Windows 7: A better Vista? WTF?

[cynatnite]

I had to get a new computer when my other one crapped out and wound up with Vista. I'm not overly happy with Vista, but figure I just have to suck it up.

Now, I find out they're putting out a Windows 7. :wtf:

LOS ANGELES--Microsoft on Tuesday offered up far more details on Windows 7, successor to the company's oft-maligned Windows Vista.

In particular, Microsoft is focused on improving the time it takes for Windows to start up and shut down. In addition to its own work, Microsoft has been working directly with computer makers to address all of the factors that affect system performance.

As far as other features, Windows 7 features support for multitouch input and a new taskbar that makes it easier to manage multiple open Windows.

"The focus is on making sure the things you do (today) are easier and that the things you always wanted to do are possible," Corporate Vice President Mike Nash said in an interview Monday. "There's a lot of work we've done to just make things easier and faster.

http://tech.yahoo.com/news/cnet/20081028/tc_cnet/83011386031007686456

[TheCML]

1. I think windows 7

Is just for touch screen PC's. And I agree Vista sucks.

[1awake]

4. no its for all

and due for trials sometime the beginning of 09 and set to be released in 10.

[cynatnite]

5. In the first sentence they said Windows 7 is a successor to Vista. n/t

[hootinholler]

2. "There's a lot of work we've done to just make things easier and faster. "

Just make it fucking work, asshat.

From an old school developer who's 2nd language was Z80 assembly.

-Hoot

[Ezlivin]

19. Bring back assembly!

Can you imagine programming on one of these new machines using assembler?

And, say, where is the new Sinclair?

:)

INC BC
ADD A,100

[Amonester]

73. I do program on one of these vista machines (mine) using assembler. :)

Just for the fun of it. :D

.486
.model flat, stdcall
option casemap: none

include windows.inc
includelib kernel32.lib
includelib user32.lib

MessageBoxW proto :dword, :dword, :dword, :dword
ExitProcess proto :dword

.data

align 8
string1 db 'H',0,'e',0,'l',0,'l',0,'o',0,' ',0,'D',0,'U',0,'!',0,0,0

align 8
string2 db 'I',0,' ',0,'a',0,'m',0,' ',0,'a',0,' ',0,'4',0,'K',0,'B',0,' ',0,'e',0,'x',0,'e',0,0,0

.code
align 8

wWinMain:

invoke MessageBoxW, HWND_DESKTOP, addr string1, addr string2, MB_ICONINFORMATION
invoke ExitProcess, 0

End wWinMain



I programmed a small digital clock, complete with an alarm snooze, but it's too long to post its code here (495 lines long). :hi:

[Ezlivin]

85. Hello world!

Sweet!

[Cronopio]

44. But it always ends up making things slower and more convoluted.

More proof that Microsoft is to software engineering what HAVA is to voting rights.

[hootinholler]

47. Don't get me started on the braindeath that is Micro$oft

Ever since the first version of DOS in which they used the escape character to separate directories they have been pissing me off.

I have actually had arguments with accountants who required a microsoft product that cost us $500K in licensing fees for a piece of software who's functionality was available open source for free. Their justification? the M$ crap would be supported.

-Hoot

[Cronopio]

79. I learned in my first job out of college not to argue with accountants about computer technology.

It was a startup company with a limited budget and they wanted an IBM System 360 system. Me and my boss told them a network of Sun 3 shoeboxes would be more economical, more flexible, and run the same software. No, they had to have IBM because they thought the support was stellar. They mothballed the System 360 less than three years later and switched to a network of Suns, Apollos, and Mac IIs.

As for Microsoft, believe me, it's the culture. They are fundamentally incapable of innovation. Anyone with any decent programming chops retired 10 years ago or have become a Distinguished Architect. Either way, they never have to do real work again in their lives. Most of the crowd there today wouldn't know how to code outside of an IDE and have probably never even heard of Dykstra.

My first programming assignment in college was to write bootstrap code for a PDP-8 (12-bit instruction set and a whopping 4K of memory!) and load it with a paper tape reader. After that, being able to toggle in the bootstrap code on the front panel of a PDP-11 felt like cruising in the fast lane.

