windows vista

edmontonenthusiast · 31-12-2008, 11:36 AM

Wondering if there is any Vista users on the site? I hear it isn't much different from Windows XP but looks nicer. What is your opinion? I really dont know and I am thinking of getting a new laptop in the next 6mo or so and am looking at vista as it looks really pretty and overall it has been saw as good by people on youtube reviews.

etownboarder · 31-12-2008, 11:38 AM

I think they're coming out with a replacement for Vista in the new year sometime... I would wait and check that out first. Vista has been nothing but problems for the large majority of its users.

edmontonenthusiast · 31-12-2008, 11:39 AM

No I know - 7.

Nosirrah · 31-12-2008, 12:28 PM

i try to avoid microsoft and windows all together..Get a Macbook, I have one and am very pleased! No viruses or random crashes in the 2 years that I've had it!

edmontonenthusiast · 31-12-2008, 12:43 PM

Hi Nos! I understand your thoughts on Windows but I am comfortable with it and I don't mind it and a lot of other places usse it (schools,libraries) so it is much easier. I have thought about a Mac, but just browsing it seemed a little difficult - though if i spent a couple hrs on it id probably get it. I have also thought of Linux.

etownboarder · 31-12-2008, 12:46 PM

You could always get a Mac and run Windows on it when you need it.

andrew · 31-12-2008, 12:51 PM

I run a research laboratory with all different kinds of computers including 10 Vista machines. They are no more or less bother than any other machines we have. I think Vista has been the target of a very effective marketing campaign by Apple that has been parroted by many people that substitute belief in cute advertising than actual knowledge.

edmontonenthusiast · 31-12-2008, 12:53 PM

Etown: I know about Dual Boot.

Andrew: Thanks for that. Anyways, yes you are right about the Vista-Apple thing. I also think the problems are overrated. I know 2 people who have recently upgraded and they dont' see it as bad as they thought.

etownboarder · 31-12-2008, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by andrew

I run a research laboratory with all different kinds of computers including 10 Vista machines. They are no more or less bother than any other machines we have. I think Vista has been the target of a very effective marketing campaign by Apple that has been parroted by many people that substitute belief in cute advertising than actual knowledge.

That may be true in some situations, but Windows has always been a problematic OS...

RTA · 31-12-2008, 01:07 PM

I've been using Vista for over a year now, and I'm quite happy with it. There were some quirks and problems initially, but SP1 seems to have fixed the vast majority of them. A lot of the initial problems with Vista, though, were caused by hardware manufacturers taking their time releasing Vista-compatible drivers for their devices. This seems to be less of a problem now, and shouldn't with Windows 7 which will use the same driver model as Vista.

Really the one complaint about Vista that I have is that Microsoft really only went halfway with the revamped UI and navigation. Some things they made accessible from more logical places, but a lot of stuff they kept where it was, which can be confusing and annoying. As my understanding goes, though, Windows 7 will be pretty much what Vista was supposed to be.

edmontonenthusiast · 31-12-2008, 01:11 PM

Thanks RTA. Glad to see you got good experiences from the Vista. Yeah, I have hearrd SP1 fixed a lot of the problems and now it is quite good. Seems though I am hearing the same stuff I have heard - but it is very nice gettingthe edmontonian view.

missmarble · 31-12-2008, 01:43 PM

IMO Vista is the devil.

The Mac guy vs the Vista guy commercials are NOT a parody. They are the truth.

I hate Vista. Stick with XP or move on over to Apple.

etownboarder · 31-12-2008, 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by missmarble

IMO Vista is the devil.

The Mac guy vs the Vista guy commercials are NOT a parody. They are the truth.

I hate Vista. Stick with XP or move on over to Apple.

Hell yes... missmarble is one smart lady. :P

richardW · 31-12-2008, 01:56 PM

i think mac gets off easy by not having to have their OS work with almost everything.
Ive been using vista for a year and no problems, not that i am for or against it, most of the rest of my family runs macs and they always ask me computer related stuff so i us macs a bit too. There is good and bad about both systems.

on a side note those mac commercials never seem to point out the small market share of macs...

kona · 31-12-2008, 02:36 PM

Run Vista on a few machines and I have found it more stable with SP1 than XP ever was on the exact same machines

Hilman · 31-12-2008, 04:12 PM

I was hesitant when my new computer's O/S was Vista, especially after all the negative hype. Fortunately, all the hype is just hype, I haven't had any issues with Vista and seems more stable than XP IMHO. Clever marketing by Apple, but don't be afraid, Vista works great, just use Google Chrome for browsing

.

edmontonenthusiast · 31-12-2008, 04:14 PM

Thanks for the comments guys. I think I will definitely get it with Vista. Anyways, I think it is good 7 is coming out because the Vista computers will be cheaper so that'll be great for me!!!

richardW · 31-12-2008, 04:17 PM

ya just dont use IE, and dont dl stuff from unsavory sites.

edmontonenthusiast · 31-12-2008, 04:18 PM

what do you mean unsavory?

