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They Criticized Vista. And They Should Know
The New York Times ^ | March 9, 2008 | Randall Stross

Posted on 03/09/2008 5:23:13 PM PDT by Obi-Wandreas

"They Criticized Vista. And They Should Know.

By RANDALL STROSS ONE year after the birth of Windows Vista, why do so many Windows XP users still decline to “upgrade”?

Microsoft says high prices have been the deterrent. Last month, the company trimmed prices on retail packages of Vista, trying to entice consumers to overcome their reluctance. In the United States, an XP user can now buy Vista Home Premium for $129.95, instead of $159.95.

An alternative theory, however, is that Vista’s reputation precedes it. XP users have heard too many chilling stories from relatives and friends about Vista upgrades that have gone badly. The graphics chip that couldn’t handle Vista’s whizzy special effects. The long delays as it loaded. The applications that ran at slower speeds. The printers, scanners and other hardware peripherals, which work dandily with XP, that lacked the necessary software, the drivers, to work well with Vista.

Can someone tell me again, why is switching XP for Vista an “upgrade”?"

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: operatingsystems; vista; window; xp
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To: Obi-Wandreas

Vista is fine with 4GB memory. I’ve tried it with 1.5GB and 2.0GB, and had to downgrade back to XP both times.


41 posted on 03/09/2008 6:02:03 PM PDT by Uncle Miltie (New York Times Endorsed!!!)
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To: Czar
I plan to stick with XP

I work with computers and have all kinds of machines, including Mac and Linux. I have to keep up with different OS's.

I have Vista on my work desktop at home. The part I like about it is that I find the new interface faster to work with. It's ergonomically more fluid than XP.

The worst part of Vista is any network file operations, or copy/paste to external drives. It is an absolute disaster. If you do work over the network to XP machines don't use Vista.

I also test a lot of software and Vista is a crap shoot when you install programs. I have an image backup I use to restore the OS drive and I use it at least once or twice a month when something ganks the OS.

On the other hand, I have it on my wife's machine, who just uses it for her school, web and office work and it's been great. She likes it. It handles web media very well.

Customers I have who aren't power users are OK with it as well.

Bottom line, if you work with network files a lot, or like to tinker with new software, stick to XP, otherwise you may like Vista for the way it organizes how you work.

42 posted on 03/09/2008 6:03:39 PM PDT by longjack
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To: bpjam

I’ve been using Macs for 10 yrs. now at work, with XP at home. I’d never shell out for a personal Mac. At home, I’ve switched to Kubuntu Linux (with a 2nd XP hard drive for games). Again, I’d never shell out for a Mac.


43 posted on 03/09/2008 6:05:13 PM PDT by Clara Lou (This is how it is this election cycle: Choose your poison.)
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To: ProtectOurFreedom
ROLF
DUAL!!

I never said I was an ace at spelling. =o)

44 posted on 03/09/2008 6:05:24 PM PDT by chaos_5 (Vote for change - ObamaNation 2008!)
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To: Bubba_Leroy

I went from windows 98SE to XP. I think XP will be the last microsoft operating system I ever use.


45 posted on 03/09/2008 6:06:07 PM PDT by mamelukesabre (Quantum materiae materietur marmota monax si marmota monax materiam possit materiari?)
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To: chaos_5

If I had duel processors and 4 gigs of ram, I should hope it would boot up and run fast. Sorry but the vast majority of us have 1 gig of ram and a single processor and Vista will barely run on that.


46 posted on 03/09/2008 6:07:11 PM PDT by Bommer ("He that controls the spice controls the universe!" (unfortunately that spice is Nutmeg!)
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To: chaos_5
I have 2 Dell Inspiron S's with Vista Home Premium. It smokes, is lightning fast, automatically locates, downloads and installs drivers for every gadget I've ever added to either of my systems.

I love Vista. I'll never go back to ME, XP or any of the other ones. And "No", I don't know Bill Gates.

;-/

47 posted on 03/09/2008 6:07:24 PM PDT by Gargantua
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To: Right Wing Assault
I blame companies like DELL who often sell computers with insufficient resources to run the OS they install. If you buy a computer with Vista, it should be loaded with enough RAM etc. to actual run the thing.
48 posted on 03/09/2008 6:08:40 PM PDT by chaos_5 (Vote for change - ObamaNation 2008!)
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To: levotb

I bought a new laptop for my daughter and school. It came with Vista and of the 5 computers we have in our house. It is the only one trouble free - all other run XP and have a variety of problems.

