Workflow issue with Bridge and everything else

Question

Short and sweet. Well, not really.
I use windows - so as a result, for some reason unknown to man (after a decade of waiting), I still cannot see "previews" of most, if not all of any adobe software in the windows dialogue boxes.
think PDF's and the registry hacks we have to do to "enable" previews. But on a mac I can?
So I have to use bridge - a lot.
Now when I have a linked image in illustrator (or whatever) and choose "reveal in bridge" it will hunt and drill down through a multitude of folders and display the image in it's native folder - which I can then open in photoshop for instance - edit it - and Illustrator will detect the change and update. Awesome.
But aside from running a script to send a batch job to a program, it really doesn't "do" anything else that one would expect a "bridge" to do;
     I cannot create a "project" portfolio that would track a client project and all it's related documents.
     Or collaborate with a team.
     I cannot have non destructive edits of a document (such as using an instance of a file like lightroom does) - or "send copy to photoshop" and have Bridge stack the results.
     I cannot combine and tag collections of documents (make a database of stuff).
     I cannot ask Bridge to tell me which documents have placed documents, or (vice versa) which documents are placed into other documents - that would be so cool.
          imagine being able to select a jpeg or psd file and have the option to "Find documents using this file"
          or looking at a "project" and having a list of all first level documents with all their subsequent "placed content" listed all drop down expandable
So my beef today is that I finally spent an hour messing about thinking I had something "wrong" and went through Bridge CS6 with a fine tooth comb trying to find out if anything had changed.
and nope - it still doesn't behave as one would think it would.
Currently, I have some documents that require monthly changes to images, which for the most part came from one photo shoot, and all have essentially the same perspective, appearance, lighting and shading, but all different products and I have a folder of "preformatted images". So monthly I really only need to update the images, and a bit of text. Being posters, InDesign whines a bit for vector art manipulation, so I stick to Illustrator for this job.
But in Illustrator, I cannot choose another image to replace my linked image - without either;
     a: (reveal in bridge), select new replacement image - place as a new image, which then needs to be manipulated as the "old" image was, "remaking" all the adjustments, and then finally deleting the original linked image.
     b: (reveal in bridge) keep bridge open on the image I need (and it's name), go back to illustrator to open the "relink" windows dialogue and "blindly" browse till I find the image I want as shown in bridge.
     c: simply relink and browse blindly to find a file you can't see a preview of and guess, or drag and drop, or all the other non practical ways to replace the image.
Option B gives the desired end result where the image I have in a clipping mask, buried in a document in a certain way, with certain effects, is simply replaced without impacting anything else.
     But this takes quite some time when there are a lot of images.
So Bridge and its promised workflow functionality still isn't living up to it's purpose exactly.
Bridge isn't bridging.
With indesign, it's the same issue - you can't "relink" by revealing in bridge, choosing a "replacement" image and "update"
Maybe a "relink with Bridge" choice in the Links menu?
and in bridge, since Illustrator triggered the request, a button appears to "Replace" - once you finish browsing and highlighting the replacement image you need, just click it and it's done.
So two issues -
Why can't previews of adobe files be shown in windows explorer (still)?
     if they did, I'd really have no use for Bridge.
Why isn't bridge actually communicating with the apps connecting to it?
- and yes, I understand that I cannot ask bridge to go find a placed file and replace it with "this" file, but when illustrator "asks" for "this", bridge should be able to "respond" and give "that" since the app initiated the request.
Bridge should be a workflow tool as advertised - it should literally be able to be a proper workflow hub for all things adobe (and be able to catalogue and track all design file type previews - corel files, cad, 3d, etc)... but as it stands it's just a glorified windows explorer without workflow options.
Bridge hasn't been altered in years, and it's still lingering around - I think - so that we can simply see thumbnails, rather than just allowing each adobe program to make "previews" windows needs.
I can change metadata in windows, I can use freeware to change it extensively.
So aside from the "open in" options and the ability to browse all adobe file types, what's the point?

Answer 1

I couldn't read all through your post as I am jetting out of here.
Buy this:
http://www.fastpictureviewer.com/codecs/
and install it. It's relatively cheap. Screen shot is from Windows Explorer.
Handles ID, PSD, etc., files as well. Though the preview uses greeked text for the most part for the ID files.
Take care, Mike