New
#1
Dear Microsoft, Homegroups still not right, why?
Ok, i was up very late last night tinkering around with the network. I already had 7100 on main rig, now was installing on lappy. I have been a big cheerleader for homegroups, but I have yet to see the entire progress completed. I'm not sure even a MS tech truly understands, and understands why this hasnt been perfected, and wrapped with a pretty little bow on it. This should be the pinnacle point of this OS when trying to sell this OS to a family of users
New bugs on 7100 HG :
Old HG doesnt want to change/release on the network without having to release from both pc's, rebooting both, and NOW having to reboot the router, since 7 wont release the "old" HG info from the adapter (disconnecting and reconnecting to the NETWORK while not being associated with a HG, does not fix this). Example: created then left HG completely on desktop, rebooted back, went to laptop thats never joined a HG yet, shows only "join" not create, even after a few reboots of the laptop. This was Never Ever a problem in 7000, and i put that HG version thru the gauntlet. It was smoooooooth as silk and on the fly leaving and joining back and forth with HG's, never having to reboot any pc or any router, the way it should be. Having to log off then back on, sure, no problem, would and do understand having to do that.
Also, overall the HG is not working as advertised. Wanting identical user/pass on networked pc's that have shared files and allowing homegroup to manage. This is not happening as intended. The "share with" menu only allows sharing to "specific" people on the SAME machine, not with the network, same workgroup or HG (intended for) overall. Only way for this is to "share with" HG in general. But then ALL users of the same HG will see the share. This is not warranted. If i want to share a folder of pictures with susy or billy on the network, I should be able to see what users are in the HG. Sharing with a susy/billy account on this pc, should also share with a susy/billy account on the entire network. This can be done with extra security inside of a secured HG with trusted user certificates (if it has to go that far), but isnt that what HG is supposed to be? If suzy has same pass on this machine as all others in the HG, sharing with the account suzy/pass should share with any and every HG pc on that network that has suzy for user and pass for password as an account. This isnt happenening, why? I only see what users i can share with, that are on this pc, and the share only shares with this pc's users when "sharing with" specific users. I cant add a user to "share with specific people" like laptop\susy or desktop\susy. At first i figured that this would not be needed if setup an identical user account on another machine that was on the HG. Doesnt work that way, tho IT should!
Whats this "Everyone" choice? I dont think that is working the way its "advertised" either. This should share with Everyone that is on the same workgroup, not just the same pc or HG. Atleast if anything it COULD share with EVERYONE on the HG. which i have found it does neither of these. I hate to say, but, that is still useless they way you have "created" it. One would think "Everyone" would mean just what it states, EVERYONE.
Keeping with the theme, if i share a parent folder with Homegroup, i should then be able to configure access rights to subfolders within (to specific users of the HG). This isnt available. not thru HG, not thru access privs, no where can this be actually done right with the usage of the HG. Might as well shut off the HG feature and just use the old method of sharing and go back to multiple folders in the network explorer.
Tooling around with the folders permissions only have an affect with users on the local pc, not for the same user on the entire network or HG like i think its intended or should be, or else why have the HG if all you can do is share completely or not at all with the ENTIRE group of HG users.
The only positives i have seen between 7000 beta and now RC is that the index is built better, indexes faster (ty). Also the small but convienant change of automatically labeling and adding a folder as a new library as the original parent folder name. Tho, i would like a dialoge box that would ask me to give it a name or use default. Sorta like burning a cd without giving it a label, i get a prompt to choose my own or use a default one (i believe you chose to use a date for your default label description for burning). Choices/Options. Its a beautiful thing.
Oh yea, and just a thought if you get bored and find yourself with mental block as far as ideas for improving a HG experience after the above could be looked at, investigated, and fixed... would be to have the ability to "bridge" 2 Homegroups. This could be done via domain, or simply just on same workgroup. This could be done the same way a computer joins a HG. HG joins another HG. Like a "super" Group. Giving users of each HG the option to be seen if a "super" Group was made, or hey, what about specifying which "super" groups you would be exposed to potentially in a domain or on a workgroup. This whole talk about cloud computing and all, well, lets get going..... can we? You have had SOME years now to perfect the ole Castle. Will this feature every truly be as useful as intended TO be?
Thanks and Have a Great Day!