Adaminak

...is growing even smaller.

Just finished a re-install of Vista because of a BSOD page fault (corrupted Win32k.sys file). That was the easy part. Downloading 1.7Gb of patches and updating the stupid OS took another two days! Tell me how an operating system that starts life at roughly 2.2Gb can end up with an additional 1.7Gb of updates?! To make matters worse, there's no way to save the individual updates so when this happens again next year, I'll have to start all over again . Maybe one of these days I'll download the developer's kit Vista SP2 and burn it to DVD so I don't have that particular pain, but honestly...this should never be a problem.

Okay...rant off.

And before you Mac people spout the superiority of your product just remember; you almost certainly use a Windows emulator just to run most of your everyday programs...

Purplezr2

Vista has to be about the worst thing ever, I'm back on xp, but had windows 7 on my work computer when I worked for Bobcat, and it was awesome, loved everything about it, I may buck up and buy the student addition of & before I lose the chance.

Bark

I really like W7 but hated Vista. Costco had the 32bit and 64bit upgrade for three computers for less than $100 bucks awhile back. I love it but even then, there were updates. Also, I couldnt upgrade my Dell 8400 because Dell did not make a chipset firmware update for it and it turned into a nightmare. Anyway, if you can upgrade to W7 you wont regret it.

Rampage1967

OK, Two suggestions:

Upgrade to Windows 7 it's a huge improvement and you will like it a lot better than Vista. Yes I have tried XP, Vista & 7. (Along with 3.11, 95 & 98 . . lol)

Go try a mac before you spout off false statements like that. I have used Macs for many years & never had to use an emulator for my everyday programs yet.

AkTallPaul

I bought that special...took my pc an win7 disc and a pizza for a tip to Geek City...No regrets...Vista was a ....

Blake Clark

Not gonna condescend on Windows, but I am a Mac user. Took me long enough to cross over but since I did I have no regrets. The only Microsoft software I allow on my machine is Office. Everything else Mac has an app for my needs.

Try Windows 7. Everyone has told me its heads and shoulders above Vista. I have no firsthand experience with it though, as I upgraded from Vista straight to OSX.

chromehound

Windows 7

MikeyB

I have many friends that love Bill Gates. Because the multitude of Microsoft screw ups it keeps them employed.

MikeyB

cbrahs

i had to buy a new laptop monday due to a hard drive crash. went to a friends computer shop and the jew (yes he is jewish and we joke around about it frequently) talked me into one of his custom built units. gave me a sweet deal and it has 7 on it. i was nervous at first changing from XP to 7 and dealing with a learning curve but i have to say its pretty sweet so far.

Justwannabeme

got a new laptop for Christmas (did not want one) but Geek shop guy was PERFECT at listening to what i wanted it to do. got Win7 and moblility packages for a sweet deal. Vista is on desktop and I never know what to expect from the same keystroke command. Mac on shop computer for calculations is like talking to a tech. If I didn't see Win7's performance, I would be a Mac lover.

love my office, hate my desktop. who the heck did they make Vista for, anyways?

Rampage1967

If you really dislike Microsoft stuff that much, try Open Office. It may allow you to avoid Office too.

Windows 7 is the first version of windows I have seen actually speed up he machine compared to the previous version. Unlike Mac OS X which has a record of doing that with most of it's versions.

I have to admit. I have never liked the user interface on windows myself. There have been periods of my use of it though . .although Windows 95 was what sold me on buying a Mac . . .It really was that bad. XP ain't bad & Win 7 is actually pretty good. I just don't like it & all the virus/addware/spyware hassles.
As for Vista, I messed with it long enough to realize it felt slower on a brand new laptop it came on than my Apple Wallstreet with OS X Tiger hacked on to it. Even computer stores that sell it tell you to avoid it which is pretty bad.

Vista DVDs do make nice coasters though . . lol

DieselDaze

I switched to Linux about 5 years.
I chose the Ubuntu distribution as it was the most user friendly at the time.
I haven't gone back to Windows since.
I am forced to use Win7 on my work laptop, but my home PC and my wifes laptop is Ubuntu.
It just works. I have not had any issues with drivers or lock-ups.
Its a smaller footprint than Vista and a little lighter than Win7.
You can configure it with all kinds of eye candy if you wish. I choose not to turn on all the candy or install all the features like the Cube and others.
Ubuntu is free.
It comes with OpenOffice (Which, by the way, I prefer over MSOffice).
And offers a boat load of free applications.
If you game, then Ubuntu is probably not going to be your OS. But for web browsing, Office work, and most other PC based activities, you may want to check out what Ubuntu has to offer.
Oh, and depending on the performance of your hardware (including your ISP speed), can be installed - with all the patches, in about an hour - maybe 90 minutes.

SIXSLUG

Bill retired from Microsft a few years ago and is now working on saving the third world.

Fronty Owner

when MS releases a service pack, download it from their IT distribution page instead of the winupdate option. Installing the service packs first will get rid of alot of the update. updating an older operating system will grab what it needs even if there is a newer update for the same thing, it will install the old, then find the new later. or the service pack will overwrite it.
Next, why did you have a corruption of a file? virus? power failure? overheat? Ive been running win 7 and vista on laptops around the house and never had a problem.

wyododge

Nope. Just like iblake, the only program I use that is windows based is MSOffice as well. Actually it is called MSoffice for MAC. I'm gonna check out Open Office though. If it will compile Vbasic then I can get rid of MSoffice for Mac too.

And just in case you are wondering I can save, open, and edit MSword, excel and powerpoint files on my mac without any windows programs. Then I can save them back to windows format, so you could read them. Windows can't even view a mac file let alone edit.

If I did not have to use spreadsheets with vbasic programing in them, I would not have MSoffice either. But there again, the mac version of Office is designed for a better platform, it compiles vbasic in a much more efficient and thorough manor which creates faster running, more stable vBasic programs. In windows, they will compile with little mistakes throughout the language that it can not see, they will run but they run slow and crash often.

But since you say we spout about mac superiority, go ahead and check out the number of problems with windows based operating systems versus mac. I will let you decide which is a better, more stable, faster, and dependable platform.

I just updated my operating system to the latests and greatest. Cost me $30 bucks and about 30 minutes. 3.5 year old laptop now runs faster than the day I bought it.