Contrary to the prevailing view that Windows Vista was bad, perhaps some might even consider it the worst version of Windows ever, my experience with this operating system has been quite different, and until today I can consider it to be one of the best operating systems Microsoft has ever released.

Note: This is a personal opinion based on personal experience, not necessarily objective, neutral or scientific.

It was ahead of its time, and the vast majority of us, ordinary users or even professionals, did not have the gear to run this OS. That’s a fact. I remember when it was first released in early 2007 that I had to “borrow” a friend’s RAM, such that I would have a 512 MB RAM on my device, which was minimum requirement for the OS to run.

Most of the devices at that time (2006–2007) were compliant with Windows XP standards. In Syria (Where i’m from), some of them were resilient from the Windows ME era. The Pentium 4 processors were the most powerful processors available in market, and the Dual Core was as fanciful as this new generation’s fantasy of a Core i9 processors these days, so there was only a limited number of users who were able to acquire devices that were designed to work with Windows Vista or preloaded the system, which was as expensive as ever.

Perhaps if Microsoft delayed the release of Windows Vista until 2008, for example, things would have been completely different, and the problem of hardware compatibility would not have been so bad that users dislike the system a few hours after its installation. Of course, there was also the problem of software compatibility which was just as bad as the problem of drivers.

Microsoft was planning to offer a whole new experience, and it actually did. But it seems to have decided to do so at the expense of all of the above without thinking that it is difficult for a settled user who is comfortable with Windows XP, to think of upgrading to something entirely new for the sake of upgrading..

Coming from Windows XP, I spent a full week browsing the new OS. My first impression was brilliant, especially after a long struggle with the installation on a humble device. I felt like i launched a rocket, and It would be an exaggeration to say that I felt truly unspeakably happy when the new shiny Windows logo appeared before me for the first time with new startup sound that suggests you’re about to work on a space shuttle.

The layout of the system, the different colors and design of the interfaces, the desktop wallpapers, the new highlight Start menu button on the taskbar with the 3D effect, they are all very small details, but were really amazing at that time.

I explored all the corners of the system and enjoyed the new and impressive features that were included, which were the introduction or perhaps the kernel of many of the features we use in today’s Windows system, one that we would not have known without Windows Vista. So Today I write these lines to the justice of this oppressed system that probably failed due to bullying more than its own problems and bugs.

The easiest installation wizard

While installing Vista for the first time I expected installation steps similar to Windows XP with more non-graphical interface. But the FULL Graphical and beautifylly designed installation wizard was the first thing that impressed me in the new System, which was so easy that anyone could install the system without any prior experience, and zero Blues Screens (If everything goes well).

Dazzling visual and sound

The Windows Aero transparent design and redesigned essential software interface such as File Explorer and Internet Explorer (before becoming public enemy #1) are all easier to use, redesigning all the icons in the system to fit the new design system, the sleek golden screen backdrops, the new set of sounds, and the sidebar that stolen from OSX :), all of these are details that set Windows Vista apart from any previous Windows OS.

Most of these features continued in Windows 7, and would not have existed without Vista. No user, consumer or professional, can but be impressed by it, especially after the drought that plagued Windows XP.

I see Windows XP as that dedicated employee who does his job perfectly, but at the expense of his external look and outfit. Windows Vista, on the other hand, was the exact opposite. He was so concerned about his appearance that his work was heavy. This visual dazzle was not magic. It needed a great deal of graphics processing power that was not widespread at the time.

But it can be said that Microsoft later released Windows 7 to combine the performance of the dedicated and elegant employees, which would not have existed without both.

Flip 3D Baby!

Switching between opened windows using Alt+Tab is one of the features you that we couldn’t imagine it is possible to improved somehow (one more personal openion). It performs its function with integrity and no need for more. However, Microsoft has introduced the new Flip 3D, which performs the same task of switching between frames but by displaying them in a dazzling three-dimensional flow.

