Release Of An Operating System Just Not The Big Deal It Used To Be

from the some-party-dude dept

While Microsoft has tried hard to drum up enthusiasm for the release of Vista with various stunts and threatrics, it's clear that there's just not the same level of excitement surrounding its release as there had been when previous versions of Windows were released. Retailer CompUSA held a nationwide midnight launch party last night to kick off sales of Vista, but according to on-the-ground reports, they were sparsely attended. A smattering of people did show up, though it seems like some were just there because they were curious to see if there was going to be a spectacle or not. According to one person who has attended multiple Windows release events, Vista's launch saw the smallest crowds of any -- less than Windows 95 and Windows XP. None of this is enough to say that Vista will be a dud; it may just take awhile for people to upgrade, particularly since for many it will require them to get new hardware. But it's clear that the release of a desktop operating system just isn't as important as it used to be, which has to be somewhat disappointing for Microsoft, after having spent so much time and money to get it out the door.
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  • identicon
    DrObviousSo, 30 Jan 2007 @ 1:24pm

    who wants this prepach?

    Even if I was willing to change over to Vista, there's no way I'd be doing it before some major security patches are put into place. I don't know what kind of security holes there are, but I'm not willing to sit on them while Microsoft gets them sorted out.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Alex, 30 Jan 2007 @ 1:34pm

    Yeah, much like my DVD collection, I'll be moving on from xp only when it's absolutely necessary. And again like DVD, I still haven't decided what's going to replace my current operating system.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Riggs-, 30 Jan 2007 @ 2:01pm

    its because theres no real benifit to i becides the looks...

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Neal, 30 Jan 2007 @ 2:03pm

    Releases are not good anymore

    Software releases are just not good in general anymore. I remember when Internet Explorer was released and Microsoft sent free t-shirts to the first xxxx people to download it.

    I got one and I wore that sucker until this spring, when I finally tossed it because holes were developing near the seams. Sweet shirt. Wish I had another.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Matt Bennett, 30 Jan 2007 @ 2:03pm

    Excitement? More like dread....

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    PhysicsGuy, 30 Jan 2007 @ 2:04pm

    well...

    frankly, windows xp works. despite the incompetent people who claim it crashes x times in a day... i haven't had to reboot my computer for the operating system or had the os crash in a long time. granted, i often use buggy and alpha/beta software so i have issues with that particular software (and bethesda games like to close for no apparent reason) ... but the os itself has run smooth. if you don't install and (unproperly) remove programs left and right, dll hell isn't an issue, so it doesn't slow down over time... frankly, until a game comes out (and i have the hardware) that's direct x 10 and worthwhile to buy, then i'll get vista.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Bigpicture, 30 Jan 2007 @ 2:16pm

      Re: well...

      I leave XP on all the time, but it has to be shut down from time to time, because when running certain programs its memory management is not so good, and can fill up 1G of memory after a couple of days running, for no apparent reason. I have no such memory management problem when I use any Linux OS.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Dino, 30 Jan 2007 @ 2:24pm

        Re: Re: well...

        Definitely. *nix systems are very solid.. One of my machines at home:

        $ uptime
        17:18:51 up 248 days, 20:10, 5 users, load average: 0.11, 0.12, 0.09

        link to this | view in chronology ]

        • identicon
          Snyper82, 30 Jan 2007 @ 2:47pm

          Re: Re: Re: well...

          I can tell you I'm a fan of all OS's, MAC is just great (no dll's) and very easy to use and not a resource hog,. Linux is also great, low memory footprint, takes care of it's own problems, and FREE. And Windows XP I can't get away from, games, abundant software, and like MAC easy to use. There isn't really that much difference between the three and they all have nice GUI's, but Vista is, right now, just a reasource hungry XP thats flashy, big deal. What am I really gonna get for my 1 to 4 hundred dollars?

          link to this | view in chronology ]

        • identicon
          Tyshaun, 30 Jan 2007 @ 2:55pm

          Re: Re: Re: well...

