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Why Aren't You Upgrading to Vista?
Yahoo! Tech ^ | 2/26/2007 | Christopher Null

Posted on 03/02/2007 8:38:09 PM PST by Swordmaker

Daily Techno-Babble offers a breathless "three reasons why Windows Vista is sinking like a rock," and while the story has a point, I don't really think that "limits on how Vista can be used under virtualization" is really the thing about Vista that is scaring away that many would-be users, nor are Microsoft's DRM provisions on high-definition video much of a big deal yet, as few users care about high-def on their PC right now. Don't get me wrong: I think all of these are factors that make Vista a poor OS, but they aren't the primary reason that it's "sinking like a rock."

Given that Vista sales seem lackluster at best, what's the hang-up? I think it's something far more simple than the reasons that DTB offers up.

So what's turning people off of Vista? Here's my take, in order of importance:

1) Price. There's no way around this one. Upgrading to Vista doesn't just mean spending up to $400 on software, but also cash on RAM and video card upgrades, or buying a new PC altogether. If Vista was a $100 upgrade that anyone could use, it'd be a top seller, I'm sure.

2) Nothing new to see here. Love the visual style, but does photo tagging and 3-D window flipping really merit an upgrade?

3) It's annoying. I don't know any Vista user who hasn't turned off User Account Control, which nags you with an "Are you sure????" prompt every time you try to do anything beyond run the calculator. Yet UAC is the linchpin of Vista's vaunted new security system. Without it, it's really no different than XP.

4) Tons of stuff is incompatible with Vista. An acquaintance of mine got a new PC with Vista preinstalled. Neither her scanner nor her printer had Vista drivers ready. Both peripherals cost several hundred bucks, and now they're essentially paperweights (though the printer, at some unforseeable time in the future, may work again). Lots of software won't run on Vista, either, but it's the hardware incompatibilities that are daunting. (Update: Looks like the scanner driver's finally ready.)

5) It's confusing. Everything that XP could do, Vista can do... only it's buried under a different menu and it has a new name. While average users probably never use many of these settings, power users have found themselves starting from scratch to relearn Windows.

6) It's busted. Try connecting to a printer on your network that's hooked up to an XP machine. Or try downloading a file with a third-party application and then accessing it via another PC on the network. I won't go into a list of the endless bugs and flaws with the design of Vista, because I don't really have to: Vista needs a Service Pack already.

That's my take, but I'd love to hear your reasons for being hesitant: Why aren't you jumping whole hog into the Vistaverse?


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Computers/Internet
KEYWORDS: microsoft; operatingsystems; vista
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To: Sherman Logan
For most consumers, there are essentially two upgrade options from Basic: Premium and Ultimate. For businesses, there is a third: Business. So it depends on how full featured you want to go.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

21 posted on 03/03/2007 5:47:20 AM PST by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives In My Heart Forever)
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To: RVN Airplane Driver

Nope, I actually didnt defend much of anything of MS until Vista came out, however I notice so much disinformation about Vista that its turned me into its defender.


22 posted on 03/03/2007 5:57:33 AM PST by aft_lizard (born conservative...I chose to be a republican)
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To: RVN Airplane Driver

Forgot to ask. WHy does it suck for you? No drivers? Not used to the interface? What exactly makes it suck to you, other than its a MS product?


23 posted on 03/03/2007 5:58:58 AM PST by aft_lizard (born conservative...I chose to be a republican)
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To: aft_lizard
Turn back on the Classic Menu - and voila - Windows 95 automagically reappears! You wonder why they even bother design a new menu no one ever uses because its not in their comfort zone.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

24 posted on 03/03/2007 6:07:34 AM PST by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives In My Heart Forever)
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To: Swordmaker

I will avoid Vista just as I avoided Windows ME.

They will have a replacement for Vista in a couple of years that will be a true revolution, just as XP was to ME.


25 posted on 03/03/2007 6:18:36 AM PST by Yo-Yo (USAF, TAC, 12th AF, 366 TFW, 366 MG, 366 CRS, Mtn Home AFB, 1978-81)
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To: Swordmaker

I took a look at Vista, and am switching to linux.


