It looks like we're one step closer to solving the mystery of what makes Windows Vista Ultimate Edition so "ultimate." Microsoft's most bloated edition of its newest operating system was originally slated to include goodies in the way of "extras." These extras were supposed to manifest themselves as exclusive software apps and tools--and so far MS has marginally delivered on this promise.
"We identified Windows Ultimate Extras as a unique series of add-ons that would be available to Windows Vista Ultimate customers," explained Barry Goffe, Director of Windows Vista Ultimate in a statement released today. "To date, we have released four sets of Extras – Windows Hold’Em, 16 Language Packs for the
Windows multi-language user interface, Secure Online Key Backup, and Windows
BitLocker Drive Preparation Tool." If you're keeping score that's a poker game, language packs, and two marginally useful operational tools--all released__ last February__. The question for the longest time has been, "Dude, Where's My Vista Extras?"
It turns out that there might be light at the end of the tunnel after all. It will probably come in the way of equally superfluous apps, but at least it's something extra. From Goffe's announcement:
Microsoft has hardly been a producer of killer apps, so it's not surprising to hear that DreamScene and Language Packs are all we have in store for the summer. But what is most damning about this is the lack of transparency from the Redmond camp as far as the extras are concerned. A lot of consumers bought Vista Ultimate with the idea that they were getting something extra out of it. To leave them in the dark (and in the midst of Vista's already shaky operation) for so long when they ideally paid premium price for a premium OS is inexcusable. Although Microsoft has promised that even more extras are in the pipeline, only time will tell if they ultimately end up being worth the cost of admission.
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