I think I may have made a big mistake (bought laptop with Vista)...

[widebody911]

Um, most everyone has been harping on Vista since Day One.

[id10t]

Its vista... get XP if you must, or download Ubuntu...

[Porsche-O-Phile]

A friend of mine that does computer consulting has told me fully 75% of his work is un-installing Vista and retrofitting office computers and laptops with XP these days.

Vista is the new Windows ME - another turd of an O.S. by Gates & company.

[alf]

Wayne
I do not bother shutting down and booting up my laptop anymore, just shut the monitor and let it hybernate, does not suck up much juice and saves a lot of time. I still use an XP machine though.

[Scott R]

It works as well as XP did at this stage, most people just need to update a few drivers and things are smooth after that. On my Visat laptop I actually get higher frame rates on my 3d applications. That being said, if you want tried and true, no BS, then go back to XP.

[Overpaid Slacker]

XP. I won't go to Vista until SP2 for it has been out for 6 months -- even if that means no DX10.

Somebody patch DX10 to XP, please!

JP

[legion]

I won't touch Vista because of DRM.

[onewhippedpuppy]

My in-laws picked up a new dual core as their business computer, came pre-installed with Vista. Total POS. Nothing works correctly, it's slow, much of their older software wouldn't transfer, etc. Vista is XP with pretty graphics and no substance, except XP actually worked.

Computer guys always say you just need to update drivers, etc, but I wonder, why? Shouldn't you be able to remove your computer from the box, and have it work? Job security for computer techs I guess, but a PITA for the rest of us.

[Neilk]

I got a what should have been a really nice HP laptop with Vista for my dad. I sure wish I had gotten XP instead. What seemed great on paper is actually a bit slower than the 2 year old laptop it replaced and this Vista machine has 2GBs of ram.

[Scott R]

[

Computer guys always say you just need to update drivers, etc, but I wonder, why? Shouldn't you be able to remove your computer from the box, and have it work? Job security for computer techs I guess, but a PITA for the rest of us. [/B]

No, the manufactures of the components release the driver updates based on reported issues from consumers. By the time your laptop is imaged, boxed and sent to you, it's easily a few revs out. Newer laptops, with newer technology and OS's will always have more issues.

Furthermore, in an attempt to stop people from being stupid about computer security MS patches every little fault and bug, and other issues caused by hackers and spammers. these patches often prompt ther updating of other systems, and again drivers.

Trust me, it's not a conspiracy, techs hate to do actual work.

[Halm]

No question Vista has its problems. I know another technical consultant that has Vista on his Latitude D620, 2 GHz processor with the add-in video card, 2Gb of RAM and Vista absolutely sings. So I put it on my D400 (almost 4 years old) 1.7 Centrino, video on the motherboard, and 1.5 Gb of RAM. Initially I like it. Not so much now.

And yes, if you buy a computer with Vista, it should come out of the box optimized, ready to run, and run well.

It is probably too early to call Vista the next ME. Those are pretty strong words. But SP 1 can't get here fast enough and it better fix a lot of issues. If not MS could have a corporate revolt on their hands.

[Jim727]

Originally posted by legion
I won't touch Vista because of DRM.

X10 !!

At the last developer's conference I attended the microsoft rep gave us a rundown on vista - big briefing to get the developers on board before releasing the os. Impressive for the first 4 hours, then the shoes began to drop.

Example:
Q [from me]: Asked about my clients using Mac or Linux; how do they fit into the vista security system?
A [from ms]: "What's a Mac? What's Linux?"
...smart ass answers don't cut it, and the attitude was clear. The network stack is all new and geared for vista-to-vista ops and designed to push everyone else out - including older microsoft operating systems. Everything vista is doing revolves around gaining control of DRM which spells trouble for innovation and any older apps that won't play with microsoft's vision of your life.

The final shoe to drop was when the microsoft rep let it slip that they don't consider your computer to be yours - it's microsoft's. No kidding. Final straw for me.

I have locked down microsoft at win2k. Next step for us is linux.

Prediction: microsoft is heading toward a subscription model for the os, similar to that used by Symantec for NAV. Your system will operate only as long as you pay microsoft an annual fee to keep the os running. If you stay with microsoft, your comuter is headed toward being an internet appliance, not a personal computer. Apps will not be local apps, they will be components - such as active-x, which will run internet-based apps (for which you will pay an annual fee). Microsoft isn't building huge data centers like the one in Moses Lake, Washington, for the fun of it.

[stevepaa]

"all your computers are mine"-MS


All your data will then reside with them also.

[on2wheels52]

My kid will need a laptop for college, will see what his take is on an OS. Surely every dorm floor will have a computer guru.
Jim

[john70t]

Vista has bigtime DRM cripple-ware.
Even iPhone was supposed to be buggy because iPod mp3's wouldn't transfer to it(or anywhere else for that matter).

Why buy something that works worse than before? You're just feeding a bad system.

Hollywood won't get a dime out of China or Russia anyways.
As long as CDs cost $20, and the artists make ~1% off the counter sale price, they'll get a thin wooden nickel or two from me.

[HardDrive]

Originally posted by Jim727

Prediction: microsoft is heading toward a subscription model for the os, similar to that used by Symantec for NAV. Your system will operate only as long as you pay microsoft an annual fee to keep the os running. If you stay with microsoft, your comuter is headed toward being an internet appliance, not a personal computer. Apps will not be local apps, they will be components - such as active-x, which will run internet-based apps (for which you will pay an annual fee). Microsoft isn't building huge data centers like the one in Moses Lake, Washington, for the fun of it.

No prediction nessecary, that is absolutely where they are heading. Microsoft will become a webservice, with the front end 'app' just being the GIU.

[stomachmonkey]

Originally posted by Jim727


Prediction: microsoft is heading toward a subscription model for the os, similar to that used by Symantec for NAV. Your system will operate only as long as you pay microsoft an annual fee to keep the os running. If you stay with microsoft, your comuter is headed toward being an internet appliance, not a personal computer. Apps will not be local apps, they will be components - such as active-x, which will run internet-based apps (for which you will pay an annual fee). Microsoft isn't building huge data centers like the one in Moses Lake, Washington, for the fun of it.

As usual not an original thought from our friends in Redmond.

Larry Ellison started talking about it 10 years ago.

Macs have been able to run as net appliances for 6-7 years now.

Box can be configured to have minimal function and pulls the most current OS and App catalog from a server when it boots.

Great for sys admins.

[Dennis Kalma]

Let it be said that I am no friend of Microsoft. I have had the misfortune of dealing with them when **they** want you to upgrade and you do not...guess who wins and at your expense.

Personally, I think this is the kiss of death for Microsoft, in a way similar to what happened to IBM. They are trying to lock down the market and doing so in a way that is expensive for the consumer of the service, which will naturally lead to people seeking alternatives, choices like Linux come to mind.

In my most recent CIO job, we replaced Microsoft Server with Linux, same hardware, more reliability...better net effective performance, cheaper and easier to support. At this point ALL the good sysadmin's I know use Mac's at home, with Linux where needed and only keep Microsoft around to the degree that they need to have it to do their support work.....

Personally, next step for me when I need to move is a Mac or Linux.....

Dennis

[dd74]

Microsoft should've never changed its OS's name from Longhorn.

[snowman]

Vista sucks, big time. My new Duo Quad works SLOWER than the previous XP pro on a single 2.9 GHz Pentium IV!!!

Transition was painful. NOTHING worked and EVEYTHING had to be reloaded from scratch. Some stuff still will not work.

So DO NOT UPGRADE (if upgrade is the word) to Vista. Avoid Vista.