[Elidor]

53. Apple has started moving in that direction, too

I hate Leopard, and so does everyone else in our office. They messed up a good thing. Now my mac at work is just as clunky and infuriating as my PC at home. Actually, it's worse. I spend all day fighting with that damned thing. I feel a rant coming on.

[wtmusic]

66. I've had no problems with Leopard

although it seems to be more sensitive to low memory issues than Tiger.

[Canuckistanian]

61. Oooo, a bare metal coder

My first computer was a Timex-Sinclair with the built in BASIC.

I never learned assembly until I took 8088 programming in school.

[pokerfan]

64. My first computer

Assembly language? What's that?

[Canuckistanian]

69. Pff! that looks easy

Just hook it up to a PC and...... Oh, I get it.

[hootinholler]

71. Ok, you wanna turn the dial on the wayback machine?

How's about real core complete with coils and ferrite rings? Your first computer has those new fangled integrated circuits on it. Mine had discrete TTL cards. Lots of 'em. 35 bit register width, and 16K of 35 bit memory, switches on the front panel and complete with all the blinken lights on the edges of the register flip-flop cards. It was all held together with a wire-wrapped backplane and judicious application of gum. Needless to say it was sometimes subject to bit rot. We used it to solve a dead reckoning navigation problem, in real time.

Back when computers needed operators, we had memorized the bootload to access the real boot paper tape reader, which held the boot for the mag tape reader, which held hopefully the nav program, if you had remembered to load the tape on the right deck and bring it to BOT. Funny, after I bought a TRS-80 for personal use, I had more computing power on my desk.

I work with kids who just give me a blank stare when I use terms like register. They know there is a CPU in there somewhere, LOL.

Oh, yeah, we had a battle-short switch too, lol. It was military iron.

-Hoot

[pokerfan]

74. Yeah, well I guess I'm not that old

:P

Ever read the http://catb.org/jargon/html/story-of-mel.html">story of Mel?
When Real Computers were made out of drums and vacuum tubes.

[Cronopio]

80. Fond memories. Here's my first.

With a teletype terminal and cassette tape memory backup. I switched high schools to program this.

[hootinholler]

72. Not in a long time.

See post 71 for my first.

-Hoot

[wtmusic]

65. Bingo!

They've been working on making things easier and faster for fifteen years. Just not hard enough.

:thumbsup:

[DS1]

3. Mine starts up and shuts down just fine

It's vendors selling shit hard drives in the big box stores which are the problem. 5400 rpm and 2 meg caches make a 500GB a 500GB piece of junk.

I'd prefer to see faster screen and application switching. XP is like lightning compared to Vista in that respect.

[jayfish]

10. Here's A Full Preview With Video.

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20081028-first-look-at-windows-7.html

Faster screen-draws and window switching seem to be in the works
Jay

[DS1]

23. Thanks, good article, but I looked and looked and didn't see a video ..

[jayfish]

30. Weird, I Cant Find Them Now Either.

They either took'em down of I'm thinking of a different story. :shrug:

Jay

[DS1]

77. Thanks for looking!

[MyNameGoesHere]

6. Wow the nerve of them to update their OS !! What a bunch of bastards. n/t

[cynatnite]

9. I'm pissed because I had to get Vista and it sucks, then they come out with this...

something that will probably work better than Vista.

[MyNameGoesHere]

84. Yes Vista sucks ,

BTW what about it sucks exactly? ? What other people say or is there something that is really wrong with it?

[Fumesucker]

12. It's not that they're updating the OS..

It's that they use the public for beta testing crappy products and then charge for the upgrade that fixes the problems with the last release. While of course adding a lot of new problems.

I don't think you can even buy a computer with XP any more.

[Captiosus]

25. You can but they're either expensive systems (Alienware) or

cheap Netbooks (Acer Aspire One). Dell, Gateway and Toshiba phased out Windows XP on home/personal use towers and laptops. Dell and Toshiba offer "downgrade" XP media to Business/Small Business sales - though in the case of Dell you end up having to pay a 50 dollar surcharge for the media.

