Final version's cool features

Vista is finally done, and Microsoft has sent it out to manufacturers.

After weeks of final testing and stamping out last-minute bugs, the software maker said the Windows update was ready to ship.

Retiring Windows chief Jim Allchin has said that his favorite feature in the new operating system is a security improvement: it makes Vista machines each look a little different on a network, making it harder for mass-mailing worms to spread.

Now that the code is done and the reviews are in, we asked our Vista Views panel, made up of ordinary readers, this question: What's your favorite thing about Vista?

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David Colon

Aero Glass has to be the coolest part of Vista, so long as it's not slowing your computer down. The overall feel of the system is pretty solid and kind of comforting, to tell you the truth.

David Colon is a software developer in the QA department of a medium-size government Web site application development company.

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Jeff Rosado

I think that my favorite feature of Windows Vista is the Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF). Not only does this give users the pretty "eye candy," such as Aero Glass and Flip 3D, but it will allow applications developers to create unbelievable programs. WPF is already in use by such organizations as Scripps Research, which is using an application on Vista that maps the SARS virus in a 3D representation. That will allow researchers to greatly reduce their collaboration time.

Add to that the games and 3D-rendering programs which will be able to take advantage of the advanced graphics features exposed through WPF, and what we will see over the next couple of years is sure to be truly amazing.

Jeff Rosado is the owner of a computer consulting company providing tech support and training to businesses and individuals in Pensacola, Fla.

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Barb Bowman

It's hard to pinpoint what my favorite Vista feature is. Certainly the overall security model is dramatically improved, and with UAC, Windows Defender and IE 7's protected mode and antiphishing enhancements, Vista is light years ahead of Windows XP. These are multiple features that will make a huge difference.

I have to say that having Windows Media Center as an integral part of Home Premium and Ultimate is exciting, and CableCard support for HDTV inside Windows Media Center is a feature that I love.

I love the new Network Center. The new Windows Rally technologies will become apparent as hardware vendors release new residential networking equipment next year, and these features are exciting, too. Networking is getting better and better.

There are a lot of teams at Microsoft who worked hard to make improvements in almost every area. From stunning user experience enhancements to improving the digital imaging experience to vastly improved security, this is a very "together" operating system.

Barb Bowman is a product development manager for Comcast high-speed Internet who also writes about technology for the Microsoft Windows XP Expert Zone and the Microsoft Vista community.

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Robert McLaws

My favorite features are the high-definition and digital cable capabilities of Windows Media Center. I love being able to watch cable HTDV channels on my computer and record them to watch later. Plus, the clarity that Digital Cable Receivers (also known as OCURs) bring to standard definition content is much improved over analog tuners. The only things I don't like about them are the limitations imposed by the cable companies, such as the finicky nature of v1 CableCards, and the inability to watch the recordings on other computers inside your home network.

Someday, I hope to have a Media Center PC in a closet somewhere with six DCRs and a few terabytes of storage, connected to a network of other Vista machines and Extenders throughout my house...my own personal on-demand entertainment system. That would be sweet.

Robert McLaws is an IT consultant, community leader and Vista enthusiast. He has been running Vista enthusiast site Longhornblogs.com since 2002.

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Brian Clarke

I am excited about Aero. I am sick and tired of the Fisher Price bubbly-blue look of XP. I am equally tired of the Classic theme.

Brian Clarke, a student at Shippensburg University, says he has reinstalled Windows more times than he cares to remember.

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Brian Lambert

There aren't a lot of features that simply blow me away in Vista. With that being said, I think my favorite feature thus far is the visual refresh. The new "alt-tab" alternative and Aero Glass features look pretty good, although I still wish they were more customizable.

I have run into a few problems with certain programs disabling Aero Glass because they didn't render graphics in a manner compatible with the new graphic system. With that being said, I think Aero Glass has a lot of potential, and it's definitely an improvement over the old blue-and-green theme of Windows XP.

Specifically, I enjoy the ability that alt-tab and its new 3-D Windows Flip alternative show of live images of the application windows, including video as it is playing in the application! This is also true when a user hovers over the program in the taskbar. The translucent effects are good, and it's fun to play around with. It's a good start that definitely has potential.

Brian Lambert is a law student at Southern Illinois University.

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Simon Felix

The coolest thing about Vista is its new Explorer. The new Windows Explorer is no longer based on Internet Explorer, which means it's swift and stable.

It displays context menus without disk trashing, it offers more choices when replacing files, shows a nifty breadcrumb navigation bar, has integrated search, doesn't hang over bad network connections and does many more things.

Simon Felix works in theoretical computer science, application programming and low-level hardware coding for a small engineering office in Switzerland, where he is writing his diploma thesis. He has developed his own operating system.

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Jason Klomps

It is nice that Vista is complete. My favorite thing about Vista is the added security and parental controls in Vista.

Jason Klomps of Tucson, Ariz., works in IT support for a call center.

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Barty Lambert

I think the most important thing about Windows Vista is the enhanced security, extended media capabilities and revamped User Interface.

Some people will argue that Vista is XP with a new UI. However, that is so obviously not true. There are loads of new features or improvements over XP, and while many of these features are available for XP, Vista is a new product that many people will be desperate to get their hands on.

Barty Lambert is a high-school student who lives in London.

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John Kneeland

My favorite Vista feature is Expose--er?Windows Flip.

John Kneeland is an undergraduate at the University of Pennsylvania, where he is majoring in international relations and East Asian studies.