RTA · 31-12-2008, 04:33 PM

^ Stick with the savory ones?

The problem really is that even those can be susceptible to malicious code that has been quietly injected there. There are no guarantees, but at least they are less likely to get hacked.

edmontonenthusiast · 31-12-2008, 04:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RTA

^ Stick with the savory ones?

The problem really is that even those can be susceptible to malicious code that has been quietly injected there. There are no guarantees, but at least they are less likely to get hacked.

Alright - now I need to know what "savory" means in the context?

Anti Elvis · 31-12-2008, 09:24 PM

I'm an IT guy & have been since the 90s. Here is my opinions from both professional and personal usage

Mac: Used a Mac since OS 8.6. Good stuff, solid, worth the money. Part of the draw is the sex appeal. For home users, typically it's got all you need. For business, no

XP - Solid, stable OS, getting "old" looking. I'd say it's the best thing MS has put out

Vista: Overall, it's a good OS, but requires alot of firepower in the computer hardware. It also has many issues for older hardware & software (AV, etc). Professionally, I have upgraded clients (business clients) to Vista and I refuse to. For a home user..well I still use XP usually

Windows 7. I have a copy I got from Bit Torrent. It's buggy of course, but interesting. I'd wait for it because it'll be out this year (2009 by the time you read this).

I think Mac is more usable.

tyles · 31-12-2008, 10:53 PM

I'm perfectly happy with Vista.
Happy New Year!

edmontonenthusiast · 01-01-2009, 11:41 AM

I should let you know Macs are outa my league in that I have a perfectly good computer and I don't want to save 900-1600 dollars as that's just too much. I am really looking between 400-900, which i found a few that were good and have vista so that is why i was askin'.

Susan@eTalk · 01-01-2009, 12:00 PM

I've heard very bad reports about VISTA, in fact, I have not heard anything positive.

Hilman · 01-01-2009, 12:30 PM

^ I really like Vista and seems more stable than XP. Now you have heard something postive lol.

edmontonenthusiast · 01-01-2009, 12:31 PM

Susan@eTalk · 01-01-2009, 12:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hilman

^ I really like Vista and seems more stable than XP. Now you have heard something postive lol.

lol. What do you like about it Hilman?

Hilman · 01-01-2009, 12:40 PM

It looks and runs better than XP, I have been running it 12 hours a day for months and haven't had one issue. I run multiple high usage programs at the same time and it is rock solid. Not sure where the negative hype came from but it is uncalled for IMHO.

edmontonenthusiast · 01-01-2009, 12:45 PM

again, hilman & others - i think the difficulties people would have with vista is not vista but the computer. that is why we see so many people who love or hate it. hilman, someone may have a computer w vista hp and not run it for more than the 1 hour it can because of the computer .

Susan@eTalk · 01-01-2009, 12:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hilman

It looks and runs better than XP, I have been running it 12 hours a day for months and haven't had one issue. I run multiple high usage programs at the same time and it is rock solid. Not sure where the negative hype came from but it is uncalled for IMHO.

Sounds like you are getting reliability and that's important for sure.

Hilman · 01-01-2009, 12:57 PM

Maybe Vista requires a lot of horsepower to be stable. I run a 2.1 GHz triple core processor with 3 GB of RAM and haven't had any issues yet.

edmontonenthusiast · 01-01-2009, 01:03 PM

what about 2gb?

Hilman · 01-01-2009, 02:01 PM

of RAM? You can buy a 1GB DDR2 SDRAM for $30, better to spend the extra money as RAM is very important.

http://www.memoryexpress.com/Product...)/Default.aspx

edmontonenthusiast · 01-01-2009, 02:04 PM

i know ram is improtant i was wondering if itd be ok on 2g.

