Windows Vista - thoughts

[Ewok Droppings]

Now that Vista has officially hit the shelves today, I'm curious what others think of it.

I have been testing beta and RC versions for some time and I have mixed opinions myself. I think the hardware reqs are silly considering what you're actually getting. The graphics look better, but the overall usability takes some getting used to but might be more user friendly in the long run. UAC (User Account Control) is the stupidest idea Microsoft has ever conceived and will piss countless users off. Their Antispyware scanner now completely misses most major spywares and can be summed up as a failure at best when compared to other available options. PatchGuard meant to protect the Kernel has already been compromised and might actually end up causing more of a security issue in the long run than a security help if MS won't make it easier for antivirus vendors to hook the kernel. IE7 is... well, it's its own set of issues. The firewall has greatly improved however and now monitors traffic both ways. Not sure yet if it's better than some of the current products out there which is doubtful.

Overall, I will continue testing for work purposes, but we won't be switching our systems anytime soon. I would at least wait for SP1 for Vista before seriously considering a switch (or unless you want to play Halo 2 on the PC which will only run on DX 10 systems from what I hear).

Pluses
*Greatly improved graphics
*DX 10
*Better Firewall
*Current security increases
*PatchGuard

Minuses
*UAC
*PatchGuard - in both places because it is a good idea that could potentially turn deadly for Windows if MS doesn't open up to antivirus vendors.
*System resource reqs
*Current bundled security solutions aren't very effective

[Nilade]

Gonna wait a couple of months until they work the bugs out before I buy that beast.

[HeadHunter]

So I am about to buy a Vista PC

[iv3rdawG]

http://www.comingsoon.net/forums/showthread.php?t=41258

[Ewok Droppings]

If you want to simply get the graphics of Vista on your XP machine, you can just install this:

http://www.majorgeeks.com/Vista_Transformation_Pack_d4924.html

[sshuttari]

im getting mine tomorrow

ill let u know how it works out

[Nilade]

Not that I support any kind of piracy, but I heard that on Vista, it would be required that all your MP3's be licensed. Anyone else hear this?

[HeadHunter]

Not that I support any kind of piracy, but I heard that on Vista, it would be required that all your MP3's be licensed. Anyone else hear this?

*Cough*....erm...I hope not :P

[Steve from Indy]

I'll pass until I have no choice. I have a stable OS in XP, why would I want to jeopardize that? I don't see anything that makes me want to part with several hundred bucks.

[smokiechimp]

I'd like Vista. But I spent over a grand on a beautiful laptop a year ago and It's gonna last me for at least the next 5 years. Which will kinda work out good because Vista should be totally stable by then and it'll be at least another 3 or 4 years after that before any other developments come out. I'm glad I got XP when I did. I've a bad feeling about the begginings of the new world of Vista for some reason.

[Steve from Indy]

Not that I support any kind of piracy, but I heard that on Vista, it would be required that all your MP3's be licensed. Anyone else hear this?

Mine are licensed. It's called fair use. I bought the CD from a store or the 'net, and ripped them to my HDD. If that's not good enough, then they can bite me and shove their onerous OS. I listen to my music through my computer and in my car from MP3 compilations on CD. If users can't do that any longer, then I don't see Vista faring very well.

[Kitty]

I think my computer could survive without this latest version for a few months.

[Dan's_Gurl]

Dude, I just finally convinced my family to get XP a year ago. There's no way they're gonna go get vista. How much is it anyways?

[sshuttari]

Dude, I just finally convinced my family to get XP a year ago. There's no way they're gonna go get vista. How much is it anyways?

about $500 depending on which version you get the price can get higher

[Ewok Droppings]

I think my computer could survive without this latest version for a few months.

Your computer will be just fine with XP for several YEARS. They won't be dumping support for XP for a long long time, so no need to worry about that. ;)

Remember, XP was around for 5+ years before Vista came out, so that is a long time to integrate into the workplace and into people's homes.

[HeadHunter]

yeah vista isnt going to be incorperated into most businesses and home for atleast 2-3 years

[Boiiinng]

about $500 depending on which version you get the price can get higher

:rolleyes: You can upgrade to the Ultimate version for $260.

[Dan's_Gurl]

there are still a lot of schools using Windows 98. they aren't going to stop making things compatible with XP anytime soon.

