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DreamScenes RTM dated July 19

Time: 07:41 EST/12:41 GMT | News Source: istartedsomething | Posted By: Kenneth van Surksum

First off, I want to congratulate Barry and the Windows Ultimate team for finally stepping in the right direction after months of stalling and silence. The release of the final version of DreamScenes plus the content pack yesterday might not rejuvenate the Ultimate Extras excitement to its former shine, but progress is progress. I think the saying “better late than never” couldn’t be more true on this occasion.

Whilst yesterday was as good as any, could Microsoft have released DreamScenes sooner? A lot sooner? Say, Thursday July 19, 2007?

I hate to play devil’s advocate all the time but sometimes questions, even stupid ones like this, needs to be asked. Especially when tiny pieces of evidence suggests otherwise.

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#1 By 15497 (24.39.11.196) at Wednesday, September 26, 2007 08:25:30 AM

I, for one, am glad it was thouroughly tested before it was released.

#2 By 1896 (68.153.171.248) at Wednesday, September 26, 2007 10:29:07 AM

#1 Have you tried it? I did and I have the same issues people reported before: high CPU utilization, useless if you have multi-monitors etc.
Take a look here:

http://channel9.msdn.com/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=344077

#3 By 2332 (66.92.78.241) at Wednesday, September 26, 2007 12:23:06 PM

Ya, it seems to be a steaming pile.

I'm usually the first to defend MS, but this whole Vista Ultimate fiasco is pretty pathetic.

#4 By 7754 (206.169.247.2) at Wednesday, September 26, 2007 03:31:24 PM

#3: agreed. I keep thinking this is part of the proliferation of SKUs for Vista--Vista Ultimate is Microsoft's way of making more money off of "premium SKUs," but they actually have to deliver on what they're including to make those SKUs "premium." Microsoft collected the money for the Extras in advance, so they had better follow through on it. Granted, there are other things besides the Ultimate Extras, but people are rightly bitter about it.

#5 By 23275 (172.16.10.31) at Wednesday, September 26, 2007 04:15:48 PM

#2, Ours work just fine with dual 19" and dual 19" and 52" displays at the same time.
It does depend on the PC and driver used - and as little as a 7600 GT is plenty to drive dual 1920 x 1080 dual displays. I am looking at one 19" and one 52" LCD at 1920 x 1080 at the moment. Using the little water/stream DreamScene.

NOTE: DS pauses automatically when any application is run in full screen on either screen. It remains running on the display that does not have an application opened to full screen - kinds cool, actually. CPU utilization, if it is there, I can't see it. There is also a right-click, pause DS option from either desktop. It's like a toggle and it is instantaneous.

#4, Has a point... but there is still way too much to Ultimate to allow "Extras" to define it and anyone buying Ultimate just for "extras" didn't read up on what differentiates it.

#6 By 7754 (206.169.247.2) at Wednesday, September 26, 2007 04:28:05 PM

#5: I totally realize there is more to Ultimate than the Ultimate Extras, but I think this is more an issue of company image. One would hope that "caveat emptor" needn't apply here.

#7 By 23275 (71.12.191.230) at Wednesday, September 26, 2007 07:21:32 PM

#6, Yeah, I realize what you are saying and wrote [elsewhere] about how very unfortunate it is that Ultimate has come to be defined by the "extras" it does not have. That is such a sad tale, but true. I suppose it was because "extras" were more visible....

BUT... as you suggest, just about anyone would know that - THAT is the real problem here... those that do know, or should.... haven't spoken about it at all.

I mean, let's take language localization. Yeah, added language packs are part of Extras, BUT... localization [as you know, any language one wants, with any profile, without a unique install and parellel to any other language/profile] IS ONLY available on Ultimate and Enterprise editions of Vista. It's pretty cool, too and running multiple languages is not only fun, it can sure help one support the many English as a second language environments people live and work in. And that is just one feature unique to Ultimate - as you also know, there are a great many others.

In all, Ultimate is a great bargain - SUA and secure start up alone are worth the added cost.

#8 By 1896 (68.153.171.248) at Friday, September 28, 2007 01:32:55 PM

#5 One of the issues, I have is that DreamScene, even in the final version, does not support multiple graphic cards.
About DS pausing automatically when any application is run in full screen on any screen in a multiple one setting contrary to you that find it cool is something I strongly dislike and, if it was not a program limitation a switch to change it would have been available.
As for the CPU utilization it seems you are one of the few lucky ones who does not see the issue; I am not sarcastic or envious, just stating a fact.
Besides these technicalities personally I do not care much about DS; a not crippled edition of Hold'Em, like the one in the XBOX, would be more appealing for me.

Overall the problem taunting "Ultimate" is not if it is worth what it costs or not, this is just smoke and mirrors; the real issue is that part of the deal has not been honored, simple as that. I am old school, my word is worth more than any contract; unfortunately the new management running MS does not and customers have noted it.
Only time will tell but I think that sooner or later, probably sooner, most of you will join me in missing the Gates/Allchin era.

This post was edited by Fritzly on Friday, September 28, 2007 at 13:45.

#9 By 23275 (71.12.191.230) at Sunday, September 30, 2007 12:41:29 AM

#8, No. Perhaps I worded it in a way that it could not be easily understood.

DS only pauses on the screen that a full screen app is open on. It remains running on the other screen. DS runs on most video cards that are dual head and they needn't be high-end - for example, a 7600GT runs it just fine and most integrated GPU's in laptops do as well.

It's visually appealing for many and technically, it is a lot more complex and sophisticated than most people imagine. I've written a good bit about video in Vista and truly unique it is - it is certainly many orders of magnitude more sophisticated than anything else out there.

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