The Letterville BullBoard: Windows Vista???

This is topic Windows Vista??? in forum Letterhead/Pinstriper Talk at The Letterville BullBoard.

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Posted by Tim Whitcher (Member # 685) on :

Looking at laptops. Any opinions on Windows Vista? Have they worked out the bugs? Likes / dislikes? Or should I stick with Windows XP?

Posted by Si Allen (Member # 420) on :

Stay with Win XP !!!!!!

Posted by Bob Noyes (Member # 8317) on :

Stay with XP. It can still be found as an option from some suppliers.

Posted by Dave Sherby (Member # 698) on :

If you can stay with XP I would for now. Latest word is Vista is already on its death bed and ready to be replaced. Windows 7, the next full version, is scheduled to replace Vista within the next year. Bill Gates announced this last Friday, April 4th.

Many said Vista was junk. Since they are replacing it early, I'd say it is.

Orrrrrr

Microsoft finally noticed how far ahead Mac Leopard is over Vista, so they're moving to their newer software ahead of schedule to try to catch up to Apple.

Posted by Curtis hammond (Member # 2170) on :

I look forward to new technology. Plus i work on machines for extra income. In my experience the Vista experience is absolutly no fun. I received a lappy for Christmas that included Vista.

I spent considerable time and resources to collect all the drivers (not available? I got them anyway) I need to revert this nice new lappy over to XP..

The constant popups for every move forced me to disable all the security points. Thus all enhanced security is now moot. The machine runs considerably slower even with more resources.

The finger pad driver is awkward, getting online is not consistent, and networking with the other machines is an ordeal. Vista has not been something that made my computing experience better. The reduced functionality of my machine is a back step.

As for general operation it is fine. That is if the user is just a user of plain vanilla offerings. However, the blocked copying of one of my rare CD's was the last straw.

Plus M$ announced the move ahead of their next windows to less than a year. They won't admit it but their newest incarnations are failing. IE: Price cuts of Office 2007 via "student and Teacher" and other coupon marketing schemes such as discounts multiple install copies etc..

Why? because almost every one sees no need to buy the new stuff. Its already really functionally good enuf. Adding on more bloated goodies that 99% of us do not need did not entice users to buy.

[ April 07, 2008, 04:31 PM: Message edited by: Curtis hammond ]

Posted by Ricky Jackson (Member # 5082) on :

Been there; done that; reformatted and installed XP.

Posted by Tim Whitcher (Member # 685) on :

Thanks. That's what I thought.

Posted by Todd Gill (Member # 2569) on :

A little late here, but I just talked to a buddy of mine that is a network specialist working with PC's.

My pc is acting weird in that it will no longer reliably allow me to bring up an internet page - the bookmarks bar comes up along with the header in Mozilla....but the web page area itself is completely blank. Nothing will open up in that area.

My other computers all connect with no problem.

My buddy said it sounds like either a software issue or a virus....even though I have anti-virus always running.

Anyway,..... long winded way of saying that I asked him if I should just reinstall Windows, and what did he think of Vista...

He said, "Don't do Vista.... they're having lots of issues with it and a lot of companies that claim they have Vista drivers - really don't...etc.

I gotta tell ya.... after having my Mac for a while.... there's no way in heck I'd buy another PC. Rock solid.

Posted by Curtis hammond (Member # 2170) on :

Don't hang around pron or crack sites and infections will not invade your machine...

Its not the machines fault if some person does not understand how it works. Other than hardware problems nearly ALL computer problems are caused by the connection between the machine and the users fingers..

As for no drivers around to go back to XP... Pure bull scat..

That lie being erased. All it takes is one software utility and a little knowledge to find a driver.
The drivers exist but the vendors do not wish to support old hardware because there is no money in it..

As a person earns some income fixing machines I know where to get the drivers for hardware. And my inventory list is ever expanding. Just about any resonable technician can find them now or at least figure out how to adapt an already present driver.. It just takes a little knowledge.

Myself and one other person here are making some good income converting vista machines to XP.

In fact I just collected all the goodies to convert a sony VAIO 110 to XP... And, that will include all the hotkeys.

PC's rule..

Posted by Todd Gill (Member # 2569) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Curtis hammond:
Don't hang around pron or crack sites and infections will not invade your machine...

Curtis - first of all...I don't appreciate your following up my post with a direct slanderous allegation like that. To do so, makes you a smarmy, lowbrow nimrod in my book.