Hilman · 01-01-2009, 02:12 PM

Probably but for a little extra I rather have the extra RAM. RAM is easy to install if the computer you want is packaged/made with 2 GB, simply just push the new RAM into it's additional RAM slots on the motherboard. Having said that, if you have 2 GB stick of RAM already installed, any new RAM should be the same amount, i.e., add a 2 GB stick to match the original 2 GB's originally installed.

http://www.smartcomputing.com/Editor...30w10.asp&guid

edmontonenthusiast · 01-01-2009, 02:13 PM

Thanks for the help. Actually my XP computer originally had 1 g and I changed it to 2 g so I know about the switching - at least for a desktop sort of. Anyways, I appreciate the help and will try for 3 g for my laptop.

IKAN104 · 02-01-2009, 10:10 AM

I am running four computers with Vista. Two with Vista Ultimate and two with Vista Home Premium. No problems at all. I love the usability improvements and the new look.

Overall, it's very similar to XP, just as XP is very similar to Windows 98. There are improvements that are not immediately obvious but once you get used to them you don't want to go back. People who say Vista is just XP with a new face don't know what they're talking about.

All the negative hype is people jumping on the bandwagon which began when the initial release of Vista was buggy, coupled with the fact that third party vendors were slow to release compatible drivers.

I jumped in on a discussion at the office earlier this year where a bunch of guys were talking about how terrible Vista is and how they will never use it. When I asked them if any of them had ever used Vista, not a single one of them had ever used it. Like I said, people just like to jump on bandwagons.

The next time somebody tells you they don't like Vista ask them to explain their reasoning.

MrOilers · 02-01-2009, 10:14 AM

I am colorblind and I can't even use Vista with its default display settings - they tried to make it so "pretty" that windows, toolbars, and backgrounds all blur together for me.

That's the biggest issue I had with it.

Tiran · 02-01-2009, 10:21 AM

I have been using vista for about a year now. Didn't have a choice, my new laptop came with it. Only issues I have had are because I don't know how to do somethings on Vista that I knew how to do on XP. But mostly things I didn't do often (screencaps for example) but were easy to remember. I use Firefox for browsing. The only have 2 issues and one is very minor. For no apparent reason a window pops up, says bad gateway unable to load page, but its not an IE or FF window and I have to open task manager to close it. The other one is more serious, but I havn't gotten around to having someone look at it and I don't know if it is Vista related. My msn live crashes whenever I try to send or view webcam.

So 2 minor issues, the more serious of which is probably not related to Vista, and no other issues in a year.

edmontonenthusiast · 02-01-2009, 11:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrOilers

I am colorblind and I can't even use Vista with its default display settings - they tried to make it so "pretty" that windows, toolbars, and backgrounds all blur together for me.

That's the biggest issue I had with it.

they should definitely think about it - make one thats very nice bbut wont blur for colour blind.

edmontonenthusiast · 02-01-2009, 02:55 PM

I shouldn't make a new thread so has any one got office 2007? i ordered it recently so i was wondering if it is any good.

IKAN104 · 02-01-2009, 02:58 PM

I have been using office 2007 since the beta version and it's awesome. Some people don't like the "ribbon" because it's quite a bit different than a traditional menu system but like anything you have to get used to it. Myself, I found the ribbon easy to get used to. Things are easier to find now.

I also really love the built in styles for word and excel. They make it so easy to make documents professional looking. There are a number of really nice features in 2007 that you won't want to live without once you've used them.

I highly recommend it.

edmontonenthusiast · 02-01-2009, 02:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IKAN104

I have been using office 2007 since the beta version and it's awesome. Some people don't like the "ribbon" because it's quite a bit different than a traditional menu system but like anything you have to get used to it. Myself, I found the ribbon easy to get used to. Things are easier to find now.

I also really love the built in styles for word and excel. They make it so easy to make documents professional looking. There are a number of really nice features in 2007 that you won't want to live without once you've used them.

I highly recommend it.

what about .docx thing, can you still have .doc ?

IKAN104 · 02-01-2009, 03:06 PM

Yes, you still can save documents in the old format if you like.

However even if you save in the docx format it's really not a problem because computers that do not have 2007 installed can still read the docx format after downloading a free patch from microsoft.

edmontonenthusiast · 02-01-2009, 03:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IKAN104

Yes, you still can save documents in the old format if you like.

However even if you save in the docx format it's really not a problem because computers that do not have 2007 installed can still read the docx format after downloading a free patch from microsoft.

While I know about the patch - schools and libraries do not have it downloaded.

IKAN104 · 03-01-2009, 10:19 AM

You can try Office 2007 free for 60 days

download from this page

etownboarder · 03-01-2009, 12:58 PM

I hate Office 07 for Windows. It's a horrible program. And it's damn near impossible trying to find half the features I used in previous version of Microsoft Office. It's so frustrating.