          Definitely. *nix systems are very solid.. One of my machines at home: $ uptime 17:18:51 up 248 days, 20:10, 5 users, load average: 0.11, 0.12, 0.09
          Sure linux flavors are for the most part very stable. They will, however, never really catch on until a couple of things happen:

          1) Gotta get rid of sooo many flavors. It's kind of like when an Independent runs in the Presidential Election in the states. Normally, they have no chance of winning and they just end up splitting the vote and potentially causing someone else not to win. How many flavors of linux are there now? With so many variations out there, it seems to dilute the number of users in each flavor, making the prospect of moving over a little more daunting for someone who is used to using an OS with a huge users based. Basically Linux geeks, pick a couple of flavors and live with it, we don't need so many of them

          2. The old support issue. The reason why Red Hat made good inroads in converting more folks into linux land is that they had tech report from real people available, not some usegroup somewhere.

          3. I've trolled on a couple of linux boards and they vary widely in their willingness to help newbies. Some are every nice and in fact encourage "newbie" questions, others seem as though they have users that don't want to be bothered unless you are perceived as "their caliber". Again, this would be very daunting for potential users.

          4. Linux should be completely runable and manageable from a GUI. Right now, I still find myself having to go to the command line for most tasks. Non-professional users are not going to go back to using a prompt unless forced at gunpoint.

          In the final analysis, Linux is a great platform but it needs to get over its public perception that it's the exclusive province of the geeks and nerds that come to places like this. When linux has matured to the point where my wife (who is by no means a tech person, TIVO is still like magic to her) can use it, right out the box, then we will finally see the end of the M$ empire. Btw, I don't think MAC will ever overtake PCs just because of the cost and Apple is still too fussy about letting outside development houses make hardware and software for them.

          link to this | view in chronology ]

          • identicon
            Lawrence D'Oliveiro, 30 Jan 2007 @ 10:37pm

            Analogy Police Alert

            Tyshaun writes:

            [Linux] will, however, never really catch on until ...1) Gotta get rid of sooo many flavors. It's kind of like when an Independent runs in the Presidential Election in the states. Normally, they have no chance of winning and they just end up splitting the vote and potentially causing someone else not to win.

            Wrong analogy. Your US Presidential election is more like the closed-source software market than the open-source one: because it's winner-takes-all, there is no real room for choice.

            For a more accurate analogy, look at the car market. How many models of car are there? Hundreds. Yet does anybody say cars will never catch on unless they get rid of most of those models? Of course not.

            Like cars, Linux is all about choice. You're never going to get rid of that.

            link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Bumbling old fool, 30 Jan 2007 @ 2:07pm

    I have just one question...

    I have just one question...

    Where/when is the local launch party for Leopard?

    I'll see you there.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    TRASHMEM, 30 Jan 2007 @ 2:07pm

    Just the DRM overhead is enuff to discourage many power users and enthusiasts. Check out www.twit.tv check out the security now and Windows weekly podcasts real eye openers!!!

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Bob, 30 Jan 2007 @ 2:38pm

      Re:

      You mean it will discourage pirates. Anyone who actually PAYS for their entertainment has nothing to worry about. Its all you bastards that are too cheap to buy DVDs/software/games or for god sake the OS itself. I am definitely an enthusiast and have no problems at all with DRM on my machine. Just dont be cheap and buy good stuff including a HDCP monitor and you have nothing to worry about!!!!

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        RcCypher, 30 Jan 2007 @ 5:36pm

        Re: Re:

        I'm truly tired of these people getting uppity about pirates online, it has been shown to be true in both the music and movie industry that while a portion of audiences do pirate their content, in reality it doesn't hurt their profit margins.

        Lets ask ourselves why.

        First the people who pirate their software/media are the people who have been doing it sense 3.1 and the advent of the tape recorder. People who download music in such bulk they can never listen to it all are also the people who would put on tape recorders to record whatever programming they want. The fact of the matter is that this unwanted distribution of media content and or software content will never be stopped or contained.

