Windows Cleaning

Further adding to the clarity of work flow is how objects on the desktop can be rendered either fully opaque or moderately translucent, depending on function.

And color is also a logical extension of the desktop: Similar colors match tasks. Also gone is the ubiquitous not-found-in-nature Microsoft blue.

It's all downright -- get ready for it -- tasteful.

The Windows Media Center and Windows Media Player are also jazzed up in Vista.

When I was catching up on season six of "The Sopranos," I found I could see disc information -- and info about my summer travels and other media data, for that matter -- nicely superimposed on top of Tony recuperating after he was shot by Uncle Junior. Nice trick.

Search, too, has been reinvented for the better.

Microsoft has felt the heat from Google, and Vista search now runs as a real-time index of all content on the machine.

Simply launch the search application, start entering letters and all the files with matching data list out in sorted order. Slick.

There are more praiseworthy features: new networking policies, better sound controls, better icon layout, clever file presentation methods, better firewalls and improved data back-up systems.

And though I still feel I should reserve my complete endorsement of Vista until I use the thing for a few months in real 3-D network terrain (I have to believe there are still gut-wrenching Bill Gates bugaboos lurking) at least the worst, kick-you-in-the-teeth Windows hate-missions are now expunged from Microsoft products.

In light of the new Vista, Gates' move out of the company he created makes new sense.

He's done all that can be done with software.

World peace, it seems, is next.

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