According to MS, XP is supposed to be completely phased out by Feb. 09. Originally it was supposed to be much earlier but OEM manufacturers such as Dell made a fuss. I have a feeling they will renew their objections as we get close to February of next year, but Microsoft really wants XP out of the retail market space.

[Fumesucker]

35. Thanks for the info..

Since I incrementally upgrade a system the oldest parts of which I've had for nearly a decade I haven't had to deal with Vista personally.

When it gets to the point my ancient XP won't work any more I'm moving to Linux. I've already played with Knoppix and PCLinux and like both of them just fine. The only reason I don't switch now is because I'm comfortable with a wide range of applications I have for XP and don't feel like learning new ones until I absolutely have to.

[Captiosus]

37. As long as Newegg still sells OEM XP, I'm happy.

And I don't blame you for looking elsewhere. I know a lot of people who are jumping off the Microsoft bandwagon, or who plan to when their XP no longer works, including myself.

With many user friendly flavors of Linux, as well as OpenOffice.org providing a solid challenge to Microsoft's Office, I think Microsoft has a rocky road ahead of them, especially if Windows 7 falls flat on its face like Vista did.

[Supersedeas]

28. shhhhh, people with a hard-on for monopolies don't want to hear your indignation

[BlooInBloo]

7. The 7 I'm familiar with is Windows Mobile.

[depakid]

8. Early word has it that it's not such a resource hog

and doesn't have as many annoying "ask the idiot user" features.

Time will tell.

[Reform]

11. Xp Till My Demise

ill never change

[ramapo]

22. Me too

I'd love to go to OS/X but the systems just aren't flexible enough

[ContinentalOp]

40. In what way is OS X not flexible enough for you? -nt-

[DS1]

78. The ONLY reason I'm running Vista

is because I was in a real jam, and had to deliver some programming ASAP after my system died, and couldn't find my XP license so I took a cab while drunk to my office to get the Vista DVD, installed it, and delivered. That reminds me, I still have a check due... back later...

[bookman]

13. I've been running Vista for over a year..

..and it's been fine.

[paulk]

34. same here

vista works ok.

It's just that none of my peripherals work with it.

Or about half of the software I had running on XP....

----


Vista has been more than a disappointment - it was a huge waste of money for a computer that has ended up being used for only the internet. That's all it's been good for. I still do most of my real work on my XP machine.

[bookman]

86. I only had one problem.

A scanner.

I have an HP 4P printer that has outlived many PC's. It works fine under Vista.

Many times it is just finding the driver.

[Cronopio]

14. Redmond, start your copiers.

[bhikkhu]

15. You'll probably need 8 gigs of RAM and a 2 TB harddrive.

...and spend weeks trying to get drivers, and so on and so forth. Been there, not impressed with anything Microsoft has done in a long time. Its hard to argue for a bsiness that spends the majority of its time and effort fixing its own screw ups and trying to address the complaints that arise from the last round of screwed up fixes.

[Neshanic]

50. I seriously think that Vista needs 16 gigs of RAM. You are so right about what you said.

[darkism]

16. Windows 7 = another attempt to catch up to OS X

Then Apple will release Snow Leopard next year and raise the bar higher still.

[Ezlivin]

20. Huh? Windows invented the GUI!

:)

Just kidding. I know that Apple improved upon what it saw at Xerox PARC and took it to another level. Bill Gates spent the two years he was under contract to Apple to try to come up with a PC version of the Mac GUI. Windows 1, 2, 3 and then 3.1 before anyone really cared. If Apple's marketing was as good as it is now he'd be just a footnote in computing history. (MSDOS was just a converted CP/M anyway.)

[wtmusic]

63. Apple's marketing was plenty good in the 80's

What wasn't good was government enforcement of anticompetitive practices under Reagan.

