Vista Features you USE as tools, even if you added them via XP

what Vista items, either using vista, or having them added on to XP, do you USE regularly, and now cannot be without.

there is a lot of CUTE, and then there is some functionality.
what of the cute or functional would you NEED now that you have used it.
or what vista like items have you Added to XP, because you needed them as usable tools.
Lots of vista like stuff can be added to XP, to give the same look feel and features, some people put on the truckload of features, some selectivly add only the usable items.

i am thinking about adding some vista like items to XP, and need to know which are Candy, and which are Food.

things like:
transparency (window or edge)
window switching
task bar window thumbs
browser changes
icons, both by design change and function
file system differences
organisations
that Web side bar

"Low-rights operation as the default way to run apps" would be one of mine :tinfoil: along with Protected Mode for IE7. I have no young'uns or I'd probably have uses for the Parental Controls.

Since you're thinking about adding "Vista-like items" to WinXP, here's how you would switch to low-rights ops on WinXP or Win2000: http://www.mechbgon.com/build/Limited.html There is no equivalent of IE7 Protected Mode for WinXP, but you can reduce your exploitability (regardless of browser) by getting all your stuff up-to-date, and for that purpose, check out Secunia's Personal Software Inspector at https://psi.secunia.com.

One thing I do miss from XP: ability to natively make password-protected Zip files. Also, my venerable Win95-era Sidewinder 3D Pro joysticks aren't supported and I'm practically joined at the wrist to those puppies. Must... find... new... joystick!

ahh thanks, weird loosing the more simple thing of the passworded zip files like that. not weird loosing all your best hardware.

i have security covered, and nobody else (yet) allowed to use my computer, there are 2 other puters.
i just turn off all the holes/features, and only turn them on when i actually want to put something on my computer MYSELF

so what about all the cool things, are you USING the neto grafic features, or did you just check them out and , they are there , and so what

VidPro said:

so what about all the cool things, are you USING the neto grafic features, or did you just check them out and , they are there , and so what

Click to expand...

Graphics features? Well, if I can ever afford a decent video card, I'd like to play Crysis in full DirectX10 glory, for starters but being a bicycle mechanic in the middle of a fairly severe winter, I'm . Had to borrow money to pay rent this month...

Anyway, as for Vista's fancified GUI, I don't really care about it one way or the other in its own right. If Vista looked exactly like Windows2000 Pro and had Vista's security under the hood, that would suit me just fine, but I'm just crazy like that :tinfoil:

ok , thank you for reponding