Vista Death Watch

[IronBits]

Microsoft has extended the life of Windows XP because Vista has simply not shown any life in the market. We have to begin to ask ourselves if we are really looking at Windows Me/2007, destined to be a disdained flop. By all estimates the number of Vista installations hovers around the number of Macs in use.
Pretty good read.
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2704,2209837,00.asp

So what went wrong with Vista in the first place? Let’s start off with the elephant in the room. The product was overpriced from the outset. Why was it so expensive? What was special about it? All the cool and promised features of the original vision of Longhorn were gutted simply because it was beyond Microsoft’s capability to implement those features.

[Brucifer]

Yes, it's a good read. Says a bunch of things I've wondered about myself, and has some really worthwhile comments to MS. I liked the comment about dropping all the versions of vista, just selling Ultimate, and dropping the price to $90. However, I myself and I, would not walk into a store and lay down $90 to purchase vista. It is just a loser. They need to recognize that fact and just move on. It is the Edsel of the software world. Unlike Vista though, the Edsel functioned just fine as an automobile operationally. The same can't be said for Vista.

There is one more idea I have that wasn't in the article. Maybe if MS was really really truly and *really* serious about fixing Vista, a start could be made by just putting the WHOLE Vista package into the open source world with a license on it to retain the upgrades into the new releases, like the linux kernel for instance.

Then maybe MS might see some world class programmers work on fixing it. uhmmmm what kind of fixes? Like code that runs nice and fast without 72 layers of legacy bloat, just to start with.

But we all know that isn't going to happen. And MS won't knock the price down to $90, or reduce the # of versions to just one either.

Maybe MS should just fess-up, tell the world they blew it, revert back to pushing XP as their main O/S effort, take the big write-down like the banks with the sub-prime thing. Who knows, they might gain a bit of credibility. :)

edit: And maybe too, they should send a "Tiger Team" over to Apple to see Uncle Steve about how they could start off with a BSD variant and.......................... heh heh heh

[PCZ]

So we don't care much for Vista round here then :rotfl:

I also think it's a steaming turd.
However i wouldn't want them to pull it and add all the 'features' to XP.
That would just ruin XP.

XP is just fine the way it is thanks.
About the only thing i would want added is DX10.

Not all the blame for Vista's crappiness can be laid at Microsofts door though.
Media companies forced MS into including the DRM layers which have resulted
in awful sound and video driver issues.

If XP were to have it's life extended whilst MS goes off to rethink the next windows, you can bet your last dollar that the DRM crap from vista would end up in XP.

It could come in the DX10 package for XP.
They might make it a required install for windows update to function.
Either way you can be sure they will ruin XP if Vista fails.

[jasong]

Not all the blame for Vista's crappiness can be laid at Microsofts door though. Media companies forced MS into including the DRM layers which have resulted in awful sound and video driver issues.

If XP were to have it's life extended whilst MS goes off to rethink the next windows, you can bet your last dollar that the DRM crap from vista would end up in XP.
I know this is off-topic, but I'd support DRM if it wouldn't interfere with the ability to use the music and video files on other devices. The only reason a lot of people are pirates is because calling up the various movie production companies and asking them what they think a fair price would be for your download would simply put you on the radar. The irony is that most people are dishonest about this because honesty could get you a jail sentence and a stiff fine.

Plus, $2 for an episode of Lost is just ridiculous.

[Shish]

I have tried Vista in several different configurations but the loss of all the primary, decent stuff has just left it a bloated (and yes, thank god, decent , ddr2 memory is very fortunately cheap.) slow heap of junk which M$ is desperately trying to hang on to for the sake of market share and profits. Eventually, Bill Gates' successors will realise it and try a new tack to recover their profit margin but in the meantime, I will be trying to replace my much missed last remaining corporate disk copies of both destroyed in the disaster of a blowing mains area transformer which took out 2 well protected servers in one go along with some 2.6Gb of raid 5 data. Unfortunately I am retired from the IT world so will end up paying through the nose for new M$ disks or a subscription which I no longer really need as I still won't use pirate stuff. Luckily, I still have a legal XP corporate license key even if I've lost the media for both my XP and Server 2003. Those disks don't half shatter and explode quite nicely into a pile of very sharp shards when a 'puter dies in the middle of of high speed copying.
So that's me dead set against Vista in any configuration and looking forward to when Microsoft get their corporate act together. Might even finish my 'Nix education as I can't afford new Mac kit nowadays either.
Guess I'll just have to get on with building my nice retirement home if the government grants ever materialise to pay for the green bits getting installed as soon as the weather clears up.

[IronBits]

http://blogs.zdnet.com/microsoft/?p=1071


As 2007 rolls to a close, Microsoft isn’t letting up on its efforts to push Windows Vista.

The latest promotion is aimed at subscribers Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) or TechNet who provided Microsoft with Vista testing feedback.

