Public Enemy #1 for 2008

[gordons]

My vote:

Microsoft Windows Vista - hands down!!!

Never in the history of computerkind has such a piece of pure and unadulterated garbage been fobbed of on the masses. And that includes Microsoft's prior junker - Millenium.

This Edsel of the computerworld will go down as a memorable disaster greater than the equivalent of the Titanic or the worldwide economic crash of 2008.

Now, I have completed my rant and I'm off to tell that nice little old lady down the road that it's going to cost her an extra $120 to purchase Windows XP and have her not quite two year old computer up and running again so that she can get her email from the grandkids before Thanksgiving.

What's your vote for?

[cwithboat]

Have the lady go back to her computer supplier and demand XP in lieu of Vista. Isn't Microsoft already being sued by HP?

[Uncle Cracker]

I have avoided it like the plague. Problem is, you can't hardly get a new PC that doesn't require it. The manufacturers claim their stuff is made for it, and most will not warranty their product if you use something else... MS really thought they'd get away with it one more time...

[gerti]

So quit buying that crap!

[crokett]

Put Linux on her machine for free and teach her how to use it. If all she wants to do is check email, she won't care. I am never going to use Vista. I will either move to the next MS OS or buy a Mac for the home machine.

[chopnhack]

Yep +1 on that. I too am holding out and hoping my 5 + year old comp will work until next release of MS OS is out. I think Vista is mostly eye candy and the underlying os is a slight improvement over the xp core. But i think xp runs better performance wise. I have heard from several sources that you can use xp on newer comps by wiping and re-installing with XP but your risking incompatibilities. Worse is that the manufacturers of the hardware are not supporting XP on the newer equipment.
oh well. keep backing up your data!

[jackellis]

I will probably get a new laptop sometime next summer, courtesy of my employer. Unfortunately, it'll have Vista preinstalled.

I started using Office 2007 a few weeks ago and the "ribbon" interface is a huge pain in the rear. Not really an improvement, just a time-waster.

This laptop will probably get a copy of Linux installed and then it'll be available for guests when they visit.

[dbhost]

If my computer illiterate 70+ year old mother can use Linux, this lady can. Just click on the globe icon for the internet, and the envelope icon for email...

[ironhat]

Just bought a new Acer laptop for my wife and refused Vista. The supplier said, "Good choice. You won't always be able to get Xp, though. They will stop producing new copies to force the consumer to buy Vista". I said that as long as I was retiring a machine with XP on it I owned the license and would transfer it to the new one.

[OpaDC]

If the old computer you bought had XP it probably had OEM OS on it correct? I tried to replace hard drive on computer once and it would not recognize it and let me install anything. BIOS saw it just fine. If you don't have out of the box XP, how do you install it on VISTA computer from an old restore disk?

[Alex Franke]

I really don't understand why Vista is so despised... I use it every day and haven't had any significant problems at all... and I'm a power user.

Whoops, I forgot to vote! I vote for jonmulzer -- for picking up that table saw, DC, and loads of extras a couple months back for only $100.

[leehljp]

I really don't understand why Vista is so despised... I use it every day and haven't had any significant problems at all... and I'm a power user.

You don't understand because you ARE a power user. The average Joe and Jane still can't figure things out and the repetitive warning dialogs complicate things. Average Joe just does not understand them.

Part two is that people don't want to upgrade all of their equipment just because they bought a new computer. However Vista doesn't support all of the older equipment out there that works on XP. Average Joe just doesn't want the hassle of hunting the right drivers and is fearful of installing them - and then having to install everything all over again.

For some reason unknown to man kind, power users can install new drivers, software and other things all day long with no problems (often), but the computer knows average Joe - and will destroy itself (OS) on the first hint of a new driver install for him.

As much as MS Marketing wants the world to think that its OS is simple for average Joe/Jane, it isn't. That is why there are soooo many IT guys - who are underpaid Power Users for all that they have to put up with!

[jonmulzer]

I really don't understand why Vista is so despised... I use it every day and haven't had any significant problems at all... and I'm a power user.

Whoops, I forgot to vote! I vote for jonmulzer -- for picking up that table saw, DC, and loads of extras a couple months back for only $100.

Hey! I resemble that remark!! You forgot the radial arm saw I just picked up for $50. lol

[ironhat]

I was referring to using my original discs for the new PC, Opa. I have a local guy build them and you get the oringinal boxed OS instead of a restore disc as with some of the manufacturers. I don't know what to tell you on your situation - I'm not all that literate.

[Bruce Cohen]

David,

I've been a Mac user for about 20 years. and have never experienced even a bit of trouble in all that time (well. more or less).

As a graphic designer, I utilize usually 4-6 applications per project and getting all of these dissimilar stuf to play well together is incredible. Yes, we do have our share of crashes,but nothing like any of the Microsoft products. In fact, there is a conspiracy theory that MS products made for the mac are made to screw your Mac. (just a rumor - like "black helicopters".

In a business were even a half-hour downtime could mead missing a deadline and losing a 10-20 million dollar account really does exist, the Mac is the only to go.

Go to an Apple store (mid -day) if you can, its slower and play with all the machines there. Unless you're serious about animation, I would suggest one of the flavors of an imac (desktop machine) which is all inclusive, you can get up to a 24" monitor modle if you so desire.

PM me if you have any questions. I been there, done that and even have the t-shirt.

Bruce