DanC · 03-01-2009, 01:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by etownboarder

I hate Office 07 for Windows. It's a horrible program. And it's damn near impossible trying to find half the features I used in previous version of Microsoft Office. It's so frustrating.

No. 2007 is a huge step forward. Disliked it at first because of the change of menu styles, now I would never go back.

etownboarder · 03-01-2009, 01:53 PM

Well I still have a difficult time finding what I need... it frustrates me so much.

edmontonenthusiast · 03-01-2009, 02:00 PM

thanks for the opinions you guys they were very very helpful :>.

DanC · 03-01-2009, 02:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by etownboarder

Well I still have a difficult time finding what I need... it frustrates me so much.

Microsoft built a whole "translator" where you can key in the 2003 command and it will show you exactly where it is in 2007. Great tool for getting over the initial hump...pretty sure you can find it in the help menu.

etownboarder · 03-01-2009, 02:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DanC

Quote:

Originally Posted by etownboarder

Well I still have a difficult time finding what I need... it frustrates me so much.

Microsoft built a whole "translator" where you can key in the 2003 command and it will show you exactly where it is in 2007. Great tool for getting over the initial hump...pretty sure you can find it in the help menu.

Hmmm, I hadn't heard of that. Thank, I'll have to check it out.

Anti Elvis · 03-01-2009, 02:28 PM

Vista: Here are some tips making Vista work faster. More RAM is better, go for 4 GB if you can. At the minimum, 2 GB. Also, if it's a laptop, a 7200 RPM hard drive will make a difference. The problem is..these drives produce a fair bit of heat.

Also, if you're buying a brand name computer, remove all the crap they install on the unit. If you need help doing this with, by all means, mail me

Office 2007 versus 2003. I love Office 2007 & it will save in the Word 2003 format. I much prefer the features on Outlook 2007 & once I got used to it, liked the look of it.

There is an option to change Office 2007 to save in the old format. Click on the Windows Circle in the top corner (left). Click on it, then click on "Word Options". The click on "Save" and you'll see where you can change what it saves too. Same for Excel, etc.

edmontonenthusiast · 03-01-2009, 02:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anti Elvis

Vista: Here are some tips making Vista work faster. More RAM is better, go for 4 GB if you can. At the minimum, 2 GB. Also, if it's a laptop, a 7200 RPM hard drive will make a difference. The problem is..these drives produce a fair bit of heat.

Also, if you're buying a brand name computer, remove all the crap they install on the unit. If you need help doing this with, by all means, mail me

Office 2007 versus 2003. I love Office 2007 & it will save in the Word 2003 format. I much prefer the features on Outlook 2007 & once I got used to it, liked the look of it.

There is an option to change Office 2007 to save in the old format. Click on the Windows Circle in the top corner (left). Click on it, then click on "Word Options". The click on "Save" and you'll see where you can change what it saves too. Same for Excel, etc.

Thanks Anti elvis those points are well taken. if you must know i am getting a dell, or thinking.

Anti Elvis · 03-01-2009, 02:53 PM

I work in I.T, I was a consultant before I arrived in Edmonton (managed the networks of small businesses).

If you have questions on computers, I'll be happy to try and help you if you want to email me questions.

FYI: Generally, the "brand name" of the computer isn't as important as the components inside. Cheap computer hardware will usually have more issues than good computer hardware, but not always.

edmontonenthusiast · 03-01-2009, 02:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anti Elvis

I work in I.T, I was a consultant before I arrived in Edmonton (managed the networks of small businesses).

If you have questions on computers, I'll be happy to try and help you if you want to email me questions.

FYI: Generally, the "brand name" of the computer isn't as important as the components inside. Cheap computer hardware will usually have more issues than good computer hardware, but not always.

Thanks - I will give you a private message.

IKAN104 · 04-01-2009, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by etownboarder

I hate Office 07 for Windows. It's a horrible program. And it's damn near impossible trying to find half the features I used in previous version of Microsoft Office. It's so frustrating.

Not being able to find features because the menu navigation has changed doesn't make it a horrible program. It just means you have to get used to where things are. Once you're used to it, then you can make a fair comparison.

etownboarder · 04-01-2009, 01:29 PM

Okay, maybe not a horrible program... just horrible software developers?

Anti Elvis · 04-01-2009, 01:40 PM

It's not the software developers that are bad, it's the complexity of the programs in our modern world. Programming is a bunch of modules that interact with each other & are then compiled (created) into 1 big program.

Programs like Office have millions of lines of programming, so the likelihood of bugs is high. The larger the program, the bigger chance of bugs.