[Ewok Droppings]

:rolleyes: You can upgrade to the Ultimate version for $260.
There is a version for $500 if you go for the full version and not the upgrade, but it's $500 Canadian dollars. The upgrade - per Microsoft - will not allow a full install of the program on a formatted disk but will require an installation of a previous OS first. Apparently there is a work around for this though.

Here's the price list at Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&keywords=Windows%20Vista&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3AWindows%20Vista%2Ci%3Asoftware&page=1

[Boiiinng]

The upgrade - per Microsoft - will not allow a full install of the program on a formatted disk but will require an installation of a previous OS first.

Hence the term "upgrade."

[Cloud Buster]

There is a version for $500 if you go for the full version and not the upgrade, but it's $500 Canadian dollars. The upgrade - per Microsoft - will not allow a full install of the program on a formatted disk but will require an installation of a previous OS first. Apparently there is a work around for this though.

Here's the price list at Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&keywords=Windows%20Vista&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3AWindows%20Vista%2Ci%3Asoftware&page=1

Hence the term "upgrade."


No, most upgrade Operating Systems allow you to install from a clean forrmat. Some require that you insert disks or provide keys or other verification of the old software before it will install, but it doesn't pile on. There is no point whatsoever in piling a new OS on top of an old one - particularly when the new OS is so fundamentally different in the way it drives the system (the kernel).

It's like if you have a broken window, and installing the new pane of glass over the broken one without removing it.

[sjp1966]

i am going to hold off too, at least till SP1. Are there any opinion on the best option for a home account basic or premium?

[The Moose]

well, i'm certainly not going to get that. certaibly not. every since i got my mac, i've been oh so happy. and i can sit here and laugh at vista, trying to be a cheap ripoff of things that have been in OS X for ages.

in fact, i am going to wait for Leopard to be released.

http://www.apple.com/macosx/leopard/index.html

(hope the tags for urls haven't changed in the last few years.

that's what i'm gonna get when it comes out.


:) i can sit here and be content in that i have a mac, and i won't have to put up with any more of this crap from microslop. hehe

(i don't remember how much the censoring takes out)

oh so happy i am to be a mac user.

[Ewok Droppings]

No, most upgrade Operating Systems allow you to install from a clean forrmat. Some require that you insert disks or provide keys or other verification of the old software before it will install, but it doesn't pile on. There is no point whatsoever in piling a new OS on top of an old one - particularly when the new OS is so fundamentally different in the way it drives the system (the kernel).

It's like if you have a broken window, and installing the new pane of glass over the broken one without removing it.

Exactly - "Upgrade" doesn't just mean upgrade - it's a full install disk all the same. You just have to know how to use it as such, but Vista makes it a pain in the ass to do so, which is why people are so pissed about it.

[ruban]

Not that I support any kind of piracy, but I heard that on Vista, it would be required that all your MP3's be licensed. Anyone else hear this?

*hugs my iMac*

ahh Windows, always wanting to be the cool kid. When will you learn.
Looks perdy but we've seen it all before :P There it is again...history repeating itself.

The mp3 licensing doesn't seem to be true as my friend is running his pirated Vista without any hiccups at all.

[Ewok Droppings]

Yeah, the Mac OS is a superior OS, but the problem is that not as many programs run on a Mac.

[FVD]

well, i'm certainly not going to get that. certaibly not. every since i got my mac, i've been oh so happy. and i can sit here and laugh at vista, trying to be a cheap ripoff of things that have been in OS X for ages.

in fact, i am going to wait for Leopard to be released.

http://www.apple.com/macosx/leopard/index.html

(hope the tags for urls haven't changed in the last few years.

that's what i'm gonna get when it comes out.


:) i can sit here and be content in that i have a mac, and i won't have to put up with any more of this crap from microslop. hehe

(i don't remember how much the censoring takes out)

oh so happy i am to be a mac user.

I wouldn't mind a Mac as well actually after using them at SAE most of the time. Otherwise I'll just go for a Mac/XP (capable of switching between OS's) laptop like one of my former classmates currently has.

As for Vista, I'm gonna wait a while. I feel no need to rush into it. I don't really have the necessary hardware specs as yet. And I'm happy with XP for now.