Midnight rush to grab Vista

Delawareonline ^ | 1/30/2007 | Andrew Colley

[ShawTaylor]

HUNDREDS of computer enthusiasts were in Harvey Norman's Alexandria store in South Sydney at the stroke of midnight last night to be among the first in the world to buy Microsoft's latest PC software, Windows Vista.

Prized copy: William Tsang shows his copy of Windows Vista signed by Bill Gates as he is served by Gerry Harvey at the midnight launch of the new operating system in Sydney Australia was the second market in the world, behind New Zealand, where the software was put on sale. As part of the global launch, one Harvey Norman customer walked away with a copy of Windows Vista signed by software mogul Bill Gates. A Microsoft spokeswoman said it was the only signed copy sold outside the US - the five others had been reserved for the New York launch.

Rutland Smith, general manager of Harvey Norman computers and communications, said the retailer had stacked $10million worth of Microsoft's software into its stores in preparation for the night.

The first buyers were likely to be computer hobbyists with a special interest in keeping ahead of the technology curve, Mr Smith said. "But it won't be long until it becomes more openly used by a mass audience."

It is estimated that Microsoft's Windows software is used on 90per cent of computers worldwide.

[Liberty Valance]

Keep out of the way sonny boy...
Vista's mine!

[DB]

I think I'll wait until its been out for awhile...

[goldstategop]

They're rushing for it? Why on earth would people line up to buy an operating system most reviewers have either said its not necessary to upgrade or which doesn't even run on the hardware most of us still have. Here I'm running a decade old IBM Thinkpad 600e on Windows XP Pro! It won't run on any but the most stripped-down versions of Windows Vista. Not worth the upgrade.

"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

[Roux]

You better have a brand new computer or it won't run.

[familyop]

After the price of XP goes down more, I'll install a copy of that on its own drive with an offline mainboard for testing Windows software for contracts. I use BSD (UNIX), mostly, and haven't had a MS OS installed here since '97.

[GOP Poet]

Yup. I believe this is true. It has to be Vista upgradable correct? I was just reading on Drudge how this is essentially the last BIG product before MS switches to Live products on the web. They are essentially going to online. So this Vista must be the platform for their future online products and services as well.

Competition is alive and well in America :-). They just couldn't stand working so hard and getting left in the dust and neither could their stock holders.

[cavador]

Why chuck out Win XP Pro-and buy a new OS.That's chucking out a perfectly good operating system in preference for something that is untested.
It's like parachuting!(Why jump out of a perfectly good aeroplane?)

[Roux]

A friend of mine had the pre-release copy. Not the beta but the final release and he said it is OK but still has a lot of bugs.

[ShawTaylor]

"You better have a brand new computer or it won't run."

Now where did you get that idea from?
If you want to know if your XP PC can run Vista, go right here:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=42B5AC83-C24F-4863-A389-3FFC194924F8&displaylang=en

Easy.

[ExTexasRedhead]

I have a new multi-media dual core desktop that will run Vista. I find it sad that XP still has bugs that Microsoft "never" fixed. The Aquarium screensaver that came installed on this system (4 months old) screwed up the desktop icons and no one at HP or Microsoft could figure out why. Secondly, none of the tech support at either HP or Microsoft (India connection) could understand and communicate in English. They actually have the nerve to expect the world to purchase their new bag of bugs?

[ShawTaylor]

"Why on earth would people line up to buy an operating system most reviewers have either said its not necessary to upgrade or which doesn't even run on the hardware most of us still have."

I have read plenty of reviewers that think Vista is great too.
Of course I didn't go to the Apple fan sites to read their hatchet job "reviews". That would be like putting me head in the guillotine.

"Here I'm running a decade old IBM Thinkpad 600e on Windows XP Pro!"

You are right. You don't need Vista for that decade old computer.
You might consider a new Vista laptop though.

[muir_redwoods]

"HUNDREDS of computer enthusiasts were in Harvey Norman's Alexandria store in South Sydney at the stroke of midnight last night to be among the first in the world to buy Microsoft's latest PC software, Windows Vista."

SNORE!!!

[ShawTaylor]

BOOOO!!

[CarrotAndStick]

You can probably download Windows xP Power Toys.

I believe it has a 'Repair / Rebuild' icons feature.

[Loud Mime]

I've been running an evaluation version of Vista for about three weeks now. I have an Athlon 64 and it runs very nicely. My video sez that I could have a better Vcard.

The presentations are beautiful and the file management is easier to read and work with. Everything zips along like a fast XP.

My hard drive is quieter. XP was a little slower; But I must admit I like the Vista OS.

[wodinoneeye]

Vista security spec 'longest suicide note in history'

---

http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=36570

http://www.cs.auckland.ac.nz/~pgut001/pubs/vista_cost.html

[Loud Mime]

My son told me that Vista had better security.....not for the user...for Microsoft.

[this_ol_patriot]

Don't know the extent of your problem but if the shortcuts work but the icon graphic is wrong then search for "IconCache.db" on your computer and delete any you find, Windows will rebuild it after several boots.

If the links are lost and the program won't launch, you can delete the icons on your desktop then right click on the desktop, properties, desktop, customize desktop and chose what Windows icons and shortcuts you want on the desktop.
To get your program icons and shortcuts back go into the start menu, find the program shortcut there and right click on it, copy and then paste that to the desktop by right clicking.

[MaDeuce]

If you support SAP R/3 software, from what I have been told, this new OS will not work with the SAP GUI.
I don't think any serious company will be upgrading to this OS for many years.