Digital Home Thoughts - News & Reviews for the Digital Home

"Love it or hate it, Microsoft Windows is the world's most dominant operating system. But when you look at some of the hot features found in competitors such as Linux and Mac OS X, both XP and Vista can seem a little incomplete. From intuitive interface features like Apple's application dock and Cover Flow to basic media capabilities such as ISO burning, Windows often falls short on built-in goodies. And some features that other operating systems offer by default-- such as 64-bit processing and business-networking tools--require a premium-version license in Windows. We took a good look at a variety of OSs, from the Mac to Linux to PC-BSD and beyond, and we rounded up a list of our favorite features--few of which come standard in any version of Windows. We even considered some operating systems of yore, and recalled a couple of cool features that Microsoft still hasn't caught on to. Some of these features simply aren't available for Windows at all, owing to the way the OS is designed. But you can add most of them to XP or Vista with the help of third-party applications, and we'll show you how to get them."

If you've never used an OS other than Windows, you might find this an eye opener regarding some of the cool features you are missing and if you are a Mac/Linux devotee, I'm sure you enjoy a recap about why your OS of choice rocks. I'll admit, since I've been messing around with Linux, I especially enjoy the Virtual Workspace feature and would love to see that implemented in Vista.

"The first edition of Microsoft Plus! was codenamed frosting, like frosting on a cake. (Insert Portal cake joke). When Microsoft introduced Ultimate Extras for Windows Vista, everyone naturally assumed this was the replacement for Plus! delivered digitally instead of a retail product, but that might turn out to be false. The eagle-eye enthusiasts at WinBeta (and also credit to the Neowin.net forums) have spotted an interesting product listed in Future Shop’s, a leading technology retailer in Canada, catalog. “Microsoft Windows Vista Plus Pack (PC)“."

I bought the Plus! pack for Windows XP, and while it had a few neat apps and games, I'm not convinced the $30 was worth it. I think I'll end up skipping the Vista Plus! pack, unless it comes with a must-have application or theme. I've been trying to get away from my computer, not spend more time on it! For the casual home user though, this might be just the thing to liven up the day. How bout you? Worth it?