What would your perfect OS have that your current doesn't?

[Faustus]

If you could add any one feature or change one thing about your current or favorate Operating System what would it be?

Its a subject I've given a lot of thought in the past. I've actually conceptualized pretty much an entire OS in my head in the past. Heck I think I posted a bit about it here long ago.

So what would you change?



Personally I wouldn't allow an offical codec on the system unless it was installed into a specific directory via auto installer or drag and drop. That way codec problems would be as easy to troubleshoot as moving files out of the directory.

Also it would keep crap like real player from forcing your player choice. Of course in this day of DRM thats beem complicated quite a bit.

[waheed]

I would want options of what should and shouldn't be installed with windows. For example, given the choice not to install windows messenger, outlook express, WMP, etc.. I know you can remove them afterwards but i would like the option of not installing them during windows setup.

[Faustus]

I would want options of what should and shouldn't be installed with windows. For example, given the choice not to install windows messenger, outlook express, WMP, etc.. I know you can remove them afterwards but i would like the option of not installing them during windows setup.

So an option for Advanced setup that REALLY is advanced setup then?

[yoda313]

I'd like a TRUE DOS mode for gaming.

I'd like to be able to pick and choose any former os WITHOUT owning seperate modules. That way EMULATION would be a thing of the past. With harddrives the way they are I'd like to have it all built in WITHOUT PARTITIONING. How hard could it be to tell your system to function EXACLTY like a previous os??? I mean the amounts of ram and disc space we have now should make true os backward compatiblity absolutely perfect.

Thats the one edge that console gaming has over the pc. Sure you can't upgrade the power of consoles like you can on a pc. BUT 6 years from now you can dig out the console, pop in a game and play (assuming you haven't beaten it up over the years ).

[Supreme2k]

No. registry. whatsoever.

Give me the old days when you could simply "uninstall" a program by deleting it directory (folder, for those not born in the 1800's like me). Just have a simple ini (which you can tweak) in the program directory.

[jimmalenko]

Thats the one edge that console gaming has over the pc. Sure you can't upgrade the power of consoles like you can on a pc. BUT 6 years from now you can dig out the console, pop in a game and play (assuming you haven't beaten it up over the years ).

???

You could do the same with a PC game (provided you kept the PC and didn't upgrade it)

[Faustus]

No. registry. whatsoever.

Give me the old days when you could simply "uninstall" a program by deleting it directory (folder, for those not born in the 1800's like me). Just have a simple ini (which you can tweak) in the program directory.

I really personally prefered the preference file idea on the mac. Each program gets its own "registry" and if it screws up throw it away and it makes a new one.

[yoda313]

Thats the one edge that console gaming has over the pc. Sure you can't upgrade the power of consoles like you can on a pc. BUT 6 years from now you can dig out the console, pop in a game and play (assuming you haven't beaten it up over the years ).

???

You could do the same with a PC game (provided you kept the PC and didn't upgrade it)

And who does that??????

[jimmalenko]

Well, the concept is the same.

If you're talking about putting the console and the game in the cupboard then retrieving it later, there's no reason why you couldn't have done the same with your old PC and game and bought a new PC. Especially in this day and age where if your computer is getting on quite a bit, it is probably advantageous from both a price and performance point of view to buy new as opposed to upgrading mobo, CPU, RAM & hard drive, at the very least.


FWIW I'm rebuilding a machine specifically just for playing my older games. I've still got an old tower from 1998 or so that will do fine running Win98.

[Faustus]

FWIW I'm rebuilding a machine specifically just for playing my older games. I've still got an old tower from 1998 or so that will do fine running Win98.

Same here. I need to put the finishing touches on my DOS 6.22/Windows 98 dual booter. Looking forward to some oldie game action.

[lordsmurf]

No. registry. whatsoever.

Give me the old days when you could simply "uninstall" a program by deleting it directory (folder, for those not born in the 1800's like me). Just have a simple ini (which you can tweak) in the program directory.

I really personally prefered the preference file idea on the mac. Each program gets its own "registry" and if it screws up throw it away and it makes a new one.

Yeah, either of those methods would cure problems I face from time to time. It would also prevent crapware from hiding on the system (malware, virus, trojans, garbage).

[MackemX]

the no registry is a good one

[snafu099]

No. registry. whatsoever.

Give me the old days when you could simply "uninstall" a program by deleting it directory (folder, for those not born in the 1800's like me). Just have a simple ini (which you can tweak) in the program directory.

Not just the uninstall but the install as well. You could install multi copies of same program and tweek each for specific use or install different versions of same program without conflicts. If you corrupted something it was limited to that program not the whole system. From a tech viewpoint I don't know the pro's and con's of having the registry but from a consumer/end user it is not friendly (probably the main reason they switched to using it)

[hudsonf]

The separate reg files would be a nice feature. I would also like to see error messages that told you what the error actually was.

[yoda313]

The separate reg files would be a nice feature. I would also like to see error messages that told you what the error actually was.

Then why would anyone use www.microsoft.com?????

[Supreme2k]

My biggest problem with the OS (and many "modern" programs) is bloat.

Why is it that I have many programs (usually DOS) that are still in the K range of space, that can do the same thing as some of this flashy gig software?
There is actual freeware coming out now that does the same thing as some of this $$$$ payware, with under a meg footprint (pdf creation, ftp servers, image editing, to name a few).

Wasn't there a site where they had some pretty amazing stuff done in under 100k? It may have been lower, which is why I'm having a hared time finding it.


EDIT: Not the exact one, but something similar:
http://www.maa.org/editorial/mathgames/mathgames_08_16_04.html

[soloredd]

I also agree with the no registry. What a POS.

[Mister Flonk-Flonk]

A hundred dollar rebate.

[Faustus]

A hundred dollar rebate.

Just $100? Have you seen what MS actual XP Pro full version retail price is at the stores? Its insane!

[waheed]

No blue screen of death, errors, random crashes...you get the picture.

[yoda313]

No blue screen of death, errors, random crashes...you get the picture.

I don't believe them but mac users say thats what they have already

[Faustus]

No blue screen of death, errors, random crashes...you get the picture.

I don't believe them but mac users say thats what they have already

If a mac crashes 9time out of 10 its because of 2 reason.

1) User don't know what the ****. They assume macs are crash proof and load every bit of crappy ass software onto the system. Norton System Works also sometimes causes issue. Norton should be destroyed. Or they never update or they update constantly but never do any basic mantainace on the system.

or...

2) They have a hardware problem.

Macs DO crash, just alot less then most PCs. Of course this is a gap that has been closed greatly by Windows 2k and XP.

[MackemX]

I don't think I've ever even used a Mac . Closest I've come to one is using a Mac theme