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I’m continuing to learn more about Vista as I play with my wife’s new laptop and help her figure out some things. Because of that I decided to click on a link titled “Windows Vista: Top 10 Things You Can Do“.

So far I haven’t really had any problems with Vista, but after reading through their Top 10 list I’m struck by the fact that the majority of the items are able to be done without Vista.

• Find files with Instant Search. Can basically do this with the Google Desktop or Windows Desktop.
• Open apps thumbnails with Windows Flip 3D and hovering on the taskbar. Although I can’t ever figure how I do it, I know I’ve done something similar to this with my mouse on this XP machine. It doesn’t dynamically scroll through the open windows, but it’s close. The taskbar thing is new, but with the other, not that big of a deal in my opinion.
• Keep photos organized with Windows Photo Gallery. Although not a Windows feature, my preferred method of photo organization is with Picasa2.
• Create a movie with Windows Movie Maker. Easily already achieved with Windows Movie Maker downloaded on an XP machine.
• Organize your music with Windows Media Player 11. Another readily available application for Windows XP.
• Tab-based browsing with IE7. This has been available since Firefox, but also readily available with IE7 downloaded on any computer.
• Record TV with Media Center. Introduced with Windows Media Center and considered quasi-standard with Vista. Other options external to Windows available for XP users.
• Media extender. For me this should be wrapped up into the previous option. Basically taken what you’ve recorded on your Vista machine and watching it on your TV with a media extender like the Xbox 360.
• Windows Sidebar. Keeping things easily accessible. Easy with Vista, but capable with Google Desktop.
• Parental controls. Simply, blocking sites from specific user accounts and blocking computer availability with a calendar and timers. Made easier with Vista.

Five features easily available with a simple download to your Windows XP machine. Two features that are easily achieved with simple 3rd party downloads. The remaining features are also achieved with downloads with a little more work and configuration.

I don’t think Vista is a lemon but with so much time between operating system releases, you’d think there would be a little more impacting and unique with the Vista OS.

With that being said though, what drastic development feature would be that earth shattering to end users? Will we ever see a drastic change like that which was seen from Windows 3.1 to Windows 95?

Source: Windows Vista: Top 10 Things You Can Do