        By the same token the vast majority of people do NOT possess the means, knowledge, or the lack of resources to want to pirate this content. After all anyone with half a brain realizes that the vast majority of people who download music, software, and movies off-line are too poor to buy them and thus resort to other means in order to get their entertainment.

        As such we must also realize a couple of things.

        A: College students and people who are too poor to purchase these content items will ALWAYS find a way to listen to, watch, or use the content that is being hidden from them. And attempting to stop them is nothing short of plane stupid as attempting to do so will simply cause people to raise their general level of tech competence.

        B: If you were to succeed in stopping these items from reaching the hands of those who didn't purchase them, you would loose some of the best advertising in the world and thus also loose a sizable portion of your consumer market.

        So, in conclusion, get your heads out of your ass and realize what a great service these pirates are really doing for you.

        Morons!

        link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        hoolahoop, 31 Jan 2007 @ 6:46am

        Re: Re:

        yes, thats right, im a pirate, i pay for my dvd's but im a pirate because i like to make backups (if im going on a plane trip i like to bring an inexpensive backup as opposed to the original)...oh, and i also like to watch my movies and television shows on my ipod, i guess that makes me a pirate too, i guess im also a pirate because i like to rip my store bought cds onto my computer for ipod use and keep the original cds for my nice home system.

        microsoft sucks, get over your functional fixedness and learn to use mac, it rocks and will put any microsoft product to shame.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Jason Bateman, 30 Jan 2007 @ 2:08pm

    Midnight launch party @ CompUSA!!!!!!

    "Retailer CompUSA held a nationwide midnight launch party last night to kick of sales of Vista"

    Tell me if any of the following seems like fun:

    * Driving to the middle of nowhere... only at "select-locations", which were horribly placed. The entire Los Angeles are location was set in Long Beach - Yeah, any white person hanging in long beach after dark, is just asking to be raped.

    * Sticking around a computer store from 10pm to 2am on a work-night (school-night, for those of you just returning back to school this past week)

    * CompUSA isn't exactly a place that comes to mind when people say "Party"... neither is BestBuy - but at least BB has more life in it (?)

    * With so many people purchasing the OEM version of Vista online for 1/2 the price, what incentive is there for anyone to go out and buy it in a retail location for retail price?

    * (see last comment) And with the recent "Out of stock" happenings with Nintendo Wii and Sony PS3s, what guarantee was there for those who actually did show are those locations, to KNOW BEFORE HAND, that their particular flavor of Vista was going to be in stock for their arrival?

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      Nick D (profile), 30 Jan 2007 @ 2:48pm

      Re: Midnight launch party @ CompUSA!!!!!!

      @ Jason Bateman

      The CompUSA in Long Beach is at the Marina Pacifica shoping center, right in between million dollar homes on Naples Island, Seal Beach, and Belmont Shores. It is all white people.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Jason Bateman, 30 Jan 2007 @ 2:57pm

        Re: Re: Midnight launch party @ CompUSA!!!!!!

        thank you for clearing that up... as it was at least 45 miles for me to get there (Granada Hills / north point of San Fernando Valley) and I was looking on the map to see where exactly it was.

        I still think the location would have been much better if there were more of them - AND during normal hours.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Dino, 30 Jan 2007 @ 2:08pm

    lumping all OSs together

    "But it's clear that the release of a desktop operating system just isn't as important as it used to be"

    I use Debian GNU/Linux. In many corners of the Linux-based operating system world, you don't have a momentous Upgrade Event for a shiny new whatever. You incrementally keep your system in good shape at all times. In some cases (Ubuntu, Debian come to mind) the operating system practically keeps itself updated.

    Maybe it's fair to say that many people/businesses are less than thrilled specifically with the Vista operating system and Microsoft itself as a company.