If you want the old skool MS Office look, try OpenOffice.org. It's a program that's "open sourced". That means the programming is open to the public and anyone can help to make changes to it. This usually means for a more secure program and that problems are fixed faster

The best example of open source software is Firefox.

Open Office still has the previous look of Windows, can open Windows files and...it's free. It has an Excel client and all that stuff too.

etownboarder · 04-01-2009, 01:42 PM

Well a software developer should know better than to hide features that were widely used in previous versions, making them extremely difficult to find and use... that's just being stupid.

Anti Elvis · 04-01-2009, 01:46 PM

Well e-town, technically, it's not the programmer that designs that. The concept is created by people other than the actual programmers.

I understand the frustration you have with Office 2007. I'm in the middle of doing a roll out for it at work and it's essentially chaos as people realize they don't even know how to print.

I felt the same way when I first got it too. I'm in IT and I had to sit and figure out how to print something, etc. IT was the same with Vista..there is a learning curve

But honestly, I think once you get used to it you'll find it's actually superior to the other versions. It's easier to navigate, that's for sure, it's just a matter of getting the groove.

I think a wiser choice on MS's behalf would have been an option to switch it to the "old look".

RTA · 04-01-2009, 02:39 PM

A lot of the changes in Office 2007 came about simply because there is so many features in the Office programs that Microsoft was essentially running out of places and ways to make them available to users.

IKAN104 · 04-01-2009, 06:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anti Elvis

If you want the old skool MS Office look, try OpenOffice.org. It's a program that's "open sourced". That means the programming is open to the public and anyone can help to make changes to it. This usually means for a more secure program and that problems are fixed faster

You mean if you want to go back to 1992? Because that's what it (Open Office.og) looks like. It's old, ugly and clunky.

Even the latest greatest version. I downloaded it for a friend and tried to show her how to use it. I then felt so sorry for her I ended up buying her office 2007 after all.

Anti Elvis · 04-01-2009, 07:21 PM

Quote:

You mean if you want to go back to 1992? Because that's what it (Open Office.og) looks like. It's old, ugly and clunky.

Even the latest greatest version. I downloaded it for a friend and tried to show her how to use it. I then felt so sorry for her I ended up buying her office 2007 after all.

Well man, who am I (or you) to make that decision for the user ? I simply offered an idea, it's up to the individual to consider their options and make a decision.

As for "clunky", well that's also subjective too. Some people prefer the slick interface of a Mac, others find command line in BSD a better choice.

lat · 04-01-2009, 07:23 PM

to each his own. I am on the verge of getting a mac...

IKAN104 · 04-01-2009, 07:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anti Elvis

Quote:

You mean if you want to go back to 1992? Because that's what it (Open Office.og) looks like. It's old, ugly and clunky.

Even the latest greatest version. I downloaded it for a friend and tried to show her how to use it. I then felt so sorry for her I ended up buying her office 2007 after all.

Well man, who am I (or you) to make that decision for the user ? I simply offered an idea, it's up to the individual to consider their options and make a decision.

As for "clunky", well that's also subjective too. Some people prefer the slick interface of a Mac, others find command line in BSD a better choice.

No, I know. I didn't mean not to offer the suggestion. I was just reminded of my experience with it and wanted to pass on my opinion of the product. It is a free product after all, and sometimes that's a good enough reason to use it.

I was surprised though at how old it looked. I was expecting it to look a lot more like office 2003 or similar.

divamom · 04-01-2009, 09:38 PM

Die Vista! Die!

That's all I have to say.

KP2 · 07-01-2009, 03:21 PM

I picked up a second pc about a year ago because I needed a machine to render projects and it had vista on it. Its been the most dependable machine I've owned in a long time. I upgraded my other pc to vista shortly after, no complaints. I haven't had a BSOD with either machine nor have I had any virus/trojan issues. As far as operating systems go I'm quite pleased with Vista as it is right now, its far from perfect but no operating system is.

I think the only reason people have a dislike towards Vista is partly due to Apples marketing of the PC vs Mac adverts on t.v.

I have vista and I love it.

edmontonenthusiast · 07-01-2009, 03:28 PM

While I try out the office2007, I have a question about vista...

...

I constantly hear the only problem with Vista is the security. It is too much and you can't ton it down unless you get rid of it. So - is there a way around it?

RTA · 07-01-2009, 03:49 PM

^ The User Account Control (UAC) prompts, you mean? I assume so, since Vista is the most secure OS Microsoft has released yet.