[Captiosus]

21. You mean kinda like the X360 copying Cover Flow and Nintendo's Mii's?

:rofl:

New X360 Dashboard, launching 11/19:


Apple's Cover Flow:


New X360 Avatars, launching 11/19:


Nintendo Mii Channel:



BTW, darkism, are there any sites with good "first info" on Snow Leopard?
I have a 2.1GHz C2D Macbook 13.3 (got it two weeks before they dropped the price and unveiled the new ones.. grumble), and I've decked it out with 4gb of RAM and a 320GB hard drive. I'm just wondering if (and hoping) Snow Leopard will work well on it. Apple has a pretty good track record of making their new OS's work on their older hardware, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

[darkism]

Wow, MS jacked the whole CoverFlow thing, right down to the reflections.

I take it you were just over the 14 day return limit? That sucks.

As for Snow Leopard, the most I can find about it now is on the official site (http://www.apple.com/macosx/snowleopard/) with a bit more technical explanation of the improvements on the wiki (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mac_OS_X_v10.6).

It's Intel-only, so if you have any old Powerbooks or G5 towers lying around, you're out of luck. I lose; it runs on PPC too. But your MacBook should run it even better than it currently runs 10.5, since 10.6 is all about performance and not new features.

[Captiosus]

27. Thanks for the links!

Yeah I was at exactly 15 days. Purchased the MacBook on 9/30, Apple made the announcement on 10/14. D'oh!

Oh well, I don't mind too much. I love the system. I was running a Kalyway 10.5.2 Hackintosh for a while which was what made me decide to jump to OS X. I still have some things on my Windows tower that I need to keep around, but as soon as I get one of the new iPod nanos to replace my (grumble.. windows only) Zune, the Macbook will be my primary machine.

I could boot camp and use the Zune that way, but I'd prefer to not sully my MacBook with Windows XP. ;)

[darkism]

31. Did you pick up Crossover for free yesterday? No need to sully with XP that way.

http://lameduck.codeweavers.com

It was lagged to hell all day but they were still sending out serials until midnight.

[Captiosus]

I did, indeed! I'm hoping it works with the Zune software.

The video Codeweavers had on their streamlined site yesterday was hilarious.

[MattBaggins]

43. How does Kalway compare to iDeneb?

I use iDeneb on my main box. Bit slow and have a few bugs to smooth out but it does function.

[ContinentalOp]

41. The funny thing is that...

they must have said "well, we can't put it on a grey background because Apple "owns" the white look. And we can't put it on a black background because Apple "owns" that too. Hey, let's put it on a middle gray background so we can be different." And instead it just looks really drab and boring. They should have just gone ahead and copied the whole look.

[Xithras]

17. Vista was an interim release.

Basically, Windows 7 development was taking longer than expected and Microsoft had developed a longer wishlist of things to add to the OS. When the developers pegged a Windows 7 release date for 2008, the suits freaked out and said that was too long between releases (XP was released in 2009). Vista was put forward as an interim solution. It took some of the more complete Windows 7 features and filled in the gaps with (allegedly) security audited XP code. That permitted the interim release, and allowed them some additional development time for 7.

[KamaAina]

55. Cool! A post from the future!

(XP was released in 2009)

How's the stock market doing? :-)

[Xithras]

57. Lolz.

SELL! SELL NOW! Invest in goat cheese and rhubarb futures while you still have time!

[Captiosus]

18. Windows 7 is the true successor to the OS market line.

Just to clarify. It's not just a mobile OS or a touch screen only OS.

They started working on Windows 7 before Vista was officially released to retail but after Vista was released to OEM sales.

Let me tell you why I don't think "Windows 7" will fare any better than Vista:

From the linked article, emphasis added:
"With Windows 7, Microsoft is not introducing any major changes to the Windows kernel and is keeping much of the other plumbing substantially similar to that of Vista."

The above directly refutes a statement regarding Windows 7 from CNN.com yesterday:
(Source: http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/biztech/10/28/microsoft.windows.ap/index.html?iref=topnews)
"Addressing another complaint about Vista, Microsoft said Windows 7 will be faster and need less memory to run."

First of all, anyone who has followed Microsoft knows that each OS ends up being more resource needy than the previous. Win95 saw a major jump in memory needed over the Windows 3.1-DOS 6.22 shell. Win98SE needed more memory than Win95. WinME needed more memory than Win98SE. Win2KPro needed more memory than NT Workstation 4. XP needed more than 2KPro and Vista needed more than XP.