    I must have read a dozen articles over the past few months saying that Vista is a change from prior Windows versions in that it's got lots of things that no end-user really wants. More restrictions on what they do with their box. I've read over and over: there's nothing going on here compelling people to be excited.

    Meanwhile, I'm excited every single day by my lean, ultra-stable, open and completely free system.

    Vista is, at best, a horrendous waste of money in return for more of the same, poor treatment of users. At worst, it's a creepy escalation of invasions into personal freedoms. Be wary of welcoming this pig into your lives and businesses.

    I urge you all, take this opportunity to be finished with Microsoft here and now. Try a dual-boot. Try a "live" Linux. Talk to friends/family who already use an open operating system, ask them for help getting started. Take control of your computing.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Dam, 30 Jan 2007 @ 2:15pm

      Re: lumping all OSs together

      There's a great site out there that helps newbies get started in Linux:

      http://goodbye-microsoft.com

      It's a site that installs Debian Linux almost automatically. The user will need a broadband connection, and a free partition or spare hard drive, but you'll have a dual boot system with Linux and XP (or W2K) when you're done. I love mine and little by little, I'm becoming a Penguin lover.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Earl, 30 Jan 2007 @ 2:42pm

      Re: lumping all OSs together

      I use Linux as well however you cant play any major games on it without crippling your system by using a windows emulator.. So if you want to get rid of Microsoft youre stuck playing solitaire. No thanks Ill stay with Windows as well

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Dam, 30 Jan 2007 @ 2:11pm

    It's A Work In Progress

    When a big building reaches its highest point, construction guys have a "topping off" ceremony. A small evergreen tree is placed on the highest point for good luck.

    Considering M$ has already said the first service pack is in the works and will be released in the "2nd half" of the year, what's there to celebrate? Cheering for the marketing group that they got a partially incomplete OS to market?

    Bill Gates stated that this will be the last OS release for a while, opting instead for upgrades.

    It's bad enough that M$ is the 8000lb gorilla in the tech industry, but it's turned into a gorilla without direction it seems.

    We may need an evergreen for good luck, but it won't be to signify the completion of the highest point in Vista.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Meotwister, 30 Jan 2007 @ 2:13pm

    vista isnt the devil

    I'm with PhysicsGuy, I've had XP for years and have only had problems working with beta software or if I myself did something stupid. Vista looks like it's going to be another decent OS to work on and I'm sick of reading linux and mac fanboys goin on about how windows is evil and bill gates will eat your pets, etc. I've tried both and I personally stick with windows.

    I, myself, won't need to upgrade to get Vista but it's just not a necessity to get it atm. Probably why the parties weren't too crazy.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    FrustratedConsumer, 30 Jan 2007 @ 2:21pm

    New offerings...nothing the consumer wants

    I think a major contributing factor to the dulled response to the Vista release is simply: "Why should we care?"

    In previous updates we were getting improved GUI's, new file systems, tools, capabilities, features. We were actually 'upgrading' - and were excited for it.

    What are the new, customer WOW! features that Vista supports? DRM? Please. Maybe if Microsoft had done some real innovating it would be exciting. Hard to get excited about a new product that no one really wants.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 30 Jan 2007 @ 3:00pm

      Re: New offerings...nothing the consumer wants

      it is interesting to find MANY new books relating to VISTA at Amazon.com. I'm sure that if DRM were the only thin "NEW" in Vista, these books would not exist. A little research on your part may cure your ignorance, no?

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Wizard Prang, 31 Jan 2007 @ 1:27pm

        Features versus Useful Features

        I'm sure that there are lots of books out there... but that does not translate to features that users would find useful.

        Like many here. I've been running Vista Beta for some months. Verdict: Nothing to see here... move along. UI is cute, but there is no killer feature that makes it worth the price of DRM lockdown. Oh, and it runs like a dog on a 2.4GHz machine with 1GB RAM. Perhaps that is because it is beta, but I would not put Vista on anything less than 3GHz.

        The first duty of an OS is to enable and support - not to provide an "XPerience" or help guard Big Content's income stream.

