retouched.
Neither, but there's the beginnings of support for "retina displays."
maybe they will release it in late july instead of late august like snow leopard. does anyone remember how much leopard cost. snow leopard wasnt really a new OS. just a speed bump from leopard so thats why it was $30. i just want to get an idea of what they price lion at because i heard $120 a while ago.
If they start pumping out release candidates now, I think late July is is too far away. WWDC early June is more likely.
Major OS releases have historically been $129. I don't think that'll happen this time--$99 or $79 makes more sense (Apple likes people to upgrade, and their software prices aren't as high as they used to be). But that's just me speculating.
i wonder if apple will release a version in the app store???
Almost definitely, that's how developers are getting it now.
Maybe not such a big update after all? Where are all the secrets? The UI could use more of an overhaul IMO.
It is a big update. Versions and Resume alone are huge, IMO. (Which you don't really appreciate until you start using them.)
The UI may not look radically different, but there's hardly a part of it that hasn't been retouched.
RebootD
Apr 11, 10:29 PM
As a print/web designer who is getting more and more requests for video and animation I'm very interested to see what they do with FCP. I actually moved up from CS4 Design to CS5 Master to utilize the 64bit versions of Premiere and AE. And holy crap are they faster and use 100% of all 8 threads of my MP.
If the Final Cut suite can finally move to x64 and take advantage of my TWO YEAR OLD hardware then I may just switch back because I'm way more used to the older FCS suite.
If the Final Cut suite can finally move to x64 and take advantage of my TWO YEAR OLD hardware then I may just switch back because I'm way more used to the older FCS suite.
iGary
Aug 11, 11:19 AM
I've been looking at the Treo, but they're not easy to come by for Vodafone contract, if at all.
And they suck - I had a 600, which fell into the water and was replaced by insurance with a 650, which is only marginally better.
I don't believe the rumor - Steve wouldn't blab, he just wouldn't.
We only have a month to wait, though. :)
And they suck - I had a 600, which fell into the water and was replaced by insurance with a 650, which is only marginally better.
I don't believe the rumor - Steve wouldn't blab, he just wouldn't.
We only have a month to wait, though. :)
jeanlain
Apr 12, 02:14 AM
-
- removal of "insufficient content" ...
:confused: so FPC should create content?
The major thing, though, is they HAVE to start utilizing multiple cores. It's not and as video gets larger, rendering gets more taxing.
They do. FCP regularly uses more than 100% CPU during render. Not saying it can't be improved though.
- removal of "insufficient content" ...
:confused: so FPC should create content?
The major thing, though, is they HAVE to start utilizing multiple cores. It's not and as video gets larger, rendering gets more taxing.
They do. FCP regularly uses more than 100% CPU during render. Not saying it can't be improved though.
mccldwll
Apr 19, 08:38 PM
Apple better not win this case and anyone who thinks that they should are a fool.
And anyone who writes "are a fool" is a dolt.
And anyone who writes "are a fool" is a dolt.
fullmanfullninj
Apr 8, 02:03 AM
Just to let y'all know, unless someone else knows otherwise, Best Buy makes zero off Apple product sales (that haven't been marked up).
I read this thread and I noted that someone pointed out that BB apparently marks up some items -Airports, Time Machines, etc. I found this odd since Apple controls all the pricing, but eh, not going to question that since those are the facts I'm assuming (can't be bothered to go on a comparing spree).
Anyway, the iPad 2s aren't marked up, thus they make zero.
Each department should be meeting their budget daily. How do they do that? By selling products they make notional margin and that allows that department to meet their budget. On a slow, sh-tty day, a department may only be 70% to budget; on a fast, awesome day, a department may be 110% to budget.
But when you make zero off iPad sales, keeping them away from customers does not help notional margin. Doesn't bring them any closer to hitting budget. The only way they'd make money on that iPad sale would be selling accessories or the Black Tie protection. But that's entirely something else.
Best Buy makes zero notional margin on iPad sales, so they're not withholding stock to meet daily budgets.
I can't explain why they're doing this, but given my knowledge, I can invalidate the claim that managers are hoarding iPads so that they can meet budget every day.
Cheers! :D
I read this thread and I noted that someone pointed out that BB apparently marks up some items -Airports, Time Machines, etc. I found this odd since Apple controls all the pricing, but eh, not going to question that since those are the facts I'm assuming (can't be bothered to go on a comparing spree).
Anyway, the iPad 2s aren't marked up, thus they make zero.
