Fallen Ray

I have big brand new laptop in my apartment since two month ago. HP dv7 series 17 inch-wide. I call him Blackie. I have my own several personal reason to name him Blackie. First, its because of Blackie color is silver and black. Second, Black is a stereotype of Big … in P world, if you know what i’m talking about. I don’t have any complain for him. He’s big, fast, nice looking, big tuts, even has separated num-pad just like normal PC. Except one thing … Vista Windows Explorer View.

Before i tell you my story, I want to share a bit of my journey with him. Blackie comes with Japanese version of Windows Vista Ultimate, sick … ultimate man! Okay, move on. I can’t read Kanji well, or better said i almost can’t read kanji. My light and genius brain figure out that i need to change the language. I got advices from my friends who are poor by financial and luck, who have Business or Home version installed on their laptop. They told me to use Vistalizator. Lucky for me i don’t need it, Ultimate version allow me to change into English language just by downloading 64-bit Vista SP1 MUI Language Packs. Ow yea, Blackie is also my first 64-bit laptop … hurray for him. Language barrier problem is solved. Second one arises.

This is my first experience using Vista. It’s pretty easy to accustomed with. After several days i’m just more than familiar now. Only one thing that always bugging me, The Infamous Windows Exploder. Everytime i change folder, the view is always changing. It confuses me. Sometimes the column showing filesize or modification time is gone. Gone! It shows rating stars instead. Column title is in Japanese Kanji. Once again Microsoft never fail to make unfinished-low-rate-product. I can change which column i want to show and which to hide, but it took me forever. After that forever, when i change to another folder the setting won’t saved. Isn’t that genius?

I remember back then in Windows XP, we have option to reset folder view and apply a view to other folders. Vista should have it … good i need at least 5 minutes to find out where Bill Gates’ peon put that menu. Gotcha! I see the exact same two button like in XP. I push both without second thought. Nothing happen. Everything still the same. What? You expect me to push again for 10 times. No way, i’ve repeat the same thing again and again, five times is enough.

I think i’ll just gave up and accept Blackie as he was, with crazy jumpy vista explorer view. Days goes by … Today, i’m at the everest peak of my patience. I can’t hold anymore. How can i work if i don’t know the file size? How can i do my job efficiently if i don’t know what’s the latest file i’ve been updating? Sick, this is sick. I decide to ask help from uncle google. Surfing between two or three keywords, finally i found a possible solution. I try it, and pray … Well, actually i forgot to pray, but i did try it. That’s why i succeed. The solution is very simple actually. Even Bill Gates who doesn’t know it will feel ashamed.

First i open windows explorer using Win-E. Right click on drive D. Click properties. Click on top-right-most tab, Customize. What kind of folder do you want? Use this folder type as a template: “All Items”. I also check the option “Also check this template to all subfolders”. That’s it. Now i can use “Apply to Folders” and “Reset Folders” as i like.

All of this disaster on vista windows explorer view is caused by a new “Folder Type” features introduced in Vista. Folders can be Documents, Pictures and Videos, Music Details, and Music Icons. At brief glance it looks good, but in hard flat reality it doesn’t work. My documents which is one of my project’s source code was detected as Pictures or else. This Windows Exploder are trying to be smart. It offers me a brilliantly stupid view of some empty columns and ratings on the last column, without modification date and size of its content. Amazing, very amazing…