 | By Woody Leonhard Rumors abound as to whether Microsoft will try to charge for key PowerToys utilities that it used to provide for free. I don’t know the answer to that, but I really miss the Image Resizer PowerToy, and fortunately I’ve found a good, free alternative. |
Where are the PowerToys for Vista?
With every version of Windows since Windows 95, Microsoft has released a semi-official set of time-saving aids, collectively called the PowerToys. While the ‘Softies claim (wink, wink) that the PowerToys aren’t real Microsoft products (nod, nod), they’re built by Microsoft, distributed exclusively by Microsoft, irregularly supported by Microsoft, and they’re frequently referenced in Knowledge Base articles as key tools for making Windows work.
For reasons known only to Redmond, we haven’t yet seen Vista’s version of PowerToys. I’ve heard rumors — and they’re only speculation — that Microsoft may restrict some PowerToys to “premium” customers. This means Home Premium owners will get certain PowerToys and Enterprise users will get others. The great unwashed Home Basic masses can pound sand.
I’ve also heard rumors that Microsoft is having technical problems with the PowerToys and may never get them out the door. At least, not in this lifetime.
Vista’s biggest missing feature
I miss many of the Windows XP PowerToys, but the one I miss the most is the Image Resizer PowerToy. As far as I’m concerned, it’s a key part of the operating system. The Image Resizer PowerToy lets you right-click on a JPG, GIF, or other image file and easily "shrink" the file. You lose a bit of picture quality in the process, but the file size is reduced by a factor of ten or more. It’s handy — nay, indispensable — for taking the bloat out of electronic camera shots.
Unfortunately, Windows Vista doesn’t have a native image shrinker. To me, it’s one of the most important features that we Windows consumers lost in the transition from XP to its, uh, successor.
Alternatives to the Image Resizer PowerToy
Yes, I know that Windows Vista’s version of Paint will allow you to resize a picture file by clicking Image, Resize/Skew, and then telling Paint by what percent you’d like to shrink the file. But Paint’s a pain, and the Paint-shrunken images I’ve seen look like Jack Sparrow’s mother. (With due apologies to pirate Keith Richards’ tastes.)
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