If you get Vista pre-loaded and don’t have old equipment then your fine but what old equipment do most have a printer? With their price and toner, that is the first thing to go and get new.


49 posted on 03/09/2008 6:09:45 PM PDT by edcoil (Go Great in 08 ... Slide into 09)
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To: Bommer
Sorry but the vast majority of us have 1 gig of ram and a single processor and Vista will barely run on that.

I found XP doesn't even like to run on that.

50 posted on 03/09/2008 6:10:21 PM PDT by chaos_5 (Vote for change - ObamaNation 2008!)
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To: nnn0jeh

ping


51 posted on 03/09/2008 6:10:43 PM PDT by kalee (The offenses we give, we write in the dust; Those we take, we write in marble. JHuett)
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To: Gargantua
I admit I was very skeptical when I finally went to Vista. With all the horror stories out there. The reason I finally did go Vista was for DirectX 10. Now that I have gotten used to it, I like it a lot.

The pop up “do you really want to run this program” that I just double clicked on to run is annoying. Thats just about my only complaint.

52 posted on 03/09/2008 6:13:42 PM PDT by chaos_5 (Vote for change - ObamaNation 2008!)
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To: Obi-Wandreas
I was shopping for an XP machine right after Vista came out because I'd heard the DRM was brutal.  No XP machines were available at Circuit City or Best Buy (ugh) so I wound up at Office Depot.  A young geeky looking man was standing next to me asking the clerk if this was "all" the XP machines available (there were two).  I asked why he didn't go with one of the Vista machines?  He replied that he had just gone through a two week nightmare with one his brother owned and had finally given up when he tried to install Norton Ghost 2003 and Vista told him, "sorry," he could only install a Norton Ghost version later than 2006.

That did it for me.  I finally found an XP computer at Sam's Club online and had it shipped in.  I've been thankful ever since.

----

Send treats to the troops...
Great because you did it!
www.AnySoldier.com

53 posted on 03/09/2008 6:13:45 PM PDT by JCG
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To: submarinerswife

You can pick up a “Windows Works” software package with a Word processor and spread sheet programs for about $30 that should keep him going just fine...


54 posted on 03/09/2008 6:14:35 PM PDT by JDoutrider (No 2nd Amendment... Know Tyranny)
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To: kempo

Add me to the of satisfied customers. I’ve worked in IT for 23 years and have a home network with (seemingly) one of everything. My Vista PC is great. All peripheral devices (printers, drives, joysticks, cameras, etc) work great. It doesn’t crash and it’s reliable.

Of course, you can’t be satisfied or have a good experience unless you have a mac. Come to think of it, the only computer that challenges me is my daughter’s iBook (req’d for school) It won’t work with anything.


55 posted on 03/09/2008 6:16:53 PM PDT by kdot
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To: kempo

Add me to the of satisfied customers. I’ve worked in IT for 23 years and have a home network with (seemingly) one of everything. My Vista PC is great. All peripheral devices (printers, drives, joysticks, cameras, etc) work great. It doesn’t crash and it’s reliable.

Of course, you can’t be satisfied or have a good experience unless you have a mac. Come to think of it, the only computer that challenges me is my daughter’s iBook (req’d for school) It won’t work with anything.


56 posted on 03/09/2008 6:16:55 PM PDT by kdot
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To: levotb

I don’t know what all the hooplah is about...I run vista and it works just fine..but I’m an extraordinarily lucky gal!


57 posted on 03/09/2008 6:17:31 PM PDT by Hildy (You know you're in love when you can't fall asleep cause reality is finally better than your dreams)
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To: submarinerswife

Try Open Office (openoffice.org). It’s free and works great.


58 posted on 03/09/2008 6:21:13 PM PDT by tgusa (Gun control: deep breath, sight alignment, squeeze the trigger .....)
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To: musicman

so that is where Comical Ali went....


59 posted on 03/09/2008 6:21:29 PM PDT by Schwaeky (The Republic--Shall be reorganized into the first American EMPIRE, for a safe and secure Society!)
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To: submarinerswife

openoffice.org


60 posted on 03/09/2008 6:23:29 PM PDT by Principled (Vaporize the "Divide and Conquer" taxes - Have everyone pay the same marginal rate!. NRST!)
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