If you did not have the Ultimate Edition of Vista you didn't really miss much from not having Ultimate Extras.

I'm certain the original intentions were positive, perhaps special giveaways on a regular basis to enhance that Ultimate experience.

In practice, it seems Ultimate Extras were largely forgotten not long after a bright marketer conceived it and as soon as the ink was dry on the product box.

You could count on one or two hands the number of Ultimate Extras released, depending on whether you consider the DreamScene content packs as individual items or not.

DreamScene provided animated desktop wallpaper such as a rainy street view or a pulsing Windows logo. Sporadic content packs delivered additional animations.

Just a year ago Microsoft surprised neglected-feeling Ultimate owners with a fun puzzle game called Microsoft Tinker, featuring a cutesy battery-powered vintage-style robot. Previously, the only game was a poker variant - and besides a BitLocker security enhancement was the only non-DreamScene extra too.

Was this the point at which Ultimate Extras returned to the forefront of Microsoft's mind as an area for content to be delivered?

Well, no. Those opting to upgrade Vista Ultimate to Windows 7 Ultimate are discovering that the upgrade advisor reports Ultimate Extras are no longer available.

Not only won't there be any more but the upgrade revokes the items you previously received.

That's right; Windows 7 doesn't merely tell you it won't deliver another DreamScene content pack but that it's going to take away the ones you already had.

Actually, I don't mind losing DreamScene. It was a bit flakey and would revert to a static desktop on the slightest whiff of a problem.

Losing Tinker, though, is a different story. Come on, Microsoft, that's just mean.