Each department should be meeting their budget daily. How do they do that? By selling products they make notional margin and that allows that department to meet their budget. On a slow, sh-tty day, a department may only be 70% to budget; on a fast, awesome day, a department may be 110% to budget.
But when you make zero off iPad sales, keeping them away from customers does not help notional margin. Doesn't bring them any closer to hitting budget. The only way they'd make money on that iPad sale would be selling accessories or the Black Tie protection. But that's entirely something else.
Best Buy makes zero notional margin on iPad sales, so they're not withholding stock to meet daily budgets.
I can't explain why they're doing this, but given my knowledge, I can invalidate the claim that managers are hoarding iPads so that they can meet budget every day.
Cheers! :D
kupua
Nov 29, 12:19 AM
No way Jose...hahahahahahahaha
How much did they invest in the development in the iPod. Yah right just as I though, zip. If MS is that stupid, it just shows what leverage they have on the market for their Zune
How much did they invest in the development in the iPod. Yah right just as I though, zip. If MS is that stupid, it just shows what leverage they have on the market for their Zune
AndroidfoLife
Apr 6, 04:42 PM
Upper Middle Class FTW!
Poor college student for the win.
I have to be a part time street pharmacist to pay for my tech additions
Poor college student for the win.
I have to be a part time street pharmacist to pay for my tech additions
myemosoul
Jun 17, 11:57 AM
The store i went to showed me the piece of paper with the directions on how to get the PIN numbers and it specifically said that if the store were to try and push a reserve through before 1pm it would be cancelled.
I for one certainly hope they honor this rule as my store waited until exactly 1pm to try to put mine through and couldn't get a PIN until an hour and a half later.
I for one certainly hope they honor this rule as my store waited until exactly 1pm to try to put mine through and couldn't get a PIN until an hour and a half later.
Nuck81
Nov 24, 08:49 PM
I didn't start to care for the game until I changed the gas and brake to the right and left trigger instead of the awkward right stick. Once i did that the racing really started to feel better.
It's incredibly easy. Even with a severely underpowered car in some races I have yet to lose at the default difficulty.
Also Im disappointed in the graphics. I really don't think it looks as good as nfs shift, which for the time being is still my favourite racer this gen.
It's incredibly easy. Even with a severely underpowered car in some races I have yet to lose at the default difficulty.
Also Im disappointed in the graphics. I really don't think it looks as good as nfs shift, which for the time being is still my favourite racer this gen.
BornAgainMac
Aug 17, 09:19 AM
Won't Adobe use Core Image when the Universal Binaries come out? If both Quads had the same high powered graphics card, the benchmarks may show them to be the same with Core Image tasks.
MacsRgr8
Aug 6, 01:56 PM
why do you think so? Conroe chips showed up online a few weeks ago, and woodcrest has been shipping to manufacturers for some time now. Merom hasn't, Conroe is ahead of Merom in terms of shipping IIRC.
You're right.
I got it the wrong way round. somehow I believed the Merom's to be already shipping, and not the Conroe, But as others have stated too, it's the Conroe which already has seen some daylight!
Makes it difficult though.
Will the Mac Pro low(er) end get the Conroe?
And only the top end (presumably a Quad config) a Woodcrest?
Can't wait!!
You're right.
I got it the wrong way round. somehow I believed the Merom's to be already shipping, and not the Conroe, But as others have stated too, it's the Conroe which already has seen some daylight!
Makes it difficult though.
Will the Mac Pro low(er) end get the Conroe?
And only the top end (presumably a Quad config) a Woodcrest?
Can't wait!!
milo
Jul 27, 01:03 PM
this would be smart because as of right now the mac book pro doesnt WOW me over the macbook. Do you think the "core 3" will also have the same pin structure as the 2's?
The next gen of chips has 4 core versions of conroe and woodcrest, each with the same sockets as the ones they're replacing. Not sure if there will be a 4 core merom.
How about a new Mac at WWDC?
Lower Model:
CConroe E6300 - 1.86 GHz � FSB1066 � 2 MB cache - ($185)
1GB RAM
160GB Serial ATA hard drive
Double-layer SuperDrive (DVD+R DL/DVD�RW/CD-RW)
One open PCI-Express expansion slot
One open Optical drive slot [maybe] (i.e. for 2nd DVD drive)
Graphics Card with 128MB SDRAM
Built-in AirPort Extreme and Bluetooth 2.0, USB/FW800
Remote [(?] I think this box will still be small enough to fit into home entertainment setups.]
