Computer problems. Does anybody know whether it's yet safe to buy a new computer (desktop or laptop) with Microsoft Vista loaded on it?
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13 comments:
I've heard that Vista is suspected of being full of security holes. If security is a concern, I would be wary. It might be best to wait for the inevitable service pack.
dell is still selling some PCs with XP
here's a deal:
http://slickdeals.net/?permadeal=9240#direct_deal_9240
Come on, Steve, get with the programme, buy a Mac and have the best operating system in the world, and the ability to run the few Windows' programmes you think you can't live without.
I'll bet if Jobs bought out iSteve.com, you wouldn't be asking for such silly advice.
Take care,
W Baker
Annston, Alabama
Vista is great as long as you have enough machine for it. I've been running Vista on a laptop since it was in beta. It works fine and I've never had any problems with it, but I have 2 GB of RAM and 256 MB of video memory. As long as you get enough of both and a decent processor, Vista will run great.
IF (and only IF) you have a spare machine connected to the internet, get a cheap-o Toshiba or other laptop, and install Ubuntu 6.06 on it. You might need a cheap wireless card because some built-in wireless cards use proprietary drivers sadly. When installing if you can't get connected to the internet it's a good idea to have a machine that can connect. [Vista + Linux right now is a huge hassle trust me on this.]
And you might need to fool around to get widescreen working on your laptop. [sudo dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg in terminal, the installation routines don't detect widescreen laptops and other displays. But re-installing the Xserver is pretty painless if you have your hardware specs handy. If you can follow a cookbook you can set it up.]
Ubuntu's forums have plenty of help though and most things work pretty well. Sound and networking came up without any problems, on my Office Depot Toshiba that cost around $450.
You will though trade time for money. If you have more time than money it's not a bad deal. Otherwise trade money for time and get a Mac. They've done the System integration for you and it all just works. Fast and reliably too. You can install (some) Open Source i.e. linux software with MacPorts.org or fink.sourceforge.net IF you install the developer tools from your Install DVD.
Ubuntu Linux + OpenOffice and/or Abiword will work for most users with more time than cash and willing to read/follow instructions. Mac + OpenOffice or AbiWord or MS Word (buy the student/teacher edition) will work for those who want a solution out of the box.
My fairly decently sized 500 GB RAM 80 GB Toshiba Laptop with Vista Home sucked (slow as a dog). With Ubuntu plenty fast and there is tons of multimedia free/open source software. Ubuntu seems to have decent hardware recognition during installation with the exception of the widescreen issue. Fonts look good, plenty of eye candy, themes, etc.
Vista is OK, but just requires so much resources that IMHO to run it you'd get around Macbook territory in terms of dollar amounts.
i would stick with XP until vista gets it's first patch. which should be about a year from now.
you can simply buy a new computer with vista and put XP on the disk instead.
If it's a desktop, you should fix it by putting in a new hdd or motherboard as needed. That way you don't have to buy a new OS.
Vista is not ready yet. It might be six months and it might be a year. Until then if you need Microsoft, XP is the only choice that's halfway safe now.
As an aside, if you did get a Mac, since they have Intel CPUs, now you can use Windows on them as well. Maybe if Steve Jobs won't buy your domain, he might do a deal for a link on the front page.
if you're happy wasting time with computer problems, get a vista pc. if not, get a mac.
I agree with riot. Figure out what's broken, replace it. (I assume you've already tried reinstalling XP).
Oh, any thoughts on This new section of the SAT
I bought a laptop from Dell for my wife. It came with Vista Basic and, after upgrading to 1.5 gbs (from the original 512mbs) of RAM, it runs great. However, if you are a "power" user, I'd still stick with XP Pro. Vista basic is much better for people who don't want to (or shouldn't) mess with their system internals.
Right now millions of people are running Vista. Microsoft collects bug reports, writes bug-fixes and packs them into a thing called service pack. Don't you wanna wait till they've done it at least once? They did the same with XP a couple of times, and it certainly got more robust. Of course, Vista is not untested, but right now it's getting tested on a really wide scale.
Do you think Melinda is sexually satisfied by Bill? I would tend to doubt it...
I replaced my XP pc with one with Vista and found: no drivers for my printer; USB streaming isn't supported, so I had to by a fireware card and cable to transfer video from my Sony camcorder; and a lot of my software doesn't work. Otherwise, I like the OS fine.
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