“As we approach the one year anniversary of launching Windows Vista we want to remember you as one of the many people who downloaded and tested one of the Windows Vista Beta or Release Candidates through TechNet or MSDN. YOU were a significant contributor to the development of Windows Vista. Your participation was extremely valuable to Microsoft, and we would like to say, ‘Thank You!’” according to an e-mail message I received about the promotion at the end of December.

Under terms of “The Ultimate Offer,” testers can go to any retail or online store and buy a copy of Vista Ultimate (full or upgrade version) for full price and Microsoft will match it with a second complimentary Vista Ultimate Upgrade product key.
To participate in the promotion, invited testers should go to the Vista Tester Offers site. The promotion ends January 15, 2008.

[Shish]

Oh that's good. 2 heaps of rubbish for the price of one :clap:.
I did get something like that from M$ UK in amongst the usual marketing junk I'm still getting despite not renewing my Technet sub which was getting a bit pricey.
I'll still stick with my XP till they bring out a new version with the upgrade bits they gutted out of Vista. Might invest in a copy of SBS or similar at a reasonable (government) price to get some new media.
Need the time to complete my 'Nix education which may just happen if I'm flat on my back for 6 months for a titanium implant.
I've got 2 of my machines back up and running and waiting for the replacement new bits for t'other 2 so XP is OK along with my VLC server software for the video sharing on the network.

[Paratima]

I would not cross the street for a free copy of Vista.

I still have several copies of XP Pro SP2 that I bought up last year, just in case M$ actually did shut down sales of XP. I'm doing a brisk little side business (that I didn't anticipate) migrating systems for people who bought new boxes with Vista and found they couldn't stand it. Yay, Microsoft! :smoking:

Kinda makes me think... Years ago, when I was deep into systems software development, I had a chance to go to work for a startup called Microsoft. I passed it up, because I had my own company at the time. If I had done it, I would likely have made a lot more money.

But then I think about the corporate culture that would let state of the art developers bring out a product like Vista and I wonder. How could you be on that team and not say, "Whoa, we're creating a monster here. Shouldn't we take another look at the big picture?" But if you did, you'd likely be out on your ear. It's all run by Marketing. Not a pretty picture.

Excellent article. I've read Dvorak for years. Haven't always agreed with him, but this time, he's definitely got it dead right.

[dragongoddess]

Vista what a joke. Tell me ol master of the software:
What can I do with a new OS that I couldn't do with Windows 3.1?

[LAURENU2]

Vista what a joke. Tell me ol master of the software:
What can I do with a new OS that I couldn't do with Windows 3.1?
Well here is one off the top of my head Get Nag-ed to Death about Permissions:lmao:

[Paratima]

Are you sure you want to do that? :D

[gopher_yarrowzoo]

Are REALLY Sure you wanna do this???

YES for the 15th ****ing time you god damn PC just get on with it or I'll upgrade you to Windows ME!

Vista stripped down apparently. (http://www.informationweek.com/shared/printableArticle.jhtml?articleID=205920302)

[Orakk]

Are REALLY Sure you wanna do this???

YES for the 15th ****ing time you god damn PC just get on with it or I'll upgrade you to Windows ME!

Well put :bang: I'll be sticking with XP64bit for some time yet I think. :rock:

[PCZ]

Yesterday i installed vista to try out service pack 1.
Today i am re installing XP :o

[Fozzie]

I installed it just to have a look.

To say I hate it would be a slight exaggeration but only slight. There are so many easy things you used to do that Vista has made harder or more cumbersome. Sure it makes somethings easier for the computer inept but for those who know what to do it just makes it soooo fiddly.:swear:

Massive own goal for M$.

[melter65]

I found this (http://blip.tv/file/340692) video a while back :clap:

[LAURENU2]

I see nobody must want it, the price has been cut down by over 1/2 to 49.99 for vista home

[jasong]

I see nobody must want it, the price has been cut down by over 1/2 to 49.99 for vista home
The best price I could find with a quick 2 minute search was ~$93.

At that price, I might buy it for my next cruncher so I can dip my toe in the gaming market. I'd still mostly use my Linux PC for general web-surfing stuff, but I could use the second pc for gaming and crunching exclusively. Shoot, at $93, if it's a bust I could earn karma points by shooting it to the first Free-DC member that wants it.

Better to waste hours of your time on a bad OS than to pay $90+ in order to waste hours of your time on a bad OS.

[LAURENU2]

it was at microcenter.com

[Paratima]

Lead article at Windows Secrets sez, "If you want XP, best be quick about it" :)

Linky to the article (http://www.windowssecrets.com/2008/03/06/02-Get-yourself-an-XP-system-while-you-still-can)

I've already told them I'm cancelling my subscription in favor of "Mac Secrets", if there is such a thing. (There must be!)

[rpertusio]

SP1 for Vista released on Windows Update today