        Oh, and this is a triple-boot machine that spends most of its time running my OS of choice... Windows 2000.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      kenbo (profile), 30 Jan 2007 @ 5:38pm

      Re: New offerings...nothing the consumer wants

      Besides DRM how about :

      " * AERO Graphics - Replaces XP's Luna Desktop
      * New Vista Explorer
      * Vista Searches - Virtual Folders
      * Dialog box for Program name - Replaces 'Run'
      * User Account Control (UAC)
      * ReadyBoost
      * Task Dialogs
      * Networking
      * Better Event Logs
      * MMC - Move Up / Down
      * XImage and WDS
      * Restart Manager
      "
      http://www.computerperformance.co.uk/vista/vista_new_features.htm

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Cixelsid, 30 Jan 2007 @ 3:01pm

    I see dumb people everwhere.

    You mean it will discourage pirates. Anyone who actually PAYS for their entertainment has nothing to worry about. Its all you bastards that are too cheap to buy DVDs/software/games or for god sake the OS itself. I am definitely an enthusiast and have no problems at all with DRM on my machine. Just dont be cheap and buy good stuff including a HDCP monitor and you have nothing to worry about!!!!

    You fucking moron. Have fun paying 600 bucks so you can shell out some more cash for "Trusted Computing" applications, and buy the same content over and over so you can MAYBE play it on WM Player, your dvd-player, blu-ray player, hd-dvd player, your iPod, your zune, PS3 and XBox360.

    The rest of us aren't rap artists, so we can't afford to pay companies so they can think up new ways to charge us for stuff WE ALREADY HAVE.

    I use Linux as well however you cant play any major games on it without crippling your system by using a windows emulator.. So if you want to get rid of Microsoft youre stuck playing solitaire. No thanks Ill stay with Windows as well

    Support games not written in MS's proprietary DirectX API, instead opt for OpenGL based games, and you'll see more games like Doom3 and Quake4 hit the Linux Market.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Jeff, 30 Jan 2007 @ 5:12pm

      Re: I see dumb people everwhere.

      I don't really understand much about the new Vista system, honestly I never want to. I always used Windows of various versions until an uber geek friend of mine introduced me to the wonderful world of Linux. I'm running Ubuntu and I'll never use any OS from Microsoft again. With Wine in Linux, I can play games like Team Fortress Classic and HL1 with no frame rate difference than i get with Win. XP! Even Half life 2 and all the Half Life 2 Mods that I play run well. I don't understand why someone would want to pay a lot of money for a OS that will tell you what to do with your computer and the files on your hard drive when you can just install Linux for free. I'm not talking about pirated software, If you would read the Windows EULA you'd know that to use any version of windows that you have to you agree to not even loan out your machine to anyone. I just think its silly that there are so many fan boys for a company like MS. I personally think and maybe a little bit inside hope that stupid software like Vista will be the beginning of the end for the horrible price of Microsoft OS's and incompatibility with super secure Linux systems.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Jeff, 30 Jan 2007 @ 3:11pm

    I'll wait for Vista.1

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Geek, 30 Jan 2007 @ 3:23pm

    I was at CompUSA last night

    I was at comp usa last night to see the Vista hype but no use. Comp USA is the more boring store in the whole world. Inspite of so many people waiting till 12:30 no one was coming to sell the PCs. All the sales peoples were not educated enough about the deal and they remain silent like dead. Wrong choice by Microsoft for the launch store. It should be CC or BB. Guess what? I had to almost fight to buy a Vista PC. I was anyway planning to buy one since a long time. I have 2 laptops but no desktops. My badluck the store had to be CompUSA. Regarding the OS.. XP is good enough for every home office task. The Intel Viiv technology grabbed my attention.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    haywood, 30 Jan 2007 @ 3:30pm

    They should have released XP_ME first

    The release of Windows ME before XP drummed up a lot of enthusiasm for the upgrade to XP. ME was such a turd that any change had to be an improvement, and millions of unsuspecting shoppers bought those machines with a virus as an operating system and were hungry for an upgrade.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Bill, 30 Jan 2007 @ 3:33pm

    Well its a big deal for me, even if it isn't a big media event.

