We installed Vista Beta 2 today, and from first looks it is much better than Beta 1. Although the interface feels like a cross between mac os x and windows xp, it doesn't seem to "connect" correctly. It tries to dumb down the interface, meaning it is harder to some tasks. The User Account Control (UAC) is also a pain. If something requires permission the screen goes dark and focuses on that pop up window and won't let you do anything else until you've answered the question (although you can disable the whole UAC). I like the idea of the UAC but it is poorly done.