Yet, while these OS's were in production, Microsoft claimed - incorrectly, every time - that their new OS would somehow work on less resources than the previous. That's never been the case, and I don't see it being the case with Windows 7, not when they're talking about adding more features like jumplists and libraries.

Secondly, retaining the Vista architecture means that Windows 7 will suffer from the same hardware and software incompatibilities of Vista. I could go into a very techie rant about how that has to do with the fact that they got rid of the old NT Hardware Abstraction Layer, but I'll refrain. Just know that they're building on top of Vista, not building from scratch, so the major problems which have kept individuals and businesses from jumping to Vista will remain.

I simply do not see Windows 7 being a big leap in Microsoft's OS's. They promised the world with Vista, including new, better file systems (WinFS, anyone?) and other assorted revolutionary changes. All we got with Vista was a less streamlined XP that uses twice as much memory and has a prettier interface. It speaks volumes when the largest section of the official Microsoft Windows Vista self study guide was, and the most questions I had on the Prometric Vista exam were, about User Access Control.

Frankly, Microsoft needs to go back to the drawing board and build an OS from the ground up instead of building on top of the same thing over and over again. I'm already going to venture a guess that us IT keyboard jockeys are going to be jokingly referring to Windows 7 as Vista Service Pack 3.

[MattBaggins]

45. Ah WinFS... Every geek was dreaming of finally being

able to organize their porn collections.

[dkofos]

24. It still won't make me give up Linux.

[DemoRabbit]

26. They can't even name the stupid thing right

Windows 3.1
Windows 95
Windows 98
Windows 2000
Windows ME (oh how Sad)
Windows XP -- Home & Pro
Windows Vista -- Home Basic, Home Premium, Business & Ultimate

and now...

Windows 7.

Yeah, makes sense.

*roll eyes*

I've really come to hate Microsoft.

[Captiosus]

29. The many flavors of Vista!

Starter - A version of Vista for "up and coming" countries. Extremely restricted.
Home Basic - No Aero, No Windows Media Center, No Domain Connectivity.
Home Basic N - Home Basic for the EU without certain integration (ie. Windows Media Player).
Home Premium - Includes Aero, No Domain Connectivity, Includes Windows Media Center.
Business - Includes Aero, Domain Connectivity, BitLocker, No Windows Media Center.
Business N - Business for the EU without certain integration (ie. Windows Media Player).
Enterprise - Business volume licensed version purchasable through MS Software Assurance.
Ultimate - Includes everything: Aero, Domains, Windows Media Center, BitLocker, and "Ultimate Extras".

Wheeeeeeeee. :rofl:
The Apple "Wheel of Vista" ad is entirely too true.
And people wonder why Vista confuses consumers!

[ContinentalOp]

42. I seriously don't get that strategy.

They range from $200 to $320. You would think that they will sell fewer copies of the fully loaded "Ultimate" version. So just make a single version that costs $225 or $250 so the people on the bottom are slightly subsidizing the "ultimate" features that they're not actually using.

They would save a little money on packaging, design, advertising, shelf space, etc. and more importantly it would bring a lot of clarity to the Vista brand. That additional marketing clarity alone would sell a ton more copies.

[Sebastian Doyle]

56. How do they get to "7" anyway?

Even going by your list, that would be 8. And you didn't even mention Windows 1 or 2. Hell, I've never even seen Windows 2, but it must have existed. I did have a working copy of Windows 1.0 many years ago, but it's long gone.

Of course there's also Windows NT (3.5), Windows NT 4.0, Windows 98 SE (which most people who bought ME wiped their drives and replaced that piece of shit with) Windows 2003 (which was server only, but still a major release)

Should be Windows 11 at least. And it's just a lucky number as 7, if that's what they're hoping for.

Fuck it, what do I care? I'm mostly penguin-powered these days.....

[pokerfan]

68. Could have been worse

SUSAN: I can tell you, I would never name my child Soda.