You can turn off UAC, but I would recommend against it, as it does warn you when a program might be trying to do something it's not supposed to. You'll often encounter a lot of prompts when you're initially setting up new software and updated hardware drivers on your computer, but after that you should see them very rarely.

In short, my recommendation is to leave them on and put up with them for now; you'll have forgotten about them within a couple of weeks.

edmontonenthusiast · 07-01-2009, 03:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RTA

^ The User Account Control (UAC) prompts, you mean? I assume so, since Vista is the most secure OS Microsoft has released yet.

You can turn off UAC, but I would recommend against it, as it does warn you when a program might be trying to do something it's not supposed to. You'll often encounter a lot of prompts when you're initially setting up new software and updated hardware drivers on your computer, but after that you should see them very rarely.

In short, my recommendation is to leave them on and put up with them for now; you'll have forgotten about them within a couple of weeks.

Thats where I was saying. You can turn it off but not turn it down and for some it's too much. Do they allow you anyways to do it - I mean do they ask permission and if you say yes and there is a problem, well basically it's your faullt.?

KP2 · 07-01-2009, 04:06 PM

If your user account is an admin account there are ways you can setup 1-click responses for frequently used programs that require permission to run but other than that I'd never turn off the UAC prompts.

edmontonenthusiast · 18-01-2009, 09:19 PM

I just wanted to share my experience with Office 2007. I've used it a bit, and I must say, I won't be going back. It is the best, it's so customizable and you can get so many beautiful designs. I love the clean interface and how easy it is to find stuff and do different sorts of designs. The only actual problem I think I have is that the codes for the symbols are incorrectly said in there. I just thought I'd shared because, well, I was the one asking. For those of you using 2003, I would for sure recomend it.

About Vista, I've chosen to wait for 7 as it looks very promising. But thanks for the opinions, as they have helped very much.

31-12-2008, 11:36 AM	#1
edmontonenthusiast Addicted to C2E Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: edmonton	windows vista Wondering if there is any Vista users on the site? I hear it isn't much different from Windows XP but looks nicer. What is your opinion? I really dont know and I am thinking of getting a new laptop in the next 6mo or so and am looking at vista as it looks really pretty and overall it has been saw as good by people on youtube reviews. __________________ ----

31-12-2008, 11:39 AM	#3
edmontonenthusiast Addicted to C2E Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: edmonton	No I know - 7. __________________ ----

31-12-2008, 12:43 PM	#5
edmontonenthusiast Addicted to C2E Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: edmonton	Hi Nos! I understand your thoughts on Windows but I am comfortable with it and I don't mind it and a lot of other places usse it (schools,libraries) so it is much easier. I have thought about a Mac, but just browsing it seemed a little difficult - though if i spent a couple hrs on it id probably get it. I have also thought of Linux. __________________ ----

31-12-2008, 12:53 PM	#8
edmontonenthusiast Addicted to C2E Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: edmonton	Etown: I know about Dual Boot. Andrew: Thanks for that. Anyways, yes you are right about the Vista-Apple thing. I also think the problems are overrated. I know 2 people who have recently upgraded and they dont' see it as bad as they thought. __________________ ----

31-12-2008, 01:07 PM	#10
RTA Addicted to C2E Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Holyrood	I've been using Vista for over a year now, and I'm quite happy with it. There were some quirks and problems initially, but SP1 seems to have fixed the vast majority of them. A lot of the initial problems with Vista, though, were caused by hardware manufacturers taking their time releasing Vista-compatible drivers for their devices. This seems to be less of a problem now, and shouldn't with Windows 7 which will use the same driver model as Vista. Really the one complaint about Vista that I have is that Microsoft really only went halfway with the revamped UI and navigation. Some things they made accessible from more logical places, but a lot of stuff they kept where it was, which can be confusing and annoying. As my understanding goes, though, Windows 7 will be pretty much what Vista was supposed to be. __________________ Strathcona City Separatist

31-12-2008, 11:38 AM	#2
etownboarder Addicted to C2E Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Edmonton, Alberta, Old Strathcona	I think they're coming out with a replacement for Vista in the new year sometime... I would wait and check that out first. Vista has been nothing but problems for the large majority of its users.

31-12-2008, 12:28 PM	#4
Nosirrah First One is Always Free Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Waterloo, ON	i try to avoid microsoft and windows all together..Get a Macbook, I have one and am very pleased! No viruses or random crashes in the 2 years that I've had it!

31-12-2008, 12:46 PM	#6
etownboarder Addicted to C2E Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Edmonton, Alberta, Old Strathcona	You could always get a Mac and run Windows on it when you need it.

