Windows Vista

[Corrine]

I know a few of you are trying the beta versions of Windows Vista. Any reviews yet? Anyone read anything particulary promising about it?

I've looked over the website (http://www.microsoft.com/Windowsvista/) pretty thoroughly. It has a lot of bells and whistles. It's pretty, with the glass windows and live icons. The new searches are nice. But I'm just not sure I need all that. And what will all that new stuff cost me in RAM?

I'm going to be buying a new laptop and I'm wondering if I should go ahead and get one now with some version of Windows XP on it, or wait until Vista comes out. (I'm a little leary of new systems, especially since I've had no problems with XP. I don't want to have the first version of something they have to work the bugs out of.)

Tell me what y'all have discovered about it so far.

[middletree]

I've been playing with it a little, on Virtual Server. Dang thing is such a RAM hog that it drags the whole computer down, and I have 2 gigs of RAM!

If I were you, I'd get XP Pro on your laptop, for all the reasons you mentioned.

[Corrine]

I knew it would take a lot, but that much?!! :eek: Um, no. Don't think I'll be needing see through window borders that cost me that much memory. Yikes! Thanks for the input!

[middletree]

I knew it would take a lot, but that much?!! :eek: Um, no. Don't think I'll be needing see through window borders that cost me that much memory. Yikes! Thanks for the input!
I guess I should add one thing, to be fair. Microsoft Beta releases tend to be more RAM-hungry than the final releases. They tighten up the code and manage memory space when putting together the final product. So the first real version of Vista won't be like the beta in this regard. It'll still be more of a RAM hog than XP, though.

[WeaselInYerFoot]

I'd get XP for now and wait about 6 months to a year after release for Vista. I learned to do that the hard way when I bought WinME!

[larryl]

the official word from MS is that Vista will require 1gb of RAM. knowing MS, that means it will run OK with 1gb, but more will make things run much more smoothly.

[middletree]

the official word from MS is that Vista will require 1gb of RAM. knowing MS, that means it will run OK with 1gb, but more will make things run much more smoothly.
Here's what Microsoft says:




What is a Windows Vista Capable PC?

A new PC that carries the Windows Vista Capable PC logo can run Windows Vista. All editions of Windows Vista will deliver core experiences such as innovations in organizing and finding information, security, and reliability. All Windows Vista Capable PCs will run these core experiences at a minimum. Some features available in the premium editions of Windows Vista—like the new Windows Aero user experience—may require advanced or additional hardware.

A Windows Vista Capable PC includes at least:

* A modern processor (at least 800MHz1).
* 512 MB of system memory.
* A graphics processor that is DirectX 9 capable.

Windows Vista Premium Ready PCs
To get an even better Windows Vista experience, including the Windows Aero user experience, ask for a Windows Vista Capable PC that is designated Premium Ready, or choose a PC that meets or exceeds the Premium Ready requirements described below. Features available in specific premium editions of Windows Vista, such as the ability to watch and record live TV, may require additional hardware.

A Windows Vista Premium Ready PC includes at least:

* 1 GHz 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor1.
* 1 GB of system memory.
* A graphics processor that runs Windows Aero2.
* 128 MB of graphics memory.
* 40 GB of hard drive capacity with 15 GB free space.
* DVD-ROM Drive3.
* Audio output capability.
* Internet access capability.

[TX3DFan]

I've been running it now for a few weeks on a new Dell Latitude D620 laptop with a dual core 2GHz processor and 2GB of RAM. This also just has the Intel 945 chipset video and I can run the Aero glass with the Intel Lakeport driver.

It's pretty...that's about the extent of my opinion on it so far. It has changed a LOT from XP. As a network administrator, I'm still trying to find things that were second nature to me in XP. It seems pretty stable although it doesn't seem to do suspend mode well (although that's just a beta issue). I like the little Gadgets toolbar on the right hand side, those are cool (very mac like, from what I've heard).

I don't see enough improvements in it to move my users to it on a corporate level.

I'm sure in the not too distant future, computer manufacturers will be selling computers with a free upgrade to Vista.

[larryl]

I'm sure in the not too distant future, computer manufacturers will be selling computers with a free upgrade to Vista.


agreed. i was working for Dell when the 2000-> XP change was taking place, and that's how we were selling a lot of the boxes, 2000, with a free XP upgrade.

[superhall]

In my opinion, Vista is going to be a big flop. FYI, I'm a big computer geek--I run a computer help site for users of ALL OSes. If you want to know the URL, PM me.

