The history of Windows Vista, the cursed version of Windows: was it really that bad?

Windows Vista: two words that for many evoke frustration, slowness and discontent. Back in 2007, many were excited to try Microsoft’s new operating system. It promised to be prettier, more secure, and more modern than Windows XP. They could not know that they were facing one of the most hated versions among operating systems, even 16 years later.

When turning on the computer, I was surprised by a welcome screen with a blue background and a green progress bar. After a few minutes, the desktop would appear with a new and modern interface called Aero.

Had transparency effects and shadows on the windows, it was elegant and sophisticated, and its fluid animations. The start menu had an integrated search box, sidebar, with gadgets that displayed useful information such as the clock, the calendar or the weather.

But not long after, problems came to Windows Vista. Programs were not installing correctly. Others didn’t work at all and the rest constantly asked for permission to run. Even if you had a fairly powerful computer for the time, Windows Vista it was annoying.

The new operating system Microsoft it consumed too many resources and made the computer slow. Some simple operations like copying or deleting files took a long time to complete. Also, the laptop’s battery drained faster than with Windows XP.

Computer scientists were soon recommending do not upgrade to this version. Users downgrade. Tremendously high hardware specifications compared to Windows XP and could directly make your computer not directly support the operating system Was Windows Vista as bad as remembered, or just misunderstood, ahead of its time?

A development with many complications

It is estimated that in the year 2022, Windows will reach a user base of approximately 1.4 billion worldwide. This impressive number reflects the pervasiveness and popularity of Microsoft’s operating system.

Windows has long been the dominant system in the PC market, and its wide adoption is due in part to its compatibility with a wide range of hardware and softwareas well as its ease of use.

Over the years, Microsoft has released several versions of Windows, each with new features and improvements designed to meet the changing needs of users and the demands of technology. Generally, users find it difficult to adapt, and generally Microsoft used to bring a good version, only after a bad one.

The release of Windows Vista occurred in a time when technology was rapidly evolving and expectations were high. Microsoft sought to offer an operating system that would surpass its predecessor, Windows XP, in terms of security, design, and functionality, and yet it failed.

The development of Windows Vista was a complex and ambitious process which involved thousands of engineers and developers. The goal was to create a safe, stable operating system with an attractive interface.

Technical and management problems arose that affected the final quality of the product. There were delays, changes in focus, and difficulties coordinating all aspects of the project, which negatively impacted quality and the end-user experience.

Microsoft introduced significant changes to the architecture of the operating system, which also contributed to compatibility issues. These changes required developers to tailor their programs and drivers to work properly on Windows Vista. However, many did not have the time or resources to make these adaptations.

Windows Vista: “Life without walls”

From the beginning, Windows Vista suffered Criticized for slow performance and incompatibility with many existing programs and hardware drivers. The technical requirements to run Vista were significantly higher than those of its predecessor.

Maybe the Windows Vista minimum requirements: 800 MHz of processor and 512 MB of RAM, may seem little today, but they were not for the time. Also, the price of Windows Vista was $199, a significant price increase from the previous version.

Windows Vista’s once-powerful marketing campaign was the target of ridicule and criticism. Steve Jobs called the loading processes: “Longhorn”, (name of the previous dismissed project that laid the foundations of Windows Vista), users had expected much more after a million-dollar campaign that heralded a revolutionary leap in the computing experience.

The slogan “life without walls” promised an operating system that would allow users to perform tasks more efficiently and connect with the digital world. The promises collided with reality and generated discontent.

Aero, the new visual experience, of eternal loads

Aero’s design, the graphical interface, focused on clarity and usability, using subtle visual effects to help users better understand the hierarchy of windows and interface elements. For example, active windows were highlighted with a subtle glow, making them easier to identify compared to inactive windows.

In addition to its visual aspect, it also offered practical functionalities. For example, it allowed users navigate between open windows quickly and visually appealingthrough an animation in the form of a “flip” or allowed resizing and arranging windows by dragging them to the edges of the screen, which facilitated multitasking and window management.

The introduction of visual innovation in Windows Vista was an attempt by Microsoft to modernize the appearance of the operating system and make it more visually appealing. However, it was subject to critical due to its demand on system resourceswhich contributed to the slow performance of Windows Vista.

Despite criticism and technical challenges, Aero laid the foundation for interface design in later versions of Windows. Many of the features and improvements introduced were refined and optimized in later versions of the operating system, allowing for a smoother and more efficient viewing experience.

Even today, elements of this interface can be found in Windows 11, the latest operating system from Microsoft. Although it has evolved and adapted to new design trends, the influence can be seen in the visual consistency, transparency effects, and subtle animations that are still present in the Windows interface.

User account control, non-stop windows

Another of the most criticized aspects of Windows Vista was the User Account Control (UAC, for its acronym in English). This feature was intended to improve the security of the operating system by asking for user confirmation before making configuration changes or installing software.

However the UAC turned annoying for many users due to excessive amount of popups that appeared constantly, interrupting the flow of work and generating frustration.

After all, it laid the foundation for future versions.

Despite all the problems, Windows Vista also brought Significant improvements in terms of security and stability. Additional protection measures were introduced to deal with constantly evolving cyber threats. Its aesthetic improvement laid the foundation, its widgets endured.

The search bar, Internet Explorer 7 improvements, Windows Update or Vista backup and restore centers were some of its improvements more powerful and that laid the future foundations.

Windows Vista laid the foundation for future versions of the operating system, Windows 7, which benefited from the learnings and improvements implemented. It’s a general dynamic at Microsoft: an unpopular version, which is corrected, and leads to an excellent version.

After the poor reception of Windows Vista, Microsoft embarked on a process of introspection and improvement. They took user feedback and criticism into account to develop Windows 7, a version that would become one of the most popular operating systems and successful of the company.

Windows 7 fixed many of its predecessor’s performance and compatibility issues., giving users a smoother and more satisfying experience. Today Windows 7 is remembered as a solid and reliable operating system and Windows Vista is still the inspiration behind Windows 11, the latest version from Microsoft.