Why Windows Vista won't suck.

[iago]

Per application volume control is promising and the improved audio stack is a beauty.

Am I the only one who thinks this sounds really annoying?

I think it sounds really useful.  You may not use Windows enough to notice, but I generally turn sounds off in some IM apps because of the annoying sound volume.  If they're going to fix it so that I can just turn an app's sound volume down, that's WAY better.

100% agree. I can play a game with low sound and still have my music going at a high volume.

I've always done that anyways, and it's never required special support from the OS. 

[Newby]

Per application volume control is promising and the improved audio stack is a beauty.

Am I the only one who thinks this sounds really annoying?

I think it sounds really useful.  You may not use Windows enough to notice, but I generally turn sounds off in some IM apps because of the annoying sound volume.  If they're going to fix it so that I can just turn an app's sound volume down, that's WAY better.

100% agree. I can play a game with low sound and still have my music going at a high volume.

I've always done that anyways, and it's never required special support from the OS. 

I don't know how to lower (or never have tried) the sound/music level in Starcraft and such...

[deadly7]

Per application volume control is promising and the improved audio stack is a beauty.

Am I the only one who thinks this sounds really annoying?

I think it sounds really useful.  You may not use Windows enough to notice, but I generally turn sounds off in some IM apps because of the annoying sound volume.  If they're going to fix it so that I can just turn an app's sound volume down, that's WAY better.

100% agree. I can play a game with low sound and still have my music going at a high volume.

Games give the option to change game sounds.  I have not seen a game made in the last 5 years that hasn't (EVEN SC fucking has that!)

[Newby]

I never really looked so sue me.

And it's nice for applications that don't offer that support.

[Sidoh]

And it's nice for applications that don't offer that support.

Exactly.  Like I said, if there's some control that can universally reset the values for each application, I think it's a wonderful idea.  Otherwise, it can rot in hell.

[deadly7]

I never really looked so sue me.

And it's nice for applications that don't offer that support.

Name three programs you'd use this feature with (assuming it's Windows and Linux usableE).

[Newby]

I never really looked so sue me.

And it's nice for applications that don't offer that support.

Name three programs you'd use this feature with (assuming it's Windows and Linux usableE).

1. Games that don't have volume support (i.e. can't lower music volume)
2. Music players that control global volume (xmms/winamp do this...)
3. Internet browsers (those stupid flash videos with noise...)

[Ergot]

1. Useless. You'd set the main volume for this.
2. AFAIK, Winamp doesn't affect the sliders in volume control, mine doesn't. xmms on the other hand yea. But that's Linux.
3. Possibly useful.

[Quik]

1. Useless. You'd set the main volume for this.

He wants to have one app loud and one quiet.

2. AFAIK, Winamp doesn't affect the sliders in volume control, mine doesn't. xmms on the other hand yea. But that's Linux.

It doesn't physically (or digitally) move the main slider up or down, but if you open, let's say, RealPlayer (assuming you have that crap) and turn volume all the way up, then close it, then play something in winamp, it will be loud. Now, open RealPlayer again, turn volume down, and close. Play winamp song, not so loud. Controls volume settings even when it's not on. Other programs do this global effect, but only when they are running. Keep in mind, none of this is changing the little slider from your tray (main vol control).

[Sidoh]

1. Useless. You'd set the main volume for this.

What Quik said.  You may want a large descrepancy between the volumes of the two subject applications.

2. AFAIK, Winamp doesn't affect the sliders in volume control, mine doesn't. xmms on the other hand yea. But that's Linux.

I don't know about what Quik said.  I've never tried playing with more than one media player to find this affect.  I know that changing the volume of the slider on Winamp doesn't affect the output volume from applications such as TeamSpeak, WoW, Ventrilo, etc.

3. Possibly useful.

Hehe, if it's easy to use without any sort of abstract/difficult-to-use interface, I think it's a great idea.  This, as aforementioned, assumes that all of the application's volume sliders can be controled by a central slider.

[Ergot]

1. Useless. You'd set the main volume for this.

What Quik said.  You may want a large descrepancy between the volumes of the two subject applications.

Other than music what else would you run?  Because expierences with the media players is that they do not affect each other. In fact, I have run WMP at almost mute, then play a song in Winamp at a different volume right after without moving the slider.

[Sidoh]

Other than music what else would you run?  Because expierences with the media players is that they do not affect each other. In fact, I have run WMP at almost mute, then play a song in Winamp at a different volume right after without moving the slider.

Games, voice chat and music.  Those are the primary three.

[Ergot]

Both of the two popular voice chat programs I know (Vent and TS) have their own controls for volume.
Game would be set by the master volume (as well as in game settings, most games do. Even the cheap ones you see on the bargain rack)
Music is set by it's own volume. I'll test it again later, but in my experiences it is seperate from the master volume. Edit: tested on my sister's laptop with iTunes and WMP. Neither changed the sliders in Volume Control, both played at their set volumes. (Play in WMP, set volume low, stop. Start playing in iTunes, (iTunes volume is max), Song is heard at max, stopped iTunes. Back to WMP, heard music at the low setting.)
Voice chat, again, is controlled by it's own volume control.

Furthermore, if you don't like getting blasted by the AIM sounds, turn them off. It's not necessary. Only a distraction to gaming as I see it.

[Sidoh]

Both of the two popular voice chat programs I know (Vent and TS) have their own controls for volume.

But it's very likey that the volume controls Vista will provide are going to be more versatile, adaptive and advanced.  What's wrong with incorporating something like this?  I think it's a great idea.

Game would be set by the master volume (as well as in game settings, most games do. Even the cheap ones you see on the bargain rack)

You mean they have their own volume controls?  Yeah, I agree.  However, it's still useful because it can now be controlled centrally.

Music is set by it's own volume. I'll test it again later, but in my experiences it is seperate from the master volume. Edit: tested on my sister's laptop with iTunes and WMP. Neither changed the sliders in Volume Control, both played at their set volumes. (Play in WMP, set volume low, stop. Start playing in iTunes, (iTunes volume is max), Song is heard at max, stopped iTunes. Back to WMP, heard music at the low setting.)

But again, it'll be nice that it's incorporated into the OS now.  Then you don't have to worry about the potentially buggy implementations of 3rd party applications.  Plus, it's centrally controlled.

Voice chat, again, is controlled by it's own volume control.

All of this is true, but I think it'll be nice to have a control that's incorporated by the OS.  The applications won't have to worry about documenting their terminology (for example, Ventrilo and TeamSpeak use opposite terminology for what word describes you talking into the microphone as opposed to your speakers making noise).  Instead, they can just make sure of the OS' implementation.

Furthermore, if you don't like getting blasted by the AIM sounds, turn them off. It's not necessary. Only a distraction to gaming as I see it.

I do turn them off.  I was the one that argued I liked the flashing application bar.

[Ergot]

Why don't we look at the other great things... like moving the drivers to the User Mode to avoid BSOD's and causing the whole OS to hang ;O? I think that is brilliant. Though they should have thought about it earlier p_o.