It uses WAY too much memory, and in order to use Vista you have to, pretty much, buy a new computer. I'll just stick with my good 'ol Apple Macintosh! :D

[Sam!]

In my opinion, Vista is going to be a big flop. FYI, I'm a big computer geek--I run a computer help site for users of ALL OSes. If you want to know the URL, PM me.

It uses WAY too much memory, and in order to use Vista you have to, pretty much, buy a new computer. I'll just stick with my good 'ol Apple Macintosh! :D
I don't think requiring a new computer will cause it to be a flop... Do you know how many new computers are sold each year? Most vendors will probably be including Vista on their new PCs.

[middletree]

I run a computer help site for users of ALL OSes. If you want to know the URL, PM me.

Or, one could just click your username in any of your posts, and click the link.

[DareDevil]

I'm not planning to update anytime soon, but I am curious to hear how Windows Vista is doing. Especially the fact that a lot of old (old???) hardware cannot be used with Vista sounds pretty annoying for instance.

So, how about it?
What are the pro & cons of Windows Vista?

[Tony Trout]

I'm keeping Windows XP....I have no plans whatsoever to upgrade to Vista simply because I'd have to have another computer with Vista on it to be able to even use it....that oughta tell ya something 'bout it....and yes there are several annoying hardware issues with Vista....

[mat1583]

I can get Vista for free if I wanted to (Microsoft Academic Alliance), but I'm not using it. That should tell you something there :p

-washboard

[middletree]

I can get Vista for free if I wanted to (Microsoft Academic Alliance), but I'm not using it. That should tell you something there :p

-washboard
Doesn't really tell me anything.

[rossid]

This won't tell you anything either but we hope that a new network card will solve our pc problem.

[thirddaygomly]

I feel sorry for the people that have to worry about windows stuff

[Aaron]

I feel sorry for the people that have to worry about windows stuff
You evil mac spammers. This doesn't really help the topic at all. ;)

[The Unknown Gomer]

I feel sorry for the people that have to worry about windows stuffI'm a windows person, and not worried at all. ;)

I slogged through Windows 98 and it's BSODs until I finally bought a new PC and it just came with XP preinstalled. (Now my poor mother is dealing with the Win98 pc and all the BSODs. LOL)

Anyway, same game plan for Vista, until I buy a new PC that has it preinstalled, I'll be sticking with XP.

[silverose]

A friend of mine needed a new computer and of course the only thing that she could find is one with Vista. My husband tried to talk her out of it because of the fact that it is such a new operating system and a real memory hog but she needed a new computer...now two weeks later she is talking about spending the money to buy Windows XP because nothing that she needs the computer for will work with VIsta. She would need to get a new camera and printer etc, etc..

[The Unknown Gomer]

I heard that having compatible drivers for hardware is a MAJOR issue with Vista. :confused: You'd think that given how long it took for MS to actually release it, that vendors would have had PLENTY of time to get their drivers up to snuff.

Yet another reason to wait and not just jump in to Vista, I guess.

[jumpingmaniac]

My mom just bought a new laptop that came with vista pre-installed but we havent realy had time to form an oppinion on it yet.

[Gandalf]

I heard that having compatible drivers for hardware is a MAJOR issue with Vista. :confused: You'd think that given how long it took for MS to actually release it, that vendors would have had PLENTY of time to get their drivers up to snuff.

Yet another reason to wait and not just jump in to Vista, I guess.
Drivers are pretty widely available for 32-bit versions of Vista, which is what most people will use. It's mostly the 64-bit versions where people run into problems.

I'm running Vista on my media center system, and plan to upgrade my laptop as soon as my free upgrade arrives from HP. The UI improvements are nice, but the performance improvements in the way it manages memory, etc. are even more impressive. Performance-wise, it is at least as fast as XP, and in many cases faster, on a system that's capable of running it. If a system is low on RAM or has an inadequate graphics card, it wouldn't do so great there, but Microsoft seems to have done a really good job on this one.

[middletree]

I heard that having compatible drivers for hardware is a MAJOR issue with Vista. :confused: You'd think that given how long it took for MS to actually release it, that vendors would have had PLENTY of time to get their drivers up to snuff.

Yep. Vista was in beta for a long, long time. So if software from other companies doesn't work, it's not Microsoft's fault.