I guess this kind of 3D experience later inspired many developers and designers to do more, and I expect it has played a role in VR and innovations like HoloLens. Yes, it’s all started there!

Accessories .. many of them

Windows Vista has included a lot of new software, updated and redisgned previously existing software.

With its focus on the visual aspect, Microsoft made it much easier to use Windows Movie Maker software. After you finish your Home movie, you can burn it to DVD Through Windows DVD Maker, and watch it later in Windows Media Center.

New old games

Along with the most popular Solitaire Games and the addition of the 3D touch to it, Microsoft launched a new collection of games such as Purple Place, Mahjong titans and a 3D chess game.

Evaluating performance to measure compatibility

I used to boast among my friends that my machine had more powerful points. “Windows Experience score” was meant to become a classification criteria for games and software. Instead of writing a long list of “minimum requirements for COD” or any other game, it was enough to say that the game needed a 3.5 point device to work well, and the same went for software. I think that it would have been possible to continue developing this property.

More video tutorials

The Help and Support Center in Windows Vista explained almost everything new in the OS, and was available in Arabic in a simple and interesting way with fascinating voice-over videos that anyone could learn to use the system no matter how new to the OS they were. (We didn’t have the same experience in our language with XP or the older versions of windows)

These and other reasons made me love Windows Vista, and my experience became unforgettable despite all the problems and difficulties I encountered while installing and using it.

Why Vista failed

BUREAUCRACY, hardware and software incompatibility, gluttony in resource consumption!

However, Vista sold more than 88 million copies in 2007 alone, everyone was waiting for the new version of Windows. Therefore, by numbers it did good, and generated a lot of money to the company.

Vista was launched at a time when old processors, DDR1 and even older SDR RAM were controlling the market, poor AGP graphics cards, and low storage capacities were the norm. The new generations of LGA processors, DDR2 memories, and new PCI Express cards were just saying hello in that period, and were not widespread enough to allow the system to function at its best.

Unfortunately for Vista, it was released in a transition period between the old and the new, which contributed significantly to its failure, and more to the success of the systems that followed. For example, a device with a 1GB of RAM, a GeForce G210 GPU with 1GB of memory, and an Intel Core 2 duo processor was able to run Windows 7, Windows 8 and 8.1 acceptably without having to upgrade. This has become more common since 2009.

Perhaps the quality of hardware deployed at the time was another reason for Microsoft to have tons of version of Vista, such as Home Basic, Home Premium, Business and Ultimate. But this process also left the user confused. Many went for the Ultimate edition, thinking that due to its name it will be the more powerful and impressive one. However, this comes at a price, the vast majority did not have the processing power to accommodate this OS, while other versions had fewer features.

Vista was also annoyingly bureaucratic, especially with regard to security and permissions when attempting to do virtually anything, even copying files from one place to another.

Microsoft tried to fix the disasters caused by Vista by Releasing Service Pack 2, but it was too late. Like everythingin this world, the first impression is the most important, and after users leave the system, it no longer benefits to patch it whatsoever.

I wrote this article based on what I remember from my experience with the OS, which may have lasted a whole year. I have not come back to it since the release of Windows 7, but these things remained stuck in my memory to this day. Despite all the negative reviews of the system, it was a bridge to go beyond. It added a lot to our experience as users and professionals, and it is unfair not to thank it for what it has given us.

Microsoft stopped selling Windows Vista on April 10, 2012 and continued to support it until April 2017, ending the life of an operating system that I consider to be one of the most influential operating systems in the history of personal computers.

What is your evaluation of Windows Vista? And how was your experience with it if you still remember those days?

I want to thank my friend Orwa Mohamed for helping me in translating this issue into English, as i published it it in Arabic on Arageek.com. I thought it will be relevant to more users around the world so i decided to share it with you here.

I love going back in time to the lovely days of things, especially when it comes to computers. I will try to share more similar nostalgic tech-stories in the future.

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