    As a business owner this means that I will have to make some important decisions.

    As far as the great Linux debate goes, although I'm a *huge* open source fan, I find the cadre of Linux devotees such as poster #24 decidedly annoying.

    I prefer the situation we have now, with the abundance of choice. I would like to see that situation continue because I believe it is in our best interests.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    B, 30 Jan 2007 @ 3:46pm

    I, for one, will be getting Vista. I can see why most PC users would not upgrade though... XP works just fine. True, but because Microsoft is a money whore and I'm a gamer, I need DirectX 10 which will only be available on Vista (and no, I don't support OpenGL simply because it does not have the power DirectX has... plus I find it easier to program DirectX games).
    Linux is a pretty decent system, but like what has already been pointed out, there aren't the massive amount of applications and games. In general, Linux also has an image that makes people think DOS. Most of my friends who know nothing about computers think Linux is exactly like DOS.

    "it is interesting to find MANY new books relating to VISTA at Amazon.com. I'm sure that if DRM were the only thin "NEW" in Vista, these books would not exist. A little research on your part may cure your ignorance, no?"
    I sure hope you realized what he said was an expression. He didn't literally mean DRM was the only new thing. But there isn't really anything too new about Vista. Besides, most of those books show you little nit-picky things that make very little difference.
    On to DRM: it sucks. There are too many requirements that cost too much. Rights management has always been a hassle. For example: my dad, not very technologically "savvy" is very angry that my mom's iTunes music (MP4a encoded with encryption) cannot be played on his Sony MP3 player. I've tried to explain it to him on numerous occasions, but it just ends up with him saying something along the lines of, "that's just stupid!" DRM tends to hurt "casual" consumers more then hackers or pirates because they can and will find a way to get around it. It just takes time.
    -B

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    diana, 30 Jan 2007 @ 4:41pm

    This is one gal who is going south!
    I'm getting an apple for my birthday or maybe christmas this year. I'm fed up with microsoft and the crap that goes with it.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Craig, 30 Jan 2007 @ 4:43pm

    Vista

    i got mine today, but i also bought a new computer, i didn't want to deal with drivers and software issues. But bottom line is i love it, and glad i made the purchase.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    david b, 30 Jan 2007 @ 5:14pm

    why i won't buy it

    i'm not excited about this new OS mainly because it has more drawbacks and benefits. i might get it if it weren't so bloated. why does every new generation of software come with such a performance hit? i thought we were supposed to be OPTIMIZING code as we go?

    i hate to bring this up, because half of you will roll your eyes, but OS X runs faster today than it did when it was first released. the fact here is that apple made a new OS, and with each major update, they optimized old code WHILE adding features. microsoft never does this.

    add that to the oppressive DRM scheme that is sucking resources, and you've got yourself a system that i don't want anymore.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Snyper82, 30 Jan 2007 @ 6:01pm

      Re: why i won't buy it

      I did fail to mention that I was a beta tester for Vista, While it was exciting to test a new M$ OS I didn't enjoy the product because it was way too bloated. Granted I would think they corrected some of the heavy resource hits by realease. I did in fact find nothing about the OS, al the way through RC1 that caught my attenetion, I toyed with it endlessly and never found anything I really thought was impressive other than the MAC-linux-like GUI. I will get it, only because I get everything new that I can I like my toys, but not until the first SP is released. I'll stick with my dual-boot linux XP setup for now.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Bob, 30 Jan 2007 @ 9:11pm

      Re: why i won't buy it

      If you wouldnt be using a cheap ass 400.00 Emachines PC you wouldnt see a performance hit. The reason its so big is so normal people with good PCs can do things such as edit movies, play 3-D games with DirectX 10 and compose music. It also allows for integration with home theater setups, home automation, video game consoles and more. If you just want to use the internet and email by a damn MSN TV unit