GEORGE: Oh, no no no. Course not. I got a great name for our kids. A real original. You wanna hear what it is? Huh, you ready?

SUSAN: Yeah.

(George uses his finger to draw a number 7 in the air, accompanying the strokes of his digit with a two-tone whistle.)

SUSAN: What is that? Sign language?

GEORGE: No, Seven.

SUSAN: Seven Costanza? You're serious?

GEORGE: Yeah. It's a beautiful name for a boy or a girl...

(Susan scoffs.)

GEORGE: ...especially a girl. Or a boy.

SUSAN: I don't think so.

GEORGE: What, you don't like the name?

SUSAN: It's not a name. It's a number.

GEORGE: I know. It's Mickey Mantle's number. So not only is it an all around beautiful name, it is also a living tribute.

SUSAN: It's awful. I hate it!

GEORGE: (angry) Well, that's the name!

SUSAN: (also angry) Oh no it is not! No child of mine is ever going to be named Seven!



(I cannot confirm whether or not the successor to 7 will be Microsoft Soda.)

[Xithras]

59. And don't forget...Windows existed before 3.x

Windows 1 and 2 were DOS based, mouse driven file managers. It's biggest selling points were mouse support and the ability to run two programs at once. I still have a copy of the Windows 2 installation floppies locked away in a file cabinet, though I doubt they work any more.

[hunter]

81. I have Windows 3.1 running just fine in a dosbox on my Debian machine.

It was my misfortune a long time ago to have a supervisor who inflicted Windows 2 on us when all we really wanted was cute little Macs.

With Windows 2 you had to know both DOS and something that was kinda sorta but not really like a Mac at all.


http://www.kare.com



http://www.guidebookgallery.org/guis/windows/win20

[cushla_machree]

32. Vista works for me

I've never had a problem with it, and i really like some of the features. I never gave up my windows 98 to go XP...i just don't notice anything really wrong with Vista.

[cushla_machree]

33. ok i take that back

I hate the User Access Control on Vista...like when i try to delete something that I created...or even something i moved from my old computer..and it won't let me delete it unless i change the permissions...which doesn't work half the time!

[superduperfarleft]

38. There is a way to turn that off.

I can't remember right now b/c I'm on my work computer, but you can turn off the stupid popups somewhere in the control panel.

I loved XP, and only upgraded to vista because XP wouldn't recognize my graphics card for some reason, but I haven't had any of the problems that people talk about with vista. Maybe I'm just lucky.

[Captiosus]

36. A lot of what's "wrong" with Vista is in the internals.

The change from the old XP method to the new User Access Control, for example. By taking out the old XP/2K/NT internals, they increased the amount of RAM needed by the Operating System because the new way the OS protects hardware is by making each piece of hardware run with a coupling piece of software as its own process in its own memory space.

For example, on Vista, if you pull up Task Manager with CTRL-SHIFT-ESC and click on processes, you'll find processes for audio (audiodg.exe) and desktop video management (dwm.exe). As a by-product of the change in internals, Vista is far less compatible with older "legacy" hardware, a prospect which is make or break for a lot of businesses. UAC also forces the end user to be more interactive with security, hence the frequency of the UAC pop up messages. Also, because of how the UAC interacts with hardware, Vista's capability with 3D games and programs is slowed somewhat from what you'd get if you ran XP. Some people dispute this, but usually they're folks with cutting edge hardware so naturally they wouldn't see much difference if they're pushing 8GB of Ram on Vista 64bit with 10,000 RPM hard drives and a 500 dollar SLi video setup.

Beyond the UAC, the code just isn't terribly streamlined. Window and application switching is horrendously slow compared to XP unless you can afford a beast of a machine. The integrated Digital Rights Management in Vista is some of the most prohibitive in the industry.

[entanglement]

67. Not to mention the PCP crapola inserted on the insistence of the MPAA

[Snazzy]

83. to hell with M$' Hollywood DRM bs

Only machine here I tried Vista on was for a media center.

First case: I recorded some movie on AMC through Time Warner using the stupid friggin' dvr-ms container that makes a giant file for no good reason (certainly has nothing to do with quality, dvr-ms seems to dial that down to crap automagically).

