They Criticized Vista. And They Should Know

The New York Times ^ | March 9, 2008 | Randall Stross

[gitmo]

My wife’s Vista Dell laptop works great. We have had one issue ... her HP PDA will not synchronize correctly with it. Apparently it is a common problem with that particular PDA.

Oh yeah, my Cruzer thumb drive won’t work on it either.

[rahbert]

The OpenGL API is supported but through a Direct3D
interface. This disadvantages native OpenGL in favor
of MS’s own proprietary 3D API. The OpenGL API will
work but at the cost of some call overhead.

[Fabozz]

"Is this a great country or what?"

It's not merely a great country, it is in fact the greatest country.

[AFreeBird]

My five year old Thinkpad runs Linux just fine, and talks to all the peripherals I need it to. I can even get it to run all the new Beryl/Compiz UI graphics. Granted, it doesn't run them as well as newer hardware would, but they run. Not that I find all that eye candy worthwhile in any event.

Is it cool, sure. And if I had newer hardware, I might run it as part of the standard boot, but it's really not necessary.

Microsoft; the P.T. Barnum of the computer world.

[Doohickey]

So what’s new? There has never been a D3D interface for OpenGL. Graphics card vendors have been shipping ICDs for OpenGL since 2000.

[Reaganwuzthebest]

Microsoft says high prices have been the deterrent.

It's more about fixing something that isn't broken.

The idiotic UI changes alone are enough to keep me away from it, they look like a bunch of script kiddies had too much time on their hands. The two-step file menu works perfectly well, the only important change that's needed is that which focuses on security and making it more lean and faster, kind of the way Windows 2000 is.

[Eric Blair 2084]

Greatest country in the history of the planet Earth. But we need change, because freedom and capitalism is unfair...some people lose.

Any jackass can make a fortune in America if they try. You can make millions with a purple dinosaur for kids. You can make a fortune marketing crap software that crashes and use your billions of capitalist profits for Socialist causes.

[Doohickey]

Type what you’re looking for in the search bar. No need to be terribly specific. That’ll save you any scary extra mouse clicks.

[Eric Blair 2084]

Yep, that pretty much sums it up.

[PghBaldy]

I HATE Vista. My computer goes haywire all the time, and it is new and not virus problems. It is Vista. It is from Hell.

[AFreeBird]

It's a new OS, in a year or so most of the compatibility issues will be a thing of the past.

Given the all development time they took to get it out the door. It's a damn teenager, and should at least know how to drive by now.

M$ screwed the pooch on this one, and even they know it. They're going back to numbering for the next version. Windows 8 I believe, which they're going to push out the door well ahead of schedule. More fun for the end users.

It will still be crap, and you'll still have to jump through hoops, buy newer hardware and software, and you'll still have to agree to let M$ make changes to your system without your knowledge. You give consent (in perpetuity) when you install it on your system.

No thanks. My computer is mine, and what it does, what it runs, and when it does it is my decision. Not your overlords in Redmond.

[Myrddin]

That's an interesting collection of academic credentials. Where did you serve in Vietnam (ships)? My dad served as port 5" battery gunnery officer on the USS Iowa (Korea), XO USS Marshall, XO USS Prairie, XO/CO USS Arlington during Vietnam. He also spent some time on the ground in Saigon. His last assignment was XO 32nd St Naval Station, San Diego (1970-1977).

[RochesterFan]

It is easier to crack the code to get into the computers at the PENTAGON than to be able to speak in ENGLISH to someone at Dell.

Use Dell tech support 'Chat'. Dell insiders claim support read English better than they speak it. My experience bears it out. Give it a try.

[MrsEmmaPeel]

Take a look at this! Blip TV

[Reaganwuzthebest]

Nah I’ll just stay on XP until 2014 or whenever they quit supporting it. I hope they extend the life of Windows 2000 like they did 98SE, I’m using that also and actually consider it their best creation.

[brityank]

Final comment:

Now that Microsoft faces a certified class action, a judge may be the one who oversees the fix. In the meantime, where does Microsoft go to buy back its lost credibility?

Micro$oft had credibility ?

Don't think I'll be buying Windows/MEII anytime soon!

[Eric Blair 2084]

You take me entirely too seriously. I’ve never served in the Armed Forces. I’m just a clown.

Unlike your Dad who fought for real, I would hide for cover under the bed like a wimp at the first sound of gunfire.

I do well in a plain old bar fight, and I’m skilled in Tae Kwon Do and Hapkido...but real warfare...???

I’ll leave that to brave Americans who are better than me.

[Minn]

While Vista is indeed a debacle, if you want to see eye popping evidence of Microsoft’s recent incompetence, take a look at Zune software. It’s like they wrote down every feature and attribute of itunes and set out to be inferior in every way imaginable.

[Inyo-Mono]

Bttt.

[Never2baCrat]

I honestly don’t know what you guys do with your computers. I have 2 E-machines, one runs XP and the newer one runs Vista. The XP is FAST and the Vista one was SLOW until I got rid of Symantec and McAfee. I now run NOD32 on the Vista machine and it’s comparable to the XP in speed. Never crashes and never has the problems that’s been described.

I like them both.