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Mac Guy, 30 Jan 2007 @ 5:28pm

    I find it encouraging to read a few rational sounding people in this thread. I'm a Mac guy. Have been since I bought a used one off a friend many moons ago. But I'm not the kind of Mac nut that goes around cursing Microsoft and bashing Windows all the time. Hell, I actually LIKE XP, which I'm on right now, since I'm still at work.
    All of the different OS's have their strengths, and it boils down to what you like to use and what you're comfortable with. I'm not a huge PC gaming fan, so that's why I don't really find much on the PC that I can't and WANT to do on my Mac.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Dave barbee, 30 Jan 2007 @ 5:47pm

    Vista Rocks!

    I'm waiting a few months until the newly designed Vista PC's show up. I have been running Vista betas for 6-7 months.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Trvth Jvstice, 30 Jan 2007 @ 5:57pm

    Ubuntu

    I downloaded the Ubuntu .iso last night and tried the live cd. It seems pretty nice. I've read that it runs a lot faster when you do an actual install.

    I started the dual boot install and when it got to the partition part, there were a lot of choices and each choice was a lot of computer jargon that I wasn't familiar with, so I chickened out. I didn't want to screw up my XP.

    The Ubuntu website description of the dual boot install didn't explain which choice I should use or what it does. Does anyone know a better site to help with the dual boot install?

    Thx

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    BlackCow, 30 Jan 2007 @ 6:16pm

    w00t

    I am actually super exited about Windows Vista and hope it lives up to everyone standards. *does vista dance*

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 31 Jan 2007 @ 3:32pm

      Re: w00t

      "#41
      w00t by BlackCow on Jan 30th, 2007 @ 6:16pm

      I am actually super exited about Windows Vista and hope it lives up to everyone standards. *does vista dance*"

      If it lives up to everyones' standards, it's going to be a major resource hog that doesn't allow you to anything with Media Files! In other words, it'll live up to being a POS.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Trvth Jvstice, 30 Jan 2007 @ 6:26pm

    Thx Gryffyx

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    tim, 30 Jan 2007 @ 6:45pm

    ha!

    apparently vista's launch was so unimportant that the article detailing its unimportance wasn't even important enough to be proofread!

    "kick of sales"

    :P

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Bob Brown, 30 Jan 2007 @ 8:50pm

    The fanatics already had their fix

    If I had not spent a good chunk of time playing around on the Vista Betas and listening to every detail I could get together over the past few years I would be very interested in the news.

    Most Microsoft loving super geeks have already used Vista. Some of us will hurry out to get it while people like me will continue to live within the bounds of our budgets and just buy it when the time is right.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    John Griffiths, 31 Jan 2007 @ 2:18am

    it's a shame

    I'd say it's a shame they knocked down the feature set so much. Better to release a good product at first, rather than a slightly good product just to fend off pressure.

    Nothing against Microsoft, some of their products are the best in the market; but i wish they would have at least stuck with their gameplan rather than bow to market pressure.

    They're a big company and so could have survived a bit of hardship if the goal was worth it.

    Now you've got a load of people who were once loyal to your product looking at a hefty price tag and bad reviews, not good pr. Better to nurture your customers rather than take the rug out from under them.

    I'm looking forward to Apple's Leopard, primarily because of the self-healing ZFS file system theyre putting in; never again a corrupt file.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Spydrlink, 31 Jan 2007 @ 4:41am

    It's Not Your Daddy's Windows

    Everyone talks about Windows Vista and how the midnight trek to the store was non-existent. It's not because of the OS itself, features, design, or even cost. It's just not exciting anymore in terms of a "new way" of doing things. Before Windows 95, there was 3.1. It was sad by todays' standards, but for it's time it was outstanding. Then Windows 95 came along and it was a completely new way of doing things. Organization was different, cleanliness was better, design was phenomenal compared to 3.1. Windows 95 opened up the operating system and what it could do to millions and millions of non-tech people around the world. We actually understood what the computer could actually do and learned how to use exciting new programs that increased our productivity. Additionally, it was a time when technology (and the Web) were still relatively "newborns" in the eyes of the general public. But 95 opened the doors to that public.

