Thread: Bundled applications

At first glance the bundled Windows Vista applications seem impressive. You can keep track of your schedule with Calendar, run Gadgets on the Sidebar or manage your digital images with Photo Gallery, for instance. And although good old Minesweeper is still there, it's joined by some graphically gorgeous games that you might actually want to play.

Look a little closer, though, and the news isn't all good. Builtin apps like Notepad and Paint are still chronically short.2J features, for example, and the supposedly new Windows Maifis real¬ly just Outlook Express with a very thin disguise. The inclusion of Windows Media Centre isn't all it seems, either - this only comes with the Windows Vista Home Premium or Ultimate editions. Everyone else must rely on Media Player to handle their videos and music.



Overall the built-in applications compare poorly with Linux, which includes powerful tools such as Evolution (email, address book and calendar functionality, the Linux answer to Microsoft Outlook) or Open Office (word processor, spreadsheet, presentation tools), and provides easy access to many more. There's no need to buy other software, you can be productive with a Linux system from the first time you turn it on.

Still, there's nothing here that a little judicious downloading can't solve. Swap Notepad for Editpad Lite and you'll get better performance, unlimited undo and redo, and a tabbed interface that allows you to open several files at the same time. Replace Windows Paint with Paint.Net, a feature-packed image editor that's still easy enough for