I've only used the real ale yeast once but I wouldnt say it's like windsor at all. I got a high attenuation (in the 80%'s) and it fermented really quickly. I found it to be REALLY malty
I think it is similar to Windsor in flavour and the way it takes off like a wrongly programmed missile. The comparisons stop there. Never had attenuation problems with the R.A. in the five or six times I've used it.