Microsoft doesn't need publicity

[dirtydog]

These people were around when Xp came out. I don't want all that bloat!!!! I'm sticking with my *heavily* tweaked 2000!!!!

Then suddenly they're using Xp.

XP was as good as, or better than 2000 in every respect. And if you wanted to make XP look and feel just like 2000, you could.

I am very disappointed with Vista, because I feel it offers little or no improvement to me over XP, and in a number of ways is a retrograde step. Such as the hefty hardware requirements, broken compatibility with software and hardware which works in XP, and the dog's dinner they have made of the Explorer interface, the hidden menus, the new Start menu which requires more clicks to do what was quicker and easier in XP.

Unlike in XP where you could make it look like 2000, there is no way to make Vista look or function like XP, from the way Explorer works, to the XP start menu or even to XP themes.

I don't put people like NathanE in this bracket, but I think a lot if not most people who like Vista, are taken in by the Aero interface and the gimmicks like the sidebar, live thumbnails and Flip3D. *All* of which can be replicated in XP incidentally, even on DX8 hardware.

To the average end user, what is the benefit of using Vista over XP. I don't see any.

 

[dirtydog]

DX10 being Vista only will make Vista pretty much essential for anyone who wants to have the most eyecandy playing games, and let's face it who doesn't

Businesses, and people like myself who game little or not at all, of course

 

[Fr0dders]

I am very disappointed with Vista, because I feel it offers little or no improvement to me over XP, and in a number of ways is a retrograde step. Such as the hefty hardware requirements, broken compatibility with software and hardware which works in XP, and the dog's dinner they have made of the Explorer interface, the hidden menus, the new Start menu which requires more clicks to do what was quicker and easier in XP.

the only version of Vista thats funny about backwards compatiblity is Vista X64. the x86 version will quite happily run beta unsigned drivers and 16bit code.

Vista X64 is really intended at a platform to be matured into. X64 will be great in a few years time when all the 16bit code has gone, and everybody has signed drivers available (they must produce both x64 and x86 to get them signed now)

The hardware requirements are effectively progress. And at the end of the day, it will still run on any system bought in the past 3 years quite happily. With the exception maybe of the few laptops that came with 256mb of RAM. But a quick £60 upgrade will sort that.

And the explorer interface at the end of the day is different. It feels cumbersome now, but ive no doubt we'll all grow into it. I must admit, i miss having the "all programmes" menu open up a separate menu, and the "shutdown" button now being "go to sleep" i feel a little pointless too

i do like the way that the "documents and settings" folder has gone and completely reworked to C:\users. That feels a whole lot better with everything feeling much more like separate entities than just gimics.

id say the only "backward" step with Vista is the new startmenu, but you'll get used to it.

 

[Fr0dders]

To the average end user, what is the benefit of using Vista over XP. I don't see any.

id have to say, for the average user, there are a lot of benfits. Windows will now play/edit DVDs out of the box, you can also edit photos out of the box as well as view them.

You're now more conscious of what your're clicking on with UAC (think the explanations need improving, but it should stop muppets deleting stuff they shouldnt).

they are now proactively encouraged to keep a logical directory structre. Put downloaded programmes in downloads, pictures in pictures etc. The two way firewall is an improvement as well.

Users also start out with Ie7 as well by default, which is much more secure than the versions of IE most muppets have. Heck my sister in law had never updated their copy of XP. ever. For these type of people who have no idea what a service pack is. its a very good idea. Most of the positive things about XP only came about through SP2. And most people simply didnt bother. XP "worked" out of the box, and thats the way it stayed. For these type of "average" users, Vista will be a whole new world

Its easy for us, the pro users to take for granted, the understanding of device drivers, windows update, service packs etc.. but for Joe blogs who buys his PC from currys. It will be a massive imrpovement.

 

[Mint_Sauce]

It will also make "home techies" lives a lot easier! When your dad rings you about a problem I think Vista will make it a lot easier to diagnose/fix the problem than XP. I for one am grateful just for that!

I see Vista as a vast improvement over XP for the most part and it's a great SOLID foundation for the future.

I think a document should be created containing all the names of the people complaining about Vista and how they are far better off and much happier with XP. Then in 6 months whip it out for pure pwnage.

 

[dirtydog]

the only version of Vista thats funny about backwards compatiblity is Vista X64. the x86 version will quite happily run beta unsigned drivers and 16bit code.

Vista X64 is really intended at a platform to be matured into. X64 will be great in a few years time when all the 16bit code has gone, and everybody has signed drivers available (they must produce both x64 and x86 to get them signed now)

The hardware requirements are effectively progress. And at the end of the day, it will still run on any system bought in the past 3 years quite happily. With the exception maybe of the few laptops that came with 256mb of RAM. But a quick £60 upgrade will sort that.

And the explorer interface at the end of the day is different. It feels cumbersome now, but ive no doubt we'll all grow into it. I must admit, i miss having the "all programmes" menu open up a separate menu, and the "shutdown" button now being "go to sleep" i feel a little pointless too

i do like the way that the "documents and settings" folder has gone and completely reworked to C:\users. That feels a whole lot better with everything feeling much more like separate entities than just gimics.

id say the only "backward" step with Vista is the new startmenu, but you'll get used to it.

