Wait! Don't buy Windows Vista! Microsoft's new OS is the best Windows ever. But don't buy it!

Computer World ^ | January 25, 2007 | Mike Elgan

[CedarDave]

Unless you've recently emerged from a coma, you know the consumer versions of Microsoft's new Vista operating system ship Tuesday. This column is not a review of Windows Vista. ... This article is for those of you who are about to download or purchase Windows Vista and install it on a PC. I'm here to talk you out of it. ...Here's why.

1. Vista is incomplete

Microsoft is already planning its first service pack .... Vista probably won't be truly ready for prime time until that first service pack version, possibly later this year.

The hardware and software companies that make compatible products for Vista aren't all ready for the new OS. ... Most importantly, not all video and sound card companies are ready.

~~ snip ~~

2. Vista is expensive

Microsoft offers three versions of Vista to home users in the U.S. ...

~~ snip ~~

3. Vista wants a new PC

To get full value from Vista, you're probably going to want to buy a new, Vista-optimized PC. Many of the benefits of Vista require hardware your current PC doesn't have.

~~ snip ~~

4. Vista is time-consuming

Installing any new operating system is time-consuming. You have to configure everything, load your data, install your applications and get your peripherals working. Then, in the case of Vista, you have to figure out where Microsoft buried all the options, menus and features ....

~~ snip ~~

5. Windows XP isn't obsolete

Vista ... doesn't really "solve" any existing problem. Windows XP ... is a solid, well-understood and highly functional operating system. ... Microsoft itself has committed to at least seven more years of XP support, and even plans a Service Pack 3 next year.

~~ snip ~~

6. Vista may be the best reason yet to buy a Mac

[Señor Zorro]

This is a good thing. Far too many people are sticking with hardware they by all rights should have tossed out the window years ago.

Shouldn't that be their decision? All most people want with a PC is web browsing, e-mail, and word processing. Who needs the latest hardware for that? One of the great things about both Linux and BSD is that you can use it to make even older machines pretty usable.

[Woodman]

Maybe, spending money on English classes to learn the difference between, there, their, and they're

[Terpfen]

All most people want with a PC is web browsing, e-mail, and word processing. Who needs the latest hardware for that?

That's my point. If all most people need is to browse the web and write/read email, then their current machines are fine. Why, then, should Microsoft shackle Vista with the design goal of making sure it runs on those computers running Pentium IIIs and 128 MB of RAM? It makes no sense to do that if the point of your project is to implement OS-wide improvements that could really benefit from new hardware.

[Danette]

We went to Best Buy to buy a new computer yesterday. They wouldn't sell us a computer. They said they won't sell computers until Vista comes out on Tuesday.

I could care less about Vista.

[CedarDave]

They wouldn't sell us a computer. They said they won't sell computers until Vista comes out on Tuesday.

My point exactly. I believe, however, that as part of the anti-trust settlement, they (MS) can no longer force stores to sell their operating system with Windows based computers. I would suggest your finding another store.

[Coleus]

i would wait at least a yr. to get all the bugs worked out.

from what i've read, most computers don't have the speed to run it properly.

[pray4liberty]

On the new computers, Vista takes almost a full hour just to load the operating system and set it up.

It's a joke.

[pray4liberty]

I have to laugh, I recently upgraded my Windows ME to Windows XP Home on this ancient Gateway and it works just fine.

My daughter's new laptop is Vista compatible but there really is no need to upgrade it until the bugs are worked out. That generally takes about two years.

My agenda is, if it ain't broke, don't fix it!

[Darnright]

>My experience has also been that most stored media over eight years old has started to degrade anyway.<

Here's a link that might interest you:

http://www.audioholics.com/techtips/specsformats/CDDVDlongevity.php

[Richard Kimball]

Thanks. That is a very good article. Just getting into it now.

[pray4liberty]

I could care less about Vista.

I could care less about Best Buy!