31-12-2008, 12:51 PM	#7
andrew Partially Addicted to C2E Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Edmonton	I run a research laboratory with all different kinds of computers including 10 Vista machines. They are no more or less bother than any other machines we have. I think Vista has been the target of a very effective marketing campaign by Apple that has been parroted by many people that substitute belief in cute advertising than actual knowledge.

31-12-2008, 01:11 PM	#11
edmontonenthusiast Addicted to C2E Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: edmonton	Thanks RTA. Glad to see you got good experiences from the Vista. Yeah, I have hearrd SP1 fixed a lot of the problems and now it is quite good. Seems though I am hearing the same stuff I have heard - but it is very nice gettingthe edmontonian view. __________________ ----

31-12-2008, 01:43 PM	#12
missmarble Partially Addicted to C2E Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Capilano/Fulton	IMO Vista is the devil. The Mac guy vs the Vista guy commercials are NOT a parody. They are the truth. I hate Vista. Stick with XP or move on over to Apple.

31-12-2008, 01:56 PM	#14
richardW Addicted to C2E Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: (back in) Edmonton	i think mac gets off easy by not having to have their OS work with almost everything. Ive been using vista for a year and no problems, not that i am for or against it, most of the rest of my family runs macs and they always ask me computer related stuff so i us macs a bit too. There is good and bad about both systems. on a side note those mac commercials never seem to point out the small market share of macs...

31-12-2008, 02:36 PM	#15
kona Addicted to C2E Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Not here	Run Vista on a few machines and I have found it more stable with SP1 than XP ever was on the exact same machines

31-12-2008, 04:12 PM	#16
Hilman Addicted to C2E Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Ozerna, North Edmonton	I was hesitant when my new computer's O/S was Vista, especially after all the negative hype. Fortunately, all the hype is just hype, I haven't had any issues with Vista and seems more stable than XP IMHO. Clever marketing by Apple, but don't be afraid, Vista works great, just use Google Chrome for browsing .

31-12-2008, 04:14 PM	#17
edmontonenthusiast Addicted to C2E Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: edmonton	Thanks for the comments guys. I think I will definitely get it with Vista. Anyways, I think it is good 7 is coming out because the Vista computers will be cheaper so that'll be great for me!!! __________________ ----

31-12-2008, 04:17 PM	#18
richardW Addicted to C2E Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: (back in) Edmonton	ya just dont use IE, and dont dl stuff from unsavory sites.

31-12-2008, 04:18 PM	#19
edmontonenthusiast Addicted to C2E Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: edmonton	what do you mean unsavory? __________________ ----

31-12-2008, 04:33 PM	#20
RTA Addicted to C2E Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Holyrood	^ Stick with the savory ones? The problem really is that even those can be susceptible to malicious code that has been quietly injected there. There are no guarantees, but at least they are less likely to get hacked. __________________ Strathcona City Separatist

31-12-2008, 09:24 PM	#22
Anti Elvis First One is Always Free Join Date: Dec 2008	I'm an IT guy & have been since the 90s. Here is my opinions from both professional and personal usage Mac: Used a Mac since OS 8.6. Good stuff, solid, worth the money. Part of the draw is the sex appeal. For home users, typically it's got all you need. For business, no XP - Solid, stable OS, getting "old" looking. I'd say it's the best thing MS has put out Vista: Overall, it's a good OS, but requires alot of firepower in the computer hardware. It also has many issues for older hardware & software (AV, etc). Professionally, I have upgraded clients (business clients) to Vista and I refuse to. For a home user..well I still use XP usually Windows 7. I have a copy I got from Bit Torrent. It's buggy of course, but interesting. I'd wait for it because it'll be out this year (2009 by the time you read this). I think Mac is more usable.

31-12-2008, 10:53 PM	#23
tyles First One is Always Free Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: perth, wa, australia	I'm perfectly happy with Vista. Happy New Year!

01-01-2009, 11:41 AM	#24
edmontonenthusiast Addicted to C2E Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: edmonton	I should let you know Macs are outa my league in that I have a perfectly good computer and I don't want to save 900-1600 dollars as that's just too much. I am really looking between 400-900, which i found a few that were good and have vista so that is why i was askin'. __________________ ----

01-01-2009, 12:00 PM	#25
Susan@eTalk Addicted to C2E Join Date: Nov 2008	I've heard very bad reports about VISTA, in fact, I have not heard anything positive. __________________ We are all the same, just different...

