How many people have Vista now?

[Izzy_*now*]

and what do you think of it?

I am ready for a new computer and I fear incompatability with my current software for my building of Websites and for my Accounting.

I had to upgrade my software for XP and I sure hope not again!

Any comments will be SO welcome! Where better than in this crowd?

thanks
Izzy

[sKePTiKal]

Izzy: our recommendation at university is - XP running SP3.

Vista is OK - some people have been using it here without major issues and we expect students coming in with new computers this fall to be running it & we will support it - BUT, as you say, there are some incompatibilities. You might check the company's website for compatibility with Vista - before making a decision. I do believe Adobe software is compatible with Vista (I use Dreamweaver).

We won't upgrade the campus-supported computers to Vista until next fall - and since Microsoft is already working on "Windows 7" - we might just hold out for the general release of that operating system instead. Vista reminds me a LOT of Windows ME (not ready for prime time); most of the issues I know about involved drivers - for printers & software & such.

[Certain Hope]

I do!

Wait for the next version, Iz.

Vista is an absolute mess and loaded with all sorts of potential glitches.

Here's a blurb about one such V-burp that wiped me out:   http://forums.microsoft.com/TechNet/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=2162102&SiteID=17

Had to do a complete System Recovery after that one!

I heard that you can still buy some new pc's with XP. Wish I'd known that when we purchased this one.
But that's my recommendation for you.
Also, Vista is a hawg for space and does not play well with others.

 

Love,
Carolyn

[Izzy_*now*]

Oh WOW, you two

Thank you for the Info. It is difficult to run from store to store, so I will telephone, but I want to know what to talk about and I have some info now. Still need it coming.

I have printer, scanner, and software programs to deal with.

So PR. With your using Dreamweaver, does the University have its own Servers?

and Carolyn, I haven't read your link yet but will do so, and thank you for letting me know about still being able to buy XP. Since I work at home, I must be running at all times and am responsible for many files!

I just sold an older XP computer and have this one that is going on 3 years old, XP, and have the space for two computers.

If you think of anything else, let me know.

in your debt
Izzy

[Certain Hope]

Izzy,

A couple other things.

Dell is one place that still sells pc's with XP. Their website has all the details, but I don't know anything about Dell.

Got my notebook this past Christmas through HP's website. Checked the components I wanted and it was built and shipped within a week - plus free shipping!
But, at the time, I don't think they were building them with anything but Vista.

And one note of warning:
My daughter and son-in-law bought their pc from Best Buy (loaded with Vista) and then tried to install a copy of XP which they purchased separately.
It crashed... repeatedly. They were told by the "Geek Squad" there that Vista is so proprietary, it has some built in stuff which prevents you from over-writing it with another operating system.

Good luck!

Love,
Carolyn

[sKePTiKal]

Iz - go to Dell's website; the deadline for being able to buy a machine with XP instead of Vista - or a dual-boot system is rapidly approaching, if not already past.

Yes, we're up to about 50 servers here and I manage the course management system server (actually 2 boxes; one application and one database).
I also do faculty training, all the tech dept's web content, and a couple other hats... just don't remember them all on any given day!

See?? Even in my job, I sacrifice ALL of me, for a questionable return... the money's good, but it's not THAT good. Validation (they need me) through Invalidation (I'm always overwhelmed with more work than I can reasonably do, this time of year until late Sept.).

Boundaries.... need more/new boundaries.... self-imposed invalidation ISN'T a merit badge....


:: as she retreats once more to squishy, dark, cozy cyber-space - plotting retirement on lottery winnings.....   ::

[Certain Hope]

eek... Amber is right, Iz!   June 26th is the deadline.

http://gizmodo.com/5018560/dell-extends-windows-xp-home-deadline-to-june-26-cites-popular-demand

This means if you're in the market for a Dell, and don't want to pay the surcharge for downgrading your bundle from Vista to XP, you have a few more days to do it

lotto winnings... hmm...  :idea:

[Izzy_*now*]

*************checking Dell Canada websites right now

and nurse just call re my heel, so she is coming, likely last day!

Thanks
BBL

[Izzy_*now*]

OH, CB,

I am sorry this happened to you, but I am glad that I waited.

I had no sooner bought the XP O/S and sent all notices 'about the bugs', when XP Pro came out. That was on the Office computer and not compatible with my XP. Whatever I did at the Office, I had to write down to bring home and post here, until I realized it was a double whammy and just brought all the work home.