That comment would be like me saying, "I've heard people that fix computers for a living are child molesters."

There are many levels of computer literacy, all of which simply make you one level higher on a tall ladder of incompetency.

[ April 07, 2008, 07:40 PM: Message edited by: Todd Gill ]

Posted by Ian Stewart-Koster (Member # 3500) on :

Todd,

Try a new network lead on the computer that won't connect, or unplug & replug it if you haven't yet tried what is often a cheap easy fix.
(No offense meant if you've already tried this!)

[ April 07, 2008, 07:56 PM: Message edited by: Ian Stewart-Koster ]

Posted by Todd Gill (Member # 2569) on :

Thanks for the advice Ian.... the computer in question is actually one that has a wireless network card... and connects wirelessly via a wireless router.

I changed out the wireless card for another (I think the other one went bad) and now it works.

[ April 07, 2008, 08:18 PM: Message edited by: Todd Gill ]

Posted by Ian Stewart-Koster (Member # 3500) on :

Interesting!
We had a wireless setup here- but I went back to wired connections- fewer issues with connecting. For some reason wireless went erratic at times, plus it was slower- 45 Mbps max as opposed to 100 in the wires.

Posted by Joseph Diaz (Member # 5913) on :

I must have a special version of Vista. No problems here. but then again I’m not into P.R.O.N. People Ridiculing Orphaned Ninjas.

Posted by Joseph Diaz (Member # 5913) on :

But I do like P.R.O.N. Pintos Running On Nitrous [Razz]

Posted by Kelly Thorson (Member # 2958) on :

code:

 Psssst Joseph.  I like Vista too ..... shhhhhh

Posted by Curtis hammond (Member # 2170) on :

quote:
.I don't appreciate your following up my post with a direct slanderous allegation

Ah, Todd,,, I didn't see your name mentioned. Its not about you personally. Its not all about you at all. Its all about general fact that many infections come from pron sites, and other compromised sites.

Quit frankly I am tired of your constant bashing of PC's. Each and every time you have a problem seems to present you an opportunity to blame the PC platform and announce that its inferior. Then rant on about some failing of the OS. And talk about smug. You should think about that every time you announce how great your MAC is when at the same time bash the PC users.

Posted by Todd Gill (Member # 2569) on :

Mr. "PC Rules"...LOL.

So I think you're confusing "smug" with your own Mac-aphobic feelings.....

I'm hardly bashing "PC Users." How could I, when 6 out of the 7 computers I own are PC's?? I'd be bashing myself wouldn't I?

I have 3 retail purchased pc's, 1 laptop pc, and 2 family/personal pcs which I built myself. Verses 1 Mac laptop.

Just because someone says he won't buy another PC because he favors Macs doesn't mean you have to react like someone just pulled your shorts down in public.

[ April 08, 2008, 01:15 AM: Message edited by: Todd Gill ]

Posted by Bob Noyes (Member # 8317) on :

Curtis, part of the problem with drivers is not finding old XP drivers but if you have a new Vista machine that has new hardware, you may not be able to find a compatible driver that works with XP. There are many new hardware products including video cards that only have Vista campatable drivers. So if someone is going to downgrade their computer to XP, they may have to downgrade some of the hardware options also.

Vista's so-called solution to the security issues that it was being touted as when it was first released is total joke.

If a solution to security issues means;
*asking you 4 times if you really want to do something
*telling you that you do not have proper rights to copy a file from one folder to another folder,
*or not allowing you to install or uninstall software because of rights,
then I do not want a solution.

I used to be a Mac only user until OSX came out and I thought it was the worst thing I had used, no drivers available(many never updated for several years), could not print, was not usable in a production environment, but had plenty of bells and whistles. I had all my software license changed over to PC and was fully happy with XP (SP2). Since Vista has come out, I'm ready to go back to a Mac. At least their operating system works now. In fact, it runs PC programs better than windows does.

Posted by Curtis hammond (Member # 2170) on :

quote:
Curtis, part of the problem with drivers is not finding old XP drivers but if you have a new Vista machine that has new hardware, you may not be able to find a compatible driver that works with XP

My friend...
Yes that was the problem in the past. However that is being overcome. For example. I am working on a Sony VIAO right now that is listed as having no XP drivers and is listed by tech support as not compatible with XP in any case.

