Vienna, of course, is Windows 7. To be more specific, Windows 7, Build 7000. I downloaded Windows 7 quite a while ago, a few days after the Beta was released to the public. I didn’t use it, until yesterday. I don’t know why. I think I forgot about it. Anyway, it looks good. It’s a bit laggy, but now, after a bit of tweaking in the registry, it’s working fine. I like the new taskbar. It gets rid of the Quick Launch bar in previous versions of Windows, and merges multiple instances of the application together, leaving only one icon of the said application left on the taskbar. Nice. Neat. Takes getting used to though.
Windows Media Player 12 comes with Windows 7. On the surface, it doesn’t look that different from WMP 11, aside from the fact that the buttons are in different places, and that there is a “Media Guide” thing in the bottom left, which doesn’t work in Singapore. I don’t know if this is because of my childishness at having a new OS to play with, but I feel that the sound quality is greatly improved when compared to Vista.
Windows 7 is also supposed to support multi-touch technology. Sadly, I don’t have anything I can use to take advantage of this feature.
Now, this is just a beta, and yet, when I check my System Properties, I see the word “Ultimate” next to “Windows 7”. Does this mean that when it finally goes into the market, there is going to be a whole lot of versions again? That sucks. If it’s going to be like Vista, where there is a Starter, Home Basic, Home Premium, Business, and Ultimate, then it is going to be bad. This is one of the reasons why Vista didn’t really sell as well as planned. You have to more for different features? Can’t they just sell Vista Ultimate? It works just as well on every computer. I have used both Ultimate AND Home Premium, and I dare say, Ultimate works better and faster. Does this mean Microsoft is deliberately slowing down systems so that people will buy Ultimate? That’s the world’s WORST business strategy. Imagine going to McDonald’s and buying a burger. Just the bread will cost you 50 cents. Want to add meat? Sure, another 50 cents. Cheese? 50 cents more. Ketchup? Why not? And the list goes on. If that happened, people would get pissed off, because the price gets higher and higher, and in the end, it wouldn’t be worth it. They might just walk out, and buy something simpler, like for example, an Apple.
That said, I think Windows 7 will be worth it, and if Microsoft can find more ways to tweak it to make it faster, it would be the BEST OS they have come up with, and it would be the first Windows OS to be faster than it’s predecessor. If you want to try W7, you can go to the Microsoft website. They are extending the Beta Download till 12th February 2009. After that date, it will be impossible to download it, unless you do so from torrents. Good torrent sites will be those like the Bay of Pirates, or a mini nuclear explosion. :D Try figuring those out! Haha. Also, Windows 7 comes with a new font, called Gabriola, and I shall use it here.
The intelligence of the Singaporean People in general is very high. They do well in terms of exam results, and Singapore is rated as one of the most literate countries in the world. I would be proud to belong here, if not for one fact. The people would make a Great White Shark look genteel. They will not open the door for you at shopping centers, but will rush to go in right before you did, just so that they will not have to open the door for other people. I swear, Singaporeans could be world class athletes if they wanted to. They behave as if opening the door was a great physical feat, and perhaps, if you were to get in first, there would be a grand prize. When you want to get into the lift, they will not wait. They will, instead, repeatedly hammer against the “Door Close” button. What good does that do, I wonder? It’s not like the door closes faster. I like watching these people do their best to attack the button. I just calmly press the button on the outside, and the door opens right back. After thanking them for opening the door, I walk into the lift with that dumb look of pure satisfaction on my face. I can’t help it. They look so dumb when they do that.
In the trains in Singapore, there are seats that say, “Please give this seat up to the needy.” Now, I’m not going to say that I am saintly and have never sat on these seats, but if you want to sit on it, and I don’t give it to you, you could ask. You don’t need to stare at me, and you sure as hell don’t need to scold me. What I see as “needy” is that you have a walking stick, and can’t stand straight. I do not see pregnant women, who can really move fast and with great agility in grocery stores, as needy, and I do not see children, who run around wherever they can just to irritate people, as needy. If I see an old person with a walking stick and a limp, I will give up the seat. There are times, however, when I am asleep, or when I am simply not paying attention. There is no need to glare at me. You could just ask. Ask, and you will receive. Yell, stare or glare, and you shall NOT receive. I have a right to sit on these chairs as much as anyone, and if I give it up, I give it up of my own free will. I’m not being an ass, I am just asking that you request for things civilly, and without thinking that I owe anyone this seat.
There, I’ve let it out. I feel much better. I hope people reading my blog will take note of this, and we can, a small part at a time, make Singapore that much nicer to live in. As a gesture of kindness, I shall share some nice pictures I found in my random searches.