I couldn't believe what I heard when Vista was on the horizon OR already on the new computers. So I have waited and wondered, been clueless, becasue I had to UpGrade some of my software, one for $400.00 and another for &75.00 and others were no use at all, whan XP came out.

I want XP still and I had better get hopping, but I still have a good Computer here, except that it is 2½ years old---and that scares me when I am trusted with my clients' work files. Some are changes so often that I NEVER have an up to date backup of everything!

I went downtown and have been straightening things around since then, and no more checking, but when I find out, maybe even tomorrow, I will post about it.

Thanks for letting me know your opinion on Vista!!

xx
Izzy

[changing]

Hi Deer-

Allegedly Gates himself counseled Microsoft stockholders to wait for the second generation Vista (I hearsd this onth eradio on a tech show- trying to learnnvia osmosis!!! In my profound ignorance I got a laptop last year with Vista- UGH!!! I just hope that I can purchase the old Windows and have someone put it on my machine when I get some money...

Love,

Chnaging

[sea storm]

Hi Izzy,

The computer instructor of a course I took at the college said that VISTA is full of glitches and to wait for the fixed version. I have heard from several people that this is the case. I am a computer DODO but my teacher is very saavy.

Good luck.

Sea storm

[Izzy_*now*]

Thank you changing and sea storm,

I'm just up and made my first coffee. 3 hours difference and a whole bunch of reading to do. 9:49 a.m.

I was asking this because I will need an updated computer [ no rush] and was waiting for a bug free version of Vista. I wanted to know what others thought and even if a second Version was out, and if my software might not be compataible.

Thanks for that evaluation, sea storm, via your instructor.

and changing. I'm sorry it's a mess for you. Let me find something someone sent to me, about NOT installing an older version of Windows in a computer orginally a Vista one.

Oh it's this link that Carolyn sent in her post #3, one of the questions, so please be careful, changing--maybe wait for Vista II, or whatever it will be called.

  http://forums.microsoft.com/TechNet/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=2162102&SiteID=17

Izzy


EDIT: No it was not on that link. It read it elsewhere Hmmmm. will look again.

[Certain Hope]

Iz, my daughter and son-in-law had issues with their new computer when they tried to install XP over top of the Vista OS.

It's not that it cannot be done, I guess, just that it takes a techie to manage it... in order to bypass all the built in Vista safeguards.

I think it's Dell that will continue to offer a deal where they will over-ride Vista for you even after the 26th June deadline, but it'll cost extra (and you'll probably have to pay for your copy of the XP OS separately, too. So... expensive deal.

Carolyn

[sKePTiKal]

Hey all - I'm in the same situation as Iz, at home.

Running XP Pro  - but the big issue is my dialup at home. SP3 is a big, long download/install - we estimate 45 min/per machine on the campus broadband network.

Well, I didn't install SP2 at home, for the same reason. I know that IE 6 is going to be less & less compatible with websites, as time goes on... so that's why I was looking at Dell's offers.

BUT, what I'm now thinking is I might be able to "get by" at home by just downloading Firefox and using that until such time as Vista is replaced by the Gatesian powers that be. With dialup, we don't spend much time at all online from home - and I truly NEED that kind of time off from the 'puter.

DSL doesn't exist in our neighborhood; FIOS is probably a longer wait and the cable company has a big monopoly and charges an arm/leg for combined services, but we're not sure - their price list is worse than medical insurance to figure out what costs what. Satellite might be possible... but then there are the occasional blizzards & hurricanes here... which is exactly the time we'd most likely be working from home.

Firefox is a free download... and running on any version of XP (Home or Pro) ... might just get a lot of us "by", until MS provides a decent OS. Of course, if I were younger, I think Linux would look pretty good.

I hear there's a bill in Congress to provide free broadband to everyone in the US (apparently we're way behind other countries in broadband usage)... they'd make some corporate guys cough up this much access in exchange for the TV frequencies that will be available after the switch to digital TV next year.

[Certain Hope]

Amber,

Wild Blue and Hughes Net are available just about anyplace.

They both specialize in rural areas, particularly.

If they're within your price range, that's a thought.

We had Wild Blue for about a year and the speed was excellent. They do implement a Fair Access Policy, though... so users must stay beneath the cap, depending on the package selected.

Carolyn