Windows Vista The Trouble with Vista

http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9009961

Regards - Charles

 

Charles

I think you're being unfair quoting "there are no must have features ", what about :

Ready Boost
Ability to shrink and extend partition sizes which saves buying software
Proper backup procedure
Voice input for free
Built-in Memory Diagnostic Tool
Network Diagnostics Tool
Performance Diagnostic Console
Better search and indexing functions

 

Hi Burr,

Fair enough, but its not me that's being fair or unfair, its the Author's opinion that we are free to agree/disagree with.

And I don't necessarily agree with every statement by the author either. This article is really not about Vista as much as it is about the author's opinion of the changes he perceives in MS's corporate culture and the way Vista reflects that.

And, "Must have" is subjective; I like the features you mention + the security built in. The sour note is that some of these are only available in the most expensive version(s). The majority of users will be Home and as an example of a limitation - the image backup is only available in Ultimate.

And finally, we're in for a long trip Not unlike Oct 2001 with XP and all the changes that XP went thru once it hit the real world. MS has already changed some policies around hardware upgrade issues.

I'm personally exited about the road ahead however it plays out

Regards - Charles

 

The Marketing of Vista- The Real Story

You have to give Microsoft credit.
Not unlike in the cold war when an invasion of Poland was expected to be similar to the invasion of Czechoslovakia it was a completly diffirent approach and attack.
The previous strategy was to release os products that demanded much more powerfull computer hardware so that older hardware was obsolete resulting in an industry based on and driven by hardware updates.
Computers are generally pretty powerfull now and besides that the general public had begun to notice a distinct pattern.
When Longhorn became Vista and the must haves were quietly dropped and the product renamed Microsoft Vista the announced hardware requirements were downgraded. Intel and AMD were not too happy.
However the tact was in another strategy - a business plan so to speak.
Only a few higher end products are being supported in such areas as video cards , sound and some network cards.
Very selective approach.
Prelaunch of Vista it was stated by industry experts that the driver catalogue of Microsoft Vista was going to be even more comprehensive than XP. Why not this is what we are accustomed to . Something to look foreward to.
With XP most sound/video/ network cards /even modems of the products that were onboard at the time were caught on install ( of course later products such as motherboards with onboard devices now need a driver disk as they are newer and postdate the release of XP).
The tech at the local Staples tells me that many of the new computers that are labelled "Vista ready" will not load Vista . They stop part way.
The local geek warehouse store with oem stuff and upgrade kits is having the first batch of Vista computers come back. Nobody somehow checked the sound . Out in a rush for those must have Vista people. The computers are coming back with no sound . Perhaps the fix will be to install expensive replacement sound cards ( probably onboard devices were used). Audigy sound cards are relatively inexpensive.
Microsoft seems to have either ignored or antagonized or left out major suppliers.Intel ( who gave a 40 million dollar donation to the Linux foundation) , 3 comm and Symantec.
I overheard the tech at the local best buy telling a customer with Vista "Previously were overjoyed ( exact words) with Norton but with the inroduction of Microsoft Vista...." . Remember that Norton Antivirus is the security blanket of computer nubes worldwide.
Remember that Bill Gates is first a foremost a marketer in a world of geeks and geeks who have acquired a bit of business sense out of necessity.
For those of age the basis of Microsoft's cash cow that funded the rise to fame and market domination was dos. Dos was not invented by Mr. Gates. It was a renamed product that was someone elses. It was Bill Gates marketing or salesmanship abilities that got him to where he is today.
What Microsoft has done is to obsolete a large chunk of computer hardware good to run XP but not Vista. This is marvellous for the computer hardware and software industry . What you bought yesterday is to the most parts obsolete and of little value . At some point you are going to run Vista and that means a whole new set of computer hardware and perhaps software.
This is similar to the US government issuing new currency and making a high percentage of the old currency worthless and of limited value.
Imagine if you had bought a high end laptop in the last while . Can you install Vista on your new high end laptop . How are you going to install compatible hardware necessary to install Vista - even if you are lucky enough to catch the video card , onboard sound is usually done by relatively inexpensive ( read non Vista supported ) sound cards.Lol.
You have to give Microsoft credit yet again.

see link: http://www.iexbeta.com/wiki/index.php/Windows_Vista_Hardware_Compatibility_List#Sound_Cards_2

 

Fair and unfair

Perhaps, some of you are correct in your statements. However, I know, being part of the beta testing that there were a lot of companies that were involved in the design of Vista. My HP computer, had no issues loading vista from the beginning. Yes, some devices were not supported at first, but now, everything inside the box and most of the equipment connected, run like a charm.

Vista has taken quite the beating over things like hardware devices not being supported, and I would have to say that much of that complaint comes from those who don't take the time to make sure the system is sat for load before they load.

We can't blame Microsoft because many manufacturers have been slow releasing drivers. Or for the fact that some of the drivers released were not compatible. Microsoft didn't hide Vista, heck, they not only made it accessible to hardware and software manufacturers, but to the general public, almost a year before it was released. Microsoft didn't hide anything.

The Norton issue can't even be blamed on Microsoft, because for that whole year, the program was available, and you know that the company has either MSDN or Technet. Anwil had Avast Antivirus ready by the RC1 release. All the while Mcafee and Symantic were complaining, "We have no Kernal access. "

Back on the hardware, I will admit that Vista does have more of a requirement for hardware. Pretty much, you have to have an NVidia 6150 or better, or an X1300 ATI or better. But that is the price of progress. If Vista didn't have the requirements for the higher video standards, it wouldn't be half the program that it is. Some of the old hardware devices had to go. Soundcards, however, for the most were supported. Standard onboard sound for mainboards, like Realtek, had no problems. May have not had the HD features, but they worked. Creative Labs was still slow in driver release, and that was on them. Even my 4 year old notebook had no issues running Vista Basic. Vista requirements were pretty simple, and Microsoft even took the extra steps by creating the Upgrade Advisor, which would tell you what would or would not run with Vista before you even started. Moreover, many have gotten spoiled because Microsoft made a lot of universal drivers for XP, in most cases, installing a soundcard was simple. Just plug and go. We often forget that it isn't Microsoft's job to create the drivers for every piece of equipment.

Now I will admit that I have seen a lot of complaints that people's systems weren't working properly with Vista. And to that, I have no answers, because honestly, since RC1 was released the issues I have have been small, moving to few, and with Market Release Vista Home Premium, Home Basic, and Ultimate, I have had no issues at all. Everything runs like a charm. Which would lead me to believe that these "bugs" that many are claiming, aren't really "bugs" but user errors, or system faults (computer wise). I say that because I know I am not alone in being issue free.

I just took the time to make sure everythingwas ready, made sure I was Vista ready before release. I used the Upgrade advisor, changed my video card, put in another gig of ram, and rocked on. The change has been, for the most, seemless..

Just a thought