what is so good about vista

[callumtuckey]

i can never make my mind up about vista is it good /or is it bad =D>

[webman]

It's bad.

[CyberNerd]

what was so good about XP over 2k? ME over 98 ?
Despite what the MS marketing machine says, it is a pretty minor upgrade for most users at the moment (pretty graphics and a desktop search, but nothing that other up to date operating systems don't have).

In the future Vista WILL have a big impact as companies start to write 'vista only' products and take advantage of some of the new underlying features that vista has such as aero etc. Also MS will make sure they don't support XP in the future and will require everybody to 'upgrade' (7yrs support left on XP IIRC).

Vista also has some 'bad' technology in it to prevent users from using the computer how they like - its called 'trusted computing' and will be used by microsoft to 'lock' users into using their file formats for eg office and some of their new graphics formats - so they nobody can use anything else to write to these types of documents.

For me Vista isn't worth the price (the price now, or the future price) I was quite easily able to move my home systems to linux and I've not looked back. Our school has no intention of moving to vista yet as the cost would be too high.

[CHR1S]

I thought that the new file structure (WinFS?) was scrapped? So now the only real new tech is Aero which is basically a DX9/10 desktop?

Think ill wait for Vienna lol

[CyberNerd]

I thought that the new file structure (WinFS?) was scrapped? So now the only real new tech is Aero which is basically a DX9/10 desktop?

I think aero has a bit more to it - makes it easy to 'program' 3d graphics. Notice that with aero they also drop support for OpenGL - too easy to port games to mac/linux for microsofts liking. WinFS is still vapourware - it was part of Microsofts 1991 'Cairo' but it still hasn't materialised.

[kingswood]

I agree with Cybernerd, and have even thought about moving all home systems to a Unix variant- or Linux- for some time. If it wasn't for the need to learn Server 2003 or Vista, Exchange, and all that other "cool" stuff I wouldn't worry about doing it. Linux has become the closest thing to OS X for me in the last year- excellent desktop effects (I like eye candy), it's always been stable, and package management is becoming a breeze (I prefer apt but RPM is cool too).

It's funny but all my friends that work in IT are moving either to Linux (one even to Solaris) or OS X. Windows is becoming a thing of the past itself.

Personally, I already run one Linux/XP dual boot system (soon to be solely Fedora 6) and three Linux VMs inside Parallels on OS X (built on some Unix technology itself). All our machines at home are now OS X.

Have a great Christmas people- enjoy the break!

Paul

[petectid]

An article in a recent Macworld describe Vista as looking more OsX like making the switch from Windows to Mac that much easier for users.

[Midget]

Personally I really dislike OSX after spending quite some time with it during uni and I don't really believe that Linux is quite good enough for most people yet, but it's getting there. Xandros and Ubuntu are much much better than any previous attempts at a good desktop system (but that might just be my bias showing as I like Debian)

Give it another few years for all progs to be released as a self extracting install, and for improvements in some programs and I can see it becoming much more popular with the standard user who just wants to do the basics.

Games are the biggest problem though, as long as people want games, they'll use windows.

Oh and OpenOffice is shite, All Hail CrossOver Office allowing me to run some windows programs.

[Ric_]

Please do not turn this into another OS X/Linux/Windows flame war

[kingswood]

I used to think (and have even said on here) that Linux isn't ready for the desktop. But listen to that statement. Linux isn't ready for the desktop. Sounds cool and geeky, but really it's blind. Linux is *already* on hundreds of thousands of desktops and thousands of servers and people are using it for everyday tasks. Like word processing (I have no problem with OO myself), scientific applications, email, web surfing, development, and desktop publishing.

So I don't know if the issue with Linux is it isn't ready for the desktop (because it's already here and with and among us) it's probably more that people aren't yet ready for Linux. But I think that time is coming. Vista isn't all bad, but when you couple people's continuing and growing dislike of DRM and security holes, need for virus protection ad nauseum and cost (look at the cost of Vista and smile) it's going to be another good year for Linux and OS X growth.

As for games- there are astounding games innovations in the console market this time around (Wii, 360 online service etc) and it's probably going to dent significantly the excuse of using Windows for games. There really isn't a compelling argument for doing so any more.

Anyway, end of evangelistic rant. Have a good Christmas!

Paul

[kingswood]

Please do not turn this into another OS X/Linux/Windows flame war

Sorry Ric, I wasn't intending to do that. It's an interesting discussion, and I wasn't going to say another thing about it because it's been said before. Gonna enjoy the break from work.

Hope you have a good holiday!

Paul

[CyberNerd]

Oh and OpenOffice is shite, All Hail CrossOver Office allowing me to run some windows programs.

unless of course you want to open older MSoffice documents which modern versions of MSoffice can't handle, or want to use large files that MSoffice will crash on - in which case Openoffice is just fine.
Admittedly MSOffice (esp Excel) is the biggest hurdle to migrations.
As for Crossover - good product which I occasionally use, but don't hold your breath for a crossover of new versions of MSOffice because MS are making sure that won't happen with TC. I wouldn't be surprised if full MSOffice for mac is dropped soon either.

Also - I forgot to reference my earlier ramblings about 'trusted computing'
http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~rja14/tcpa-faq.html
http://www.informationweek.com/story...SSfeed_IWK_All

[openhgs]

Games are the biggest problem though, as long as people want games, they'll use windows.

And what do you think we did before we had Windows and games which are far to easy to obtain? We used to write our own and have great fun playing them. Nowadays, kids buy a game, download the cheats off the web and thats it, game won. We did have cheats in our games; it involved looking at the source code. Doing that enabled me to find the extra elusive point in Advent.

I used to have a few EA games for the Commodore 64, and I've tried the so called cutting edge games of today. These all pale into insignificance to Lunar Lander running on a DEC GT40. Give me a light pen and I get you to the McDonalds. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...nar_Lander.jpg

[Midget]

Now lets definatelly not turn this into a games on PC vs Console vs oldschool debate






.......because everyone knows the Amiga would win.

[Gatt]

One problem with the new Vista MAK key - u lose a point for each activation - whether its on the same PC or not..

(installed on 4 PCs with 1 re-install - now got 95/100 activations left !!)