Keyboard, Mighty Mouse...................................................... $999
Some Options:
Conroe E6600 - 2.40 GHz � FSB1066 � 4 MB cache � (+$100)
Wireless Keyboard/Mouse +$60
Add DVD/CD ROM drive (in 2nd slot) + $50
250GB SATA hard drive +$75
+1GB RAM (2GB total) +$100
+3GB RAM (4GB total) +$300
Slightly Better Graphics Card with 256MB SDRAM + $50
Much Better Graphics Card +$200+
http://img92.imageshack.us/img92/9648/macandmacminipx9.jpg
Pretty cool, but it needs a real name, MAC won't cut it. Maybe Mac Express?
And it wouldn't have FW800 or a second optical slot. Probably a second HD slot instead. And I'd guess it would be more of a pizza box enclosure, but that's wild speculation. Your price is probably way too low, too.
The next gen of chips has 4 core versions of conroe and woodcrest, each with the same sockets as the ones they're replacing. Not sure if there will be a 4 core merom.
How about a new Mac at WWDC?
Lower Model:
CConroe E6300 - 1.86 GHz � FSB1066 � 2 MB cache - ($185)
1GB RAM
160GB Serial ATA hard drive
Double-layer SuperDrive (DVD+R DL/DVD�RW/CD-RW)
One open PCI-Express expansion slot
One open Optical drive slot [maybe] (i.e. for 2nd DVD drive)
Graphics Card with 128MB SDRAM
Built-in AirPort Extreme and Bluetooth 2.0, USB/FW800
Remote [(?] I think this box will still be small enough to fit into home entertainment setups.]
Keyboard, Mighty Mouse...................................................... $999
Some Options:
Conroe E6600 - 2.40 GHz � FSB1066 � 4 MB cache � (+$100)
Wireless Keyboard/Mouse +$60
Add DVD/CD ROM drive (in 2nd slot) + $50
250GB SATA hard drive +$75
+1GB RAM (2GB total) +$100
+3GB RAM (4GB total) +$300
Slightly Better Graphics Card with 256MB SDRAM + $50
Much Better Graphics Card +$200+
http://img92.imageshack.us/img92/9648/macandmacminipx9.jpg
Pretty cool, but it needs a real name, MAC won't cut it. Maybe Mac Express?
And it wouldn't have FW800 or a second optical slot. Probably a second HD slot instead. And I'd guess it would be more of a pizza box enclosure, but that's wild speculation. Your price is probably way too low, too.
shawnce
Aug 6, 02:28 PM
So, you're comparing a mature product (Tiger) to one that's still in beta and which by all accounts has plenty of outstanding issues before it's ever released (Vista)? Ok soon lets compare Leopard and Vista.
The fact of the matter is that Vista has to be functionally complete now (or else they are going to miss shipping dates by a large margin)... so the functionality you see is basically what you are going to get. Put aside the crashes, performance issues, bugs and you can get a good sense for how it will operate when it is released.
Really MS has taken the transparency and visual effect so far that they are distracting and degrade usability (thank fully you can adjust them to some extent)... they are doing just like Apple did in Mac OS X 10.0 (transparent window title bars when in background, overly transparent menus, etc.) but thankfully Apple has been refining it for the last few years for looks and usability.
Also the new user security mode is going to be a big nightmare for folks until 3rd party software catches up with it... currently in my average usage it is always bouncing to out the full screen overlay with security confirmation dialog... I am at the point I don't read them any more since the disrupt what I am trying to do. (We have several developers in house struggling to keep up with changes and bugs in the beta, making it hard to get ready for Vista).
In the end Vista will be a good OS but it is going to be a little painful for the Windows world for the next year or so (into 2008).
The fact of the matter is that Vista has to be functionally complete now (or else they are going to miss shipping dates by a large margin)... so the functionality you see is basically what you are going to get. Put aside the crashes, performance issues, bugs and you can get a good sense for how it will operate when it is released.
Really MS has taken the transparency and visual effect so far that they are distracting and degrade usability (thank fully you can adjust them to some extent)... they are doing just like Apple did in Mac OS X 10.0 (transparent window title bars when in background, overly transparent menus, etc.) but thankfully Apple has been refining it for the last few years for looks and usability.
Also the new user security mode is going to be a big nightmare for folks until 3rd party software catches up with it... currently in my average usage it is always bouncing to out the full screen overlay with security confirmation dialog... I am at the point I don't read them any more since the disrupt what I am trying to do. (We have several developers in house struggling to keep up with changes and bugs in the beta, making it hard to get ready for Vista).
In the end Vista will be a good OS but it is going to be a little painful for the Windows world for the next year or so (into 2008).