Verified 12 gig black and white movie was ok.

I hit windows update, because you'd think that they would fix all the little glitches, so you just hit it, man, and pray. Well don't do that. Go to watch movie and get a popup (after 30 secs of playback tease) "You don't have the rights to watch this media."

Second case: Record show off of HBO. Shoot it to another computer instead of congesting my network. Same deal: "You don't have the rights to watch this media."

So apparently the master plan is for me to eventually pay extra for watching something in my bedroom that I recorded in my living room. Or at least they have built in that capability should they figure out how to make that market.

Download to ipod/cell? $19.95 please.

Deleted it (Vista home pro or whatever), but it pisses me off. They are not developing anything for xpmce, which sorta sucks, but does work. Why? Because drm isn't as heavily integrated. I don't want to troubleshoot the playback of a movie from paid for cable service. What bs. So in bed with RIAA, Hollywood etc and no concern for users. We could have such greatness in seamless digital all over the home and devices. The media itself is ready but the OS is the roadblock.

Meantime Linux MCE does not like my somewhat expensive hardware, so we wait.

[racaulk]

39. I recently downgraded from Vista to XP.

And I couldn't be happier. Vista is a dog of an OS.

[Strelnikov_]

52. Review: Windows XP

http://dotnet.org.za/codingsanity/archive/2007/12/14/review-windows-xp.aspx

I have finally decided to take the plunge. Last night I upgraded my Vista desktop machine to Windows XP, and this afternoon I will be doing the same to my laptop.

. . .

Reliability

All I can say is "wow!" You can see that a lot of work has gone into making XP more reliable than its predecessor. The random program crashes, and hangs appear to be a thing of the past.

. . .

Conclusion

To be honest there is only one conclusion to be made; Microsoft has really outdone themselves in delivering a brand new operating system that really excels in all the areas where Vista was sub-optimal. From my testing, discussions with friends and colleagues, and a review of the material out there on the web there seems to be no doubt whatsoever that that upgrade to XP is well worth the money. Microsoft can really pat themselves on the back for a job well done, delivering an operating system which is much faster and far more reliable than its predecessor. Anyone who thinks there are problems in the Microsoft Windows team need only point to this fantastic release and scoff loudly.

Well done Microsoft!

[Canuckistanian]

62. LOL

I only recently (in the last year) upgraded to XP from Win98.

I think I'll stay with this one for another 5 years or so.

[racaulk]

70. ROFL!

Great read! Thanks for forwarding that link to me! :thumbsup:

:rofl:

[busybl]

46. hmm

they actually said 7 will be less annoying than Vista and that Vista made sense to their engineers but the mistake was they didn't test it with real pc users.

[Neshanic]

48. Vista to offer movies to see while waiting for start-up. The new service

will have an array of the latest movies to watch, while Vista loads in the background. For you Office 2007 people, another movie will be offered while that opens and gets email.

The new "Vista Movies" will start when the computer is turned on, and then after the movie ends, Vista will be loaded and ready for your use.

[Medusa]

49. I've never had an issue with Vista

and I run it on both my laptop and my desktop and I'm what could easily be classified as a heavy user. I don't get why some people hate it so much. I really like it. It can be a space hog but it's really easy to turn off apps you don't like. To each his/her own I guess.

[liberati]

54. I agree. Vista works fine for me and I like it much better than XP.

nt

[phylny]

76. Here's a "me too" post.

I have Vista on my laptop, and it runs flawlessly. I have absolutely no problems whatsoever.

[nadinbrzezinski]

51. OS 10... I love it

thanks for helping me move to a better and more stable OS

Now if I can load a better OS on the Linux Lappie...

[mulah]

58. That's ridiculous

Now we have to shell out hundreds of dollars again. Great.

[yodoobo]

60. Well they are in software business

Only a matter of time before next upgrade.

[DainBramaged]

75. Microsoft and Apple (Hearts by Intel) forgetting their core principles

[LiberalPersona]

82. My prediction

is that it will be the Vista equivalent of ME.