People have been clamoring for years about Windows' problems, including security and other issues, so Microsoft revamped this OS from the ground up. That was the right thing to do, and now that they have done it, it's not as backward-compatible as some people would like. Can't have it both ways.

[NurseBettyLu]

Anybody else finding Vista to be a source of constant frustration? Anybody love it?

[thirddaygomly]

i hate windows...

[MargiRose]

My windows tilt in for easy washing. :P

Hehe. ;)

Seriously though, I haven't had the opportunity to try Vista yet but I hear it's much different and those I've heard from don't like it (yet).

[jevvv]

Sorry, can't offer anything except sympathy ;-)

Actually I'm still on Win98SE... something to do with getting a student upgrade to XP when it's on special.

[The Unknown Gomer]

We've got both XP, 2000, and Vista running on various computers at the office, with one PC and one laptop currently running Vista, since they're new machines and that's what came preinstalled on them.

We haven't had a lot of hardware conflicts, but most of our equipment that we'd hook into it (DV cameras, firewire drives, etc.) is fairly new. We DID have to do a complete reinstall of the OS back to the factory settings once, just after we got the PC, apparently it didn't like some combination of video software that was put on there, and finally just refused to play until we reinstalled the OS. :eek: :mad:

Other than that, Vista seems to be playing nice. It IS a little too cautious when we install new stuff though, always giving us a "are you absolutely positively sure you want to install this" message each time we do. :rolleyes:

At home though, we've got one PC on Win98SE and one PC on XP Home. I was perfectly happy with Win98, but then again, since it came installed on my new PC when I bought it many moons ago, that was how I ended up with XP. Am in NO rush to upgrade it to Vista though. I still have a flatbed scanner that is so old that there aren't any supported XP drivers for it now, but it still functions the few times I need it, so I keep using it. But I can just imagine that if XP doesn't support it, that Vista REALLY won't, and that's just one of the old hardware things I have that Vista probably won't support, so I'll probably stick with XP until I have to buy a new PC and then I'm sure it'll have Vista installed. Unless I buy a Mac. ;) Or a machine with Linux.

[silverose]

My old computer died had to get a new one. Of course Vista is the only thing available. It freezes up, is slow to load now I'm having trouble with my video.... I'd roll it back to XP but afraid of what could happen in future as Vista is used more and more. :eek:

[Gandalf]

Anybody else finding Vista to be a source of constant frustration? Anybody love it?Suggestion: put UAC into silent mode (http://www.tweak-uac.com/) to get rid of the incessant permission popups.

Other than that, I love it. It's been great on my laptop and my media center system. Requires a bit more base memory & graphics hardware than XP (don't even think about installing on < 1 GB of RAM; 2 is nicer), but if you have it, extra memory gets managed much more effectively, and can provide a performance boost through HD caching. I'm a fan.

[Gapeach3DFan]

I like Vista. It came preinstalled on my new computer. I have Vista Home Premium. So, it includes Media Center. I do like that.

I did have to get a new printer. The one I had wasn't supported. They actually have the driver now. But, I like my new printer. And, I still have my old computer, which has XP on it. So, my old printer is hooked up to it. :)

[Martyred]

I like Vista. It came preinstalled on my new computer. I have Vista Home Premium. So, it includes Media Center. I do like that.

I did have to get a new printer. The one I had wasn't supported. They actually have the driver now. But, I like my new printer. And, I still have my old computer, which has XP on it. So, my old printer is hooked up to it. :)

We (My family) bought a new computer about 3 months back, and it has Vista... So far, I am happy with it.. it runs alot faster than the Emachine with XP.

[truster]

Suggestion: put UAC into silent mode (http://www.tweak-uac.com/) to get rid of the incessant permission popups.

Other than that, I love it. It's been great on my laptop and my media center system. Requires a bit more base memory & graphics hardware than XP (don't even think about installing on < 1 GB of RAM; 2 is nicer), but if you have it, extra memory gets managed much more effectively, and can provide a performance boost through HD caching. I'm a fan.

Note to self: Don't even try to install it on the home computer! We bought it around... what... I guess 5 years ago now, when 265 MB was still decent, and I think that's what we have on it... maybe 512, but I'm not sure. I really need to get another RAM stick for it, but since I'll be home for less than two weeks at a time for the next nine months (and only that long at Christmas), I don't really feel like spending the money.

My laptop, on the other hand, has 1 GB, and is only a year old, so it might be worth considering updating it.