26 posted on 03/03/2007 6:28:59 AM PST by Hydroshock (Duncan Hunter For President, checkout gohunter08.com.)
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To: aft_lizard

Well let's begin with it being incompatible with a host of programs that I had been using. Disinformation my a$$..folks are just telling it like it is....it is much slower than XL...now I know that they have put all kinds of security measures etc...I'm not a geek...just a user that wants stuff to work.....and Vista in many cases so far has not.....and I have never been a MS basher. I just was trying to upload a file from frontpage and it gave me all kinds of fits.... The long and short of it is....as I stated earlier...I would give 99 bucks to get XP loaded on this new machine!!


27 posted on 03/03/2007 7:05:14 AM PST by RVN Airplane Driver ("To be born into freedom is an accident; to die in freedom is an obligation..)
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To: kerryusama04

"Because I switched to Mac."

I'm sorry... socialism isn't cool


28 posted on 03/03/2007 7:09:36 AM PST by Porterville (Bullies love Peace and the Peaceful fight Wars.)
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To: aft_lizard

"Forgot to ask. WHy does it suck for you? No drivers? Not used to the interface? What exactly makes it suck to you, other than its a MS product?"

Just socialist tendencies that hate capitalism.... too much choice for some people.


29 posted on 03/03/2007 7:10:49 AM PST by Porterville (Bullies love Peace and the Peaceful fight Wars.)
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To: aft_lizard
4) This is an issue that will pass over time, just like any new OS offering.

Exactly, no need to upgrade right now, like the article implies.

30 posted on 03/03/2007 7:13:25 AM PST by corlorde (New Hampshire)
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To: RVN Airplane Driver

Well go onine and purchase an XP disc, or use your old one. I dont understand why its slow to you though, just about everything about the OS is quicker than XP. I personally did have some slow startups at first but thats because this PC came preloaded with Norton Bloatware, uninstalled its much better.


31 posted on 03/03/2007 7:16:07 AM PST by aft_lizard (born conservative...I chose to be a republican)
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To: corlorde
>Exactly, no need to upgrade right now, like the article implies

Anti-Vista rants
always sound like Ralph trying
to convince Alice

she doesn't really
need this or that luxury
when the real reason

is just that Ralph's head
is up his butt. It's the same
with anti-Vista

rants. You get Vista
because it's cool, it's new and
it's fun. Don't be Ralph!

32 posted on 03/03/2007 7:27:41 AM PST by theFIRMbss
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To: aft_lizard

Does basic support the dual processors...?


33 posted on 03/03/2007 8:32:37 AM PST by Ernest_at_the_Beach (The DemonicRATS believe ....that the best decisions are always made after the fact.)
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach

Yes all versions support dual-core cpu's.
Heres a link for you.

http://blogs.zdnet.com/Bott/?p=130


34 posted on 03/03/2007 8:37:50 AM PST by aft_lizard (born conservative...I chose to be a republican)
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To: dinodino

Actually thats a very handy thing to have, it explains to you whats wrong rather than guessing like previous versions had you do.


35 posted on 03/03/2007 8:39:01 AM PST by aft_lizard (born conservative...I chose to be a republican)
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To: aft_lizard

Many thanks for telling me to get rid of that preloaded Norton , as you called it "bloatware"... My computer is lighting quick compared to when that was active. Thanks again =s=


36 posted on 03/03/2007 8:48:23 AM PST by RVN Airplane Driver ("To be born into freedom is an accident; to die in freedom is an obligation..)
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To: Swordmaker

Why would I? It doesn't have anything better than XP, really, except some flashy visuals. I'm a man, not a parakeet.


37 posted on 03/03/2007 8:48:58 AM PST by steve-b (It's hard to be religious when certain people don't get struck by lightning.)
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To: theFIRMbss
I think you win today's "most ridiculous post award."
38 posted on 03/03/2007 8:52:52 AM PST by Vision ("Delight yourself in the Lord; and he will give you your heart's desires." Psalm 37:4)
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To: RVN Airplane Driver

No prob. If you are concerned about viruses though I believe that AVG 7.5 Free works with Vista and its not bloatware.


39 posted on 03/03/2007 8:57:34 AM PST by aft_lizard (born conservative...I chose to be a republican)
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To: Swordmaker

Given that XP seemed to be a marginal leap forward from Win95...
I'll be unlikely to get Vista.
If I can, I'll skip a generation of Microsoft "upgrades"


40 posted on 03/03/2007 8:59:04 AM PST by VOA
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