Extra Innings: Windows Vista Ultimate Extras
Extra Innings… It was a popular program during the world cup cricket, which was aired on Sony Set MAX. Now, it came into my mind when, some one talking about Windows Vista extras. Now, let us see what is meant by Windows Extras, what are the extra components it provides etc.
Microsoft from the beginning had been in practice of giving extra dimension to its Windows Operating Systems, through some extra features and components, which were not a part of original software. These components and features were released as Plus! Pack for Windows 98 onwards. Similarly, Microsoft released extra features and extra components which defines new dimension to Windows Vista, in Windows Vista Extras.
Windows Vista Extra Features
The Features that Windows Vista Extra provides are,
- Windows DreamScene,
- Language Packs,
- BitLocker and EFS Enhancements,
- Hold ?EM poker game.
Windows DreamScene gives a new feeling to the Windows Desktop background. When one downloads this feature available in Windows Extras and installs it in their computers, one can select the video content as the background, in the same way as one selects pictures for the background. One can select a high quality looping video from the list of videos that comes with DreamScene or can select from own videos. The basic requirement for installing and running DreamScene is high resolution graphics card, which is capable of running Windows Aero. Windows DreamScene supports only playing video files of .mpeg and .wmv formats. For those computers which don’t support aero, Windows DreamScene can give positioning options for background pictures for better looks.
5 high definition videos with DreamScene
Till date, Microsoft has released 5 high definition videos that can be played by the DreamScene
- The Windows Vista default background, animated
- A field of thistle, with bee gathering pollen.
- The rushing water of a forest stream.
- A streetlamp reflected in a puddle, with softly falling rain.
- Orange wisps flowing in a computer-generated scene.
Windows Vista Language packs
Windows Vista Language packs allow one to take advantage of Multilingual User Interfaces (MUI) feature of Windows Vista Ultimate. Here, one can select, change the languages as easily as logging on and logging off. One can use his preferred languages for interacting with PC. Every family member of a family can select his language of choice for interactions with PC. This will be a ideal solution for different kind of people are staying together and sharing a PC among themselves. One can pick n install a new language as wanted. But, the language packs occupies about 200 MB, which can grow up to 1, 100 MB for the install. It takes a long time, i.e. approx. 30 minutes to install the language pack. This is because language packs contain several language specific resources for displaying text etc.
Till date, there are 16 languages are made available. The Language packs released till today are, Chinese (Traditional); Chinese (Simplified); Danish; Dutch; English; Finnish; French; German; Italian; Japanese; Korean; Norwegian; Portuguese (Brazil); Russian; Spanish; Swedish.
Security tools in Windows Vista Ultimate Extra
To maintain security of the files stored in the PC Windows Vista Ultimate Extra provides two tools.
- Bit Locker Encryption,
- EFS tools.
The bit locker encryption provides increased security to the data in the hard drive by encrypting every data on the hard disk drives. Encryption is a process of converting data into some unknown form, so that the user cannot have a look into what it really contains. The encrypted data has to be decrypted, to get its original form. With BitLocker the system is some what difficult to tamper with and one can get better protected. This program does not remove the need for using the other security features, but, can improve security, as one has to perform a hurricane task to read the stolen data. More over, if the computer has Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 1.2 chip, Bit Locker can use the chip to perform a integrity check which can ensure that the system is not been tampered with, before unlocking the drive.
‘Em Poker, a new popular poker game
Finally, a new game called Hold ‘Em Poker, a popular poker game to Windows Vista. It adds little new thing to the computer games. Computer Games are popular among kids to adults. ‘Em may cost one time, but, no one will loose their money, as the chips are not real. ‘Em Poker uses Microsoft DirectX technology which ensures smooth running for the game. After one installs this ultimate extra the game will appears in the Games Explorer. Enjoy the game.
Windows Vista Extras may include more fun in the future, through some more games, wallpapers, themes colors, schemes. What my suggestion to Microsoft is, that they should give at-least games extras to home basic, home premium users also. I think they have deprived home users of more fun, there by forcing the home users to buy ultimate edition instead of home premium or home basic. But Hats off to Microsoft and Windows Vista for extras.
Related Articles : Windows Vista Ultimate
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