That is the official stance.
But, not officially XP is being installed on more machines every day. Desk tops are much easier.

This VIAO is running with XP with all features running just fine. That includes the hot keys, the backlit controls and all the F keys too. The volum e control works, the video display driver is running perfectly with all features. Auto start for the lan is operating just as it should.

So the days of many VISTA machines being stuck with vista are coming to an end.

How is it being done? The biggest challange is the SATA drivers.. First SATA drivers are slipstreamed into the XP install disk. As many techs know the SATA drivers must be installed via a floppy drive. However. using Nlite it is possible to insert all you need into a modified install disk.

After that installer is done you install the other drivers and its done.

[ April 08, 2008, 02:30 AM: Message edited by: Curtis hammond ]

Posted by Bill Modzel (Member # 22) on :

Back to Tim's original question. Check this guy out.
http://www.davidalison.com/2008/04/mac-after-two-months-of-mac-heres-why-i.html
Like I've said before, the best of both worlds.

Posted by Si Allen (Member # 420) on :

Why is it when someone asks a question about their PC...a bunch of Mac people have to horn in touting their Macs?

[I Don t Know]

Posted by Dave Sherby (Member # 698) on :

Because we love to help people become more productive and spend less time trying to get their computers to work for them. [I Don t Know]

Read Bills link.

Posted by Joseph Diaz (Member # 5913) on :

No driver problems here. Not sure what version of vista these Mac guys have been using. [Roll Eyes]

I could be wrong, but I think a lot of those problems have been hashed out. Which would be typical for any new OS. Tim, I’m curios, what type of peripherals are you going to be hooking up to this laptop. Because if vista is coming on a brand new machine, you can be sure it will work with every bit of hardware that comes on it. Otherwise they wouldn’t sell it with vista. So if you can list what you are going to use it with maybe some on here can tell you whether or not it works with vista. Or better yet check out the websites of the software and printers/plotters that you own. I would recommend doing that anyway… whenever you get a new computer, mac or pc

[ April 08, 2008, 10:13 AM: Message edited by: Joseph Diaz ]

Posted by Frank Smith (Member # 146) on :

Bill and Dave-
Your Apple salesmanship may be paying off...
I just downloaded Safari to my XP (I didn't notice before, but they have a windows version) and will test drive it and see.
This could be the beginning of a slippery slope.

Posted by Doug Allan (Member # 2247) on :

Vista works fine for me... runs Omega, runs Enroute.. NEVER acts differently than XP as far as I've seen. It won't ask for permissions 4 times, if you turn that feature off after the first time or two. I'm no computer tech, but I found out how to turn off excess "security" features on day one... and all the fears against Vista have faded away.

Posted by Joseph Diaz (Member # 5913) on :

To add to Doug’s post, on our end Vista works fine with, CorelDraw Suite X3 (Cocut), Flash CS3, VersaWorks/Roland VersaCamm, Graphtec FC5100 plotter, All Microsoft Office products (including Expression Web) Dreamweaver, and a bunch of other not as important sign/design related software. The only issue we had early on was getting the Graphtec to work. Graphtec didn’t have a solution to the older model that we have, a little while later they contacted us with a way to get working properly. All we needed to do was install Cocut, which for the longest time we had been cutting straight out of Corel. Now, we actually like the Cocut setup better. I actually think some software works better in Vista, Internet Explore being one of them.

As far as the security feature thing goes, we have ours turned on all the time. Better safe then sorry. It really isn’t as in your face as some would have you believe. Sure it is when you’re first setting up your system and installing new drivers and software…. And I think that is what sticks in some peoples mind. But in day to day activities you don’t see it all that often. It seems to only chime in when you are installing something new or if something is being done to your system that before you might not have known. I like that extra security, to really know what is being done on your machine.

Posted by Bob Noyes (Member # 8317) on :

I'm glad that some people have had no problems with Vista, but when even the manufacturer abandons their product after 16 months is not a good sign.

Latest word is Vista is already on its death bed and ready to be replaced. Windows 7, the next full version, is scheduled to replace Vista within the next year. Bill Gates announced this last Friday, April 4th.

Posted by bruce ward (Member # 1289) on :

I personally dont carefor Vistas "looking out for my programs" and "verifying serial numbers" If I happen to buy it is should be an operating sysytem only not the PC POLICE. Ill keep xp...it took too long to break me away from windows 98

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