Skip Navigation LinksHome > SSW Standards > Better Software Suggestions > SSW Microsoft IIS Suggestions

This page is for the vastly updated IIS 7 on Vista (not IIS 6 on Windows XP).

  1. Where is Web Sharing in Windows Explorer?

    Creating Web Application and Virtual Directory should be as easy as right click in Windows Explorer, we used to have this feature in Windows XP but why cannot we have it in Windows Vista as well?

    Web Sharing not in Vista
    Figure: There is no "Web Sharing" option in Windows Vista

    I want an option to create a:

    • Web site (when you need a different port to port 80 or different application pool)
    • Application Virtual Directory
    • Virtual directory

    We used to have this functionality in Windows XP.

    Web Sharing XP
    Figure: There was this feature in Windows XP

  2. Add Website should have more options

    IIS Add Website
    Figure: There is only one "Add Website" option in Windows Vista

    There should be more options then "Add Website". Change "Add Web Site" to "Add" then invoke a wizard that gives 3 options and explains the difference

    • Web Site (when you need a different port to port 80 or different application pool)
    • Application Virtual Directory
    • Virtual directory

    Then you won't need to have confusing articles like this http://blogs.msdn.com/wenlong/archive/2006/11/22/virtual-application-vs-virtual-directory.aspx

  3. Distinguish Two Versions of IIS Managers

    2 IIS Manager
    Figure: There are two IIS Manager in "Computer Management" Console

    There are 2 IIS Managers here and guess what - I am always opening the wrong one! Please:

    • Sort them together
    • Make the current one bold
    • Both of them should have version numbers

  4. IIS TreeView should be expanded by default

    IIS Manager
    Figure: Cannot find what I want from this root node and its context menu

    Vista (well MMC3) has removed all my right click context menus and replaced them with the tried and trusted left clicks) To save me some pain, can't you just expand it by default? Because I spend too many right clicks looking for stuff that is not there anymore.

    Please just expand this thing so it looks like this (by default).

    IIS Manager tree expand
    Figure: IIS TreeView expanded and its context menu

Acknowledgements

Adam Cogan