When vista comes...........

[BoomAM]

Vista isn't huge progress though. Windows xp was a lot more stable and easy to use than win98/me, I can't say the same for vista in my experience the opposite is true.

98/Me wasnt much progress either over 95.
If your gonna argue about whats changed i suggest reading up on Vista.
For one thing, the fact that the drivers arnt part of the kernal means that we've potentially got a more stable system, meaning that we can update the drivers for any part, including video or mobo, without a reboot. A consequence of this is that if the driver crashes, the system doesnt go down with it.
Vistas more of a change than whats apparent from a few screenshots and 'reviews'.
Go and read some of the indepth technical articles on whats changed on Vista and you'll find that your pre-conception of it being nothing more than a face lift is completely wrong.
The fact that your saying 'in my experiance' implys that you've used the beta. I'll say that bit again. Beta. Unfinished. Uncompleted. Not release version. Did you ever use the RC version of XP? That was rubbish for stability. The fact that Vista at the moment, which i belive is on its RC version, is pretty stable, and more than the RC version of XP was, is quite impressive. But again, if your gonna base your final thoughts and opinions on the beta version of the OS, then it sorta paints a picture of your opinion doesnt it?
All im saying is give it a chance, the release version at least, if not when the first service pack comes out. Because its not until the first major patch for something that the developers can nail down all the major problems.

 

[NathanE]

Free memory is memory that doesn't need to be cached everytime you load up a game.

You mean paged out? That's not really a problem anymore, because of multi-core CPUs. But especially if you use SuperFetch (the USB flash drive memory enhancement) Plus I don't know any game that's going to instantly request all your memory upon loading it. With most games, even the most demanding, it is more a gradual process.

 

[Energize]

98/Me wasnt much progress either over 95.
If your gonna argue about whats changed i suggest reading up on Vista.
For one thing, the fact that the drivers arnt part of the kernal means that we've potentially got a more stable system, meaning that we can update the drivers for any part, including video or mobo, without a reboot. A consequence of this is that if the driver crashes, the system doesnt go down with it.
Vistas more of a change than whats apparent from a few screenshots and 'reviews'.
Go and read some of the indepth technical articles on whats changed on Vista and you'll find that your pre-conception of it being nothing more than a face lift is completely wrong.
The fact that your saying 'in my experiance' implys that you've used the beta. I'll say that bit again. Beta. Unfinished. Uncompleted. Not release version. Did you ever use the RC version of XP? That was rubbish for stability. The fact that Vista at the moment, which i belive is on its RC version, is pretty stable, and more than the RC version of XP was, is quite impressive. But again, if your gonna base your final thoughts and opinions on the beta version of the OS, then it sorta paints a picture of your opinion doesnt it?
All im saying is give it a chance, the release version at least, if not when the first service pack comes out. Because its not until the first major patch for something that the developers can nail down all the major problems.

My problem wasn't with the stability it was with the new interface that vista uses. Using the beta there wasn't anything it offered my that xp didn't already, they may well have been tons of technical changes but it doesn't make using the operating system any different for me.

You mean paged out? That's not really a problem anymore, because of multi-core CPUs. But especially if you use SuperFetch (the USB flash drive memory enhancement) Plus I don't know any game that's going to instantly request all your memory upon loading it. With most games, even the most demanding, it is more a gradual process.

The problem is I don't have a multi core cpu and usb flash memory has much slower transfer rates than a hard drive. It's so annoying waiting for the desktop to load after playing a game because the os uses so much memory it has to be loaded into the ram again.

 

[csmager]

My problem wasn't with the stability it was with the new interface that vista uses. Using the beta there wasn't anything it offered my that xp didn't already, they may well have been tons of technical changes but it doesn't make using the operating system any different for me.

So how is XP any different to 2000? They're essentially the same thing, with pretty much the same functionality. So based on your assumptions, you might as well have saved your money and bought that.

The problem is I don't have a multi core cpu and usb flash memory has much slower transfer rates than a hard drive.

If you actually use Vista, you'll notice the new memory manager makes things run quicker - you just seem to think it'll run slower because it's using more memory.

 

[afraser2k]

At the moment I'm thinking the Ultimate edition as I'm using my PC more as a general entertainment tool rather than just a gaming machine/word processor. I'll probably just stay with XP until the initial bugs are ironed out with a service pack or two, then again that might change depending on what my works policy is on it as we're only just moving student desktops over to Windows XP.

 

[Energize]

So how is XP any different to 2000? They're essentially the same thing, with pretty much the same functionality. So based on your assumptions, you might as well have saved your money and bought that.

If you actually use Vista, you'll notice the new memory manager makes things run quicker - you just seem to think it'll run slower because it's using more memory.

It takes games longer to load as it pages the ram and makes exiting games longer as well thats why I went back to xp. I got a copy of xp for free thats why I'm using it over 2000, that and the interface is nicer to work with.

 

[Datamonkey]

what build of vista are you using?

im using 5487 and even oblivion runs better in it. Im getting smoother frame rates. Only reason i have just gone back to xp is due to wow not working in vista, i get aload of textures tearing all over the place. guessing its a ati driver issue and not ms's fault.

Loving vista. Cant wait for rc1 or 5505 if i can gain access to it through work.

 

[stoofa]

I shall probably buy the upgrade from XP Professional to Ultimate edition.
Since Win95 MS have sent me a free Retail copy of each OS as I've been on the beta test team.
However we've not been told which version of Vista we're going to be given.
If they give us Ultimate then great.
If not I'll use whichever version they give us on my fiancee's machine and I'll buy the upgrade to Ultimate for my own.

 

[Chrisss]

Is there anyway I can get my hands on a copy of Windows Vista now (legally) or are they all closed?

Also what is the pricing going to be like for Vista?

 

[Datamonkey]

^^ you will have to wait for rc1 to be released to the public in early sept now.

As beta on previous versions is now a closed affair.

 

[Meatball]

None . I'm not planning on buying Vista for my current machine but when I upgrade in the future I will think about it. I would like to wait to hear OcUk's opinions before I dive in and buy it. Vista doesn't have features I'm really interested in (bar the better security and TP/ICP)

 

[Messiah Khan]

Im looking forward to vista, but I hope that either some decent themes will come out, or it will still be possible to use third party XP themes, as I hate the Vista look. The whole shiny glass thing does nothing for me. Hopefully driver support will be quite good by relase time as well.

 

[Chrisss]

^^ you will have to wait for rc1 to be released to the public in early sept now.

As beta on previous versions is now a closed affair.

Ah right, any word on what sort of date it might be comnig out?

 

[BoomAM]

My problem wasn't with the stability it was with the new interface that vista uses. Using the beta there wasn't anything it offered my that xp didn't already, they may well have been tons of technical changes but it doesn't make using the operating system any different for me.

Good side step that.
Still, you havnt really commented on my point on memory usage point. I expected more off you.

Is there anyway I can get my hands on a copy of Windows Vista now (legally) or are they all closed?

Yes there is.
Search the forums, and theres a thread with a link where you answer a quiz on MS's website, and they'll send you a copy of the latest beta for free.