With Explorer and the Start menu it smacks of fixing things which weren't broken though, doesn't it? There's a reason why the basic look and feel didn't change since Windows 95 days. It worked very, very well Not even allowing the option of making Explorer look how I want it, is inexcusable. In every other version of Windows, toolbar buttons, position and size are fully customisable. Not in Vista!

On my PC, my Audigy 2 does not work fully and likely never will because EAX supposedly cannot work with Vista. I also use Microsoft Works 7.0, which Vista informs me is incompatible when I go to install it. Truecrypt does not work properly either, although at least that will probably be addressed in a later version.

 

[dirtydog]

id have to say, for the average user, there are a lot of benfits. Windows will now play/edit DVDs out of the box, you can also edit photos out of the box as well as view them.

You're now more conscious of what your're clicking on with UAC (think the explanations need improving, but it should stop muppets deleting stuff they shouldnt).

they are now proactively encouraged to keep a logical directory structre. Put downloaded programmes in downloads, pictures in pictures etc. The two way firewall is an improvement as well.

Users also start out with Ie7 as well by default, which is much more secure than the versions of IE most muppets have. Heck my sister in law had never updated their copy of XP. ever. For these type of people who have no idea what a service pack is. its a very good idea. Most of the positive things about XP only came about through SP2. And most people simply didnt bother. XP "worked" out of the box, and thats the way it stayed. For these type of "average" users, Vista will be a whole new world

Its easy for us, the pro users to take for granted, the understanding of device drivers, windows update, service packs etc.. but for Joe blogs who buys his PC from currys. It will be a massive imrpovement.

Okay, I can't argue that for novice users there are benefits. But for seasoned, power users like ourselves, it is rather less compelling I think.

 

[jbloggs]

Nothing like a quiet pleasant "chat" between friends!

 

[Fr0dders]

Okay, I can't argue that for novice users there are benefits. But for seasoned, power users like ourselves, it is rather less compelling I think.

agreed

for us power users who keep our device drivers and copies of windows 100 % up to date, the improvement wont be that drastic.

there are lots of usefull things, but fundamentally, vista was an attempt to get everyone onto a secure SP2 like platform with everybody having a patched, up to date, anti virus, anti spamware, firewalled up,and backed up copy of windows.

for the power user, there are very little "new" features that dont fall into the "flashy and nice but very usefull" category. The windows search facility is about it.

And for business users, meeting space looks to be invaluable. But most power home users wont use that

the only other really functional change to vista that makes a difference is the changes to the way vista handles laptops. The new mobility centre will make things a lot easier for laptop users.

having said that, i have an overall good impression of vista. Its the next step, and allthough most of the new stuff "is just fancy stuff that looks good, like the dedicated games section, like media centre, etc.." its all worth it imho.

 

[gizmoy2k]

another day....another idiot.

 

[Energize]

Now MS has come under fire for DRM but it was necessity brought about by the Music/Film industry, no DRM no content!

More like, DRM = No content. Going by microsofts past record for drm, there will be loads of problems with licenses and it will be cracked daily.

 

[HEADRAT]

there will be loads of problems with licenses and it will be cracked daily.

So a bit like everybody else's DRM then you can't have proper DRM without a secure kernel underneath.

HEADRAT

 

[the-void]

Do you have a problem with reading, seriously?

A bit strange given you proudly troll every other Vista thread replying with MS buzz phrases like "Vista makes using an OS feel like a breeze".

Oh really, I say that on EVERY thread do I. Your the one with reading problem.

Also, what part of buying something and regretting it later says "a lot about my personality"? Or is that just another of those random negative sayings that you throw about with no weight behind them? What specifically does it say about ones personality, are you actually able to elaborate? Or, as I suspect in your reply, you'll simply cop out and say something along the lines of "omg no time for loosers like you". You can't even insult effectively, let alone argue.

I'm afraid you started the whole personality issue back on your very first thread. And yes, you seem like a looser to me. You have used an operating system for over a year, claim your a programmer and didn't notice any differences.

It's "you're" numbnuts, you even missed it in the edit. Oh yeah, I've come down to your level.

Oh please Durzel. Go and get a life. You started this thread by with a slurry of insults, fools, fanboys, using quotes such as 'As the saying goes, "anyone who buys a mobile phone to say something about their personality hasn't got a personality.' Then you started the insults towards me around post #11. You really are just an ignorant fool. Who care if you don't like Vista and that your completely incapable of figuring things out for themselves.

 

[NathanE]

More like, DRM = No content. Going by microsofts past record for drm, there will be loads of problems with licenses and it will be cracked daily.

No worse than the kings of DRM, Apple, then

 

[HEADRAT]

No worse than the kings of DRM, Apple, then

Oh look:-

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/04/06/playfair_drm_circumvention/

Shocking

HEADRAT

 

[Energize]

No worse than the kings of DRM, Apple, then

It is because you need an internet connection to play wmv drm content, whereas drm songs from apple will still play on portable media players that support the drm and the protection be stripped more easily than wmvs drm can.