    Now, we jump forward to 2007. Windows has gone through several iterations since Win95. The Internet has exploded, technology is no longer a "geek-thing," and the ability to add functionality to your browser, desktop, PDA, cell phone, music player, etc is so simple and there's so many options and alternatives. We're living in time where M&P (Mom and Pop) stores have their business systems wired to the Net, all transactions are electronic, and have video surveillance throughout the store. The point is that technology is no longer a "geek-thing."

    With Windows 95, you had those long midnight lines because it was mostly the computer people who wanted the OS...then...quickly, M&P caught on. In 2007, Windows Vista is just another OS. Yes, it's more polished...yes it's faster (and maybe more secure)...but it's just not exciting to M&P. They could care less. It's not going to change the way we run our lives. Windows 95 changed our lives and opened our eyes to an environment that could increase our productivity on a daily basis. Vista isn't changing our daily lives...it'll just give us something prettier to see when we wake up in the morning, check our email, and head out to Starbucks.

    That being said, I'll probably get Vista. I'm sure I'll like it. I'm sure it'll make me happier with pretty colors. It might even increase my productivity...but not enough to change my life on a daily basis.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    B, 31 Jan 2007 @ 2:29pm

    Oh

    "...quickly, M&P caught on. In 2007, Windows Vista is just another OS. Yes, it's more polished...yes it's faster (and maybe more secure)...but it's just not exciting to M&P. They could care less."
    I honestly don't see where that made any point. If Windows 95 had midnight lines before "M&P" retailers caught on... why would it matter that they aren't excited? I also don't think "M&P" stores caught on quickly by an stretch of the imagination.
    Yes, more companies are using computers more then ever, but I seriously think that has a lot more to do with price then Windows 95 itself.
    I can probably say Windows Vista is not having any midnight lines because it has nothing ground-shattering new to offer a general consumer, and the majority of the people that would have waited in lines (Windows "geeks") have already had their hands on this for a couple months now.
    -B

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    |333173|3|_||3, 31 Jan 2007 @ 6:51pm

    HTe problem with Linux is that people think it is hard to use. If a GUI could be used for everything, without resorting to the command line, then those who know nothing about computing are more likely to use it. Also, M$'s policy of not allowing OEM purchasers to install any toehr OS is almost certainly illegal, at least under EU law, so that problem might go away. THe issue of tech. support is minor, since no-one uses the M$ tech. support, and that just leaves the issue of too many distros. if there were just three or four basic distros, which were easy for new linux users to learn to use, without package bloat (so just FireFox, which most of those changing from Windows to Linux are likely to use already, for example, rather than five or six browsers), so that the OS can just be installed and used.

    A big help would be for someone to rip off DirectX as a Free program which can be installed along with open GLbut which copies the DirectX calls and functions

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Dave, 31 Jan 2007 @ 6:54pm

    But I did!

    Au contraire!!!

    I stayed up all night to get a chance to get a chance to pay $700 for something that I didn't need at all, that requires 49G of RAM to run, that requires 17G of diskspace to install, that's still susceptible to viruses and other security attacks, that will break all my games, and that requires a server just to boot.

    Then I thought, hey, why not tack on another version of MS Office for another $900?

    What's not to like???? Hooray for Microsoft!

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Dude, 20 Feb 2007 @ 2:01am

    What about Xandros

    I wanted to switch from windows to linux simply because I overheated my harddrive and lost my xp install cd. I chose Xandros because it claimed to be very easy for windows users and was mostly GUI. I find that it is mostly GUI and there's a lot of support. It's a good OS but I'm still getting used to it. It's like no one has ever heard of it though.

    link to this | view in chronology ]


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