And that’s saying something. I’ve not got Vista, but if I did I would have to immediately change the start-up sound to Bohemian Rhapsody - a song I utterly hate by a band that sounds like it’s having its toenails plucked out, washed in acid, force-fed down its throat and then replaced.
I was never overly fond of Windows XP’s startup jingle - an easy-listening three-second piano and strings piece. The closedown jingle is similar. To me it sounded like something out of a Thomas Cook advertisement. But then you hear what Vista offers - and suddenly XP’s stuff sounds like something you’d be happy to hear at your funeral.
They’re quite weak, beepy sounds that lack any bass, warmth, or any real melody for that matter. They’re also incredibly quiet, which Microsoft says is because they’re less distracting that way. But what’s the point in a low battery warning if you can’t hear it? If you just hear a little beep, you’ll think it’s something your computer is making normally, and not something to worry about. The last thing on their minds in the middle of writing a report or playing World of b****y Warcraft will be to stop what they’re doing and move to somewhere where there’s a power point.