01-01-2009, 12:30 PM	#26
Hilman Addicted to C2E Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Ozerna, North Edmonton	^ I really like Vista and seems more stable than XP. Now you have heard something postive lol.

01-01-2009, 12:31 PM	#27
edmontonenthusiast Addicted to C2E Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: edmonton	lol. __________________ ----

01-01-2009, 12:40 PM	#29
Hilman Addicted to C2E Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Ozerna, North Edmonton	It looks and runs better than XP, I have been running it 12 hours a day for months and haven't had one issue. I run multiple high usage programs at the same time and it is rock solid. Not sure where the negative hype came from but it is uncalled for IMHO.

01-01-2009, 12:45 PM	#30
edmontonenthusiast Addicted to C2E Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: edmonton	again, hilman & others - i think the difficulties people would have with vista is not vista but the computer. that is why we see so many people who love or hate it. hilman, someone may have a computer w vista hp and not run it for more than the 1 hour it can because of the computer . __________________ ----

01-01-2009, 12:57 PM	#32
Hilman Addicted to C2E Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Ozerna, North Edmonton	Maybe Vista requires a lot of horsepower to be stable. I run a 2.1 GHz triple core processor with 3 GB of RAM and haven't had any issues yet.

01-01-2009, 01:03 PM	#33
edmontonenthusiast Addicted to C2E Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: edmonton	what about 2gb? __________________ ----

01-01-2009, 02:01 PM	#34
Hilman Addicted to C2E Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Ozerna, North Edmonton	of RAM? You can buy a 1GB DDR2 SDRAM for $30, better to spend the extra money as RAM is very important. http://www.memoryexpress.com/Product...)/Default.aspx

01-01-2009, 02:04 PM	#35
edmontonenthusiast Addicted to C2E Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: edmonton	i know ram is improtant i was wondering if itd be ok on 2g. __________________ ----

01-01-2009, 02:12 PM	#36
Hilman Addicted to C2E Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Ozerna, North Edmonton	Probably but for a little extra I rather have the extra RAM. RAM is easy to install if the computer you want is packaged/made with 2 GB, simply just push the new RAM into it's additional RAM slots on the motherboard. Having said that, if you have 2 GB stick of RAM already installed, any new RAM should be the same amount, i.e., add a 2 GB stick to match the original 2 GB's originally installed. http://www.smartcomputing.com/Editor...30w10.asp&guid

01-01-2009, 02:13 PM	#37
edmontonenthusiast Addicted to C2E Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: edmonton	Thanks for the help. Actually my XP computer originally had 1 g and I changed it to 2 g so I know about the switching - at least for a desktop sort of. Anyways, I appreciate the help and will try for 3 g for my laptop. __________________ ----

02-01-2009, 10:10 AM	#38
IKAN104 Addicted to C2E Join Date: Mar 2006	I am running four computers with Vista. Two with Vista Ultimate and two with Vista Home Premium. No problems at all. I love the usability improvements and the new look. Overall, it's very similar to XP, just as XP is very similar to Windows 98. There are improvements that are not immediately obvious but once you get used to them you don't want to go back. People who say Vista is just XP with a new face don't know what they're talking about. All the negative hype is people jumping on the bandwagon which began when the initial release of Vista was buggy, coupled with the fact that third party vendors were slow to release compatible drivers. I jumped in on a discussion at the office earlier this year where a bunch of guys were talking about how terrible Vista is and how they will never use it. When I asked them if any of them had ever used Vista, not a single one of them had ever used it. Like I said, people just like to jump on bandwagons. The next time somebody tells you they don't like Vista ask them to explain their reasoning.

02-01-2009, 10:14 AM	#39
MrOilers Addicted to C2E Join Date: May 2008	I am colorblind and I can't even use Vista with its default display settings - they tried to make it so "pretty" that windows, toolbars, and backgrounds all blur together for me. That's the biggest issue I had with it.

02-01-2009, 10:21 AM	#40
Tiran Addicted to C2E Join Date: Jun 2008	I have been using vista for about a year now. Didn't have a choice, my new laptop came with it. Only issues I have had are because I don't know how to do somethings on Vista that I knew how to do on XP. But mostly things I didn't do often (screencaps for example) but were easy to remember. I use Firefox for browsing. The only have 2 issues and one is very minor. For no apparent reason a window pops up, says bad gateway unable to load page, but its not an IE or FF window and I have to open task manager to close it. The other one is more serious, but I havn't gotten around to having someone look at it and I don't know if it is Vista related. My msn live crashes whenever I try to send or view webcam. So 2 minor issues, the more serious of which is probably not related to Vista, and no other issues in a year.