Yea, most likely, I'll be sticking with XP, unless I get a copy of Vista that I did not spend money on. I MAY consider it, after I can mess around with it (I'm sure someone I know will be buying it up).
Hmmm... I could always get a Mac or finally install Gentoo... <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tounge.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":p" border="0" alt="tounge.gif" />
<!--quoteo(post=1597413:date=Jan 10 2007, 07:55 PM:name=emperor_awesome)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(emperor_awesome @ Jan 10 2007, 07:55 PM) [snapback]1597413[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec--> Install ubuntu. Easiest thing in the world. <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--> But installing gentoo is funner, especially a stage1 install.
I have to agree with the "I don't want frilly crap" statements people have made. I do not use my computer to use an OS, that is only the middle-man that gets me to using the programs I want. Having a frilly-fancy resource hogging OS will just mess with other thing's performance. This is why I'm still stubbornly using Win2k, it works for what I need so I'll keep using it.
I'll be getting Vista for free - as I'm an IT-student and all. Not sure which versions of Vista will be available though. I'm hoping for Ultimate, but I don't plan on actually installing it once I get it. Maybe after 6 or so months I might consider it - but right now I feel it's just a bit too foolish to upgrade.
<!--quoteo(post=1596854:date=Jan 9 2007, 07:52 PM:name=Kouji_San)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Kouji_San @ Jan 9 2007, 07:52 PM) [snapback]1596854[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec--> Hmm faster? well it should be, but can I still simply run a w2k look desktop without all kinds of things hopping arround my screen and texts balloons popping up all the time, with a little modding? probably yes, but I lay the emphasis on "a little" not "a complete rebuilding of gui" <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin-fix.gif" />
I don't want fade effects in my OS I don't wand 3d crap in my OS I don't want MSN I don't want IE I don't want things hopping arround I don't want balloons I don't want other crap MS can come up with
Simply I don't want to have to do a ish load of work to get it back to the w2k look. All I want from an OS is to run and not screw arround with fancy crap <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tounge.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":p" border="0" alt="tounge.gif" /> <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Ok, hatred for Microsft, and Mr Gates in particular is getting REALLY old now. I'm neither a Microsoft fanboy, nor am I a linux advocate. I use things that are compatible with what I want to do, hence me not using any distribution of linux. If you want to moan about Microsoft, then there must be forums abound for that. Go find...
That aside, I'm probably going to upgrade to Vista, but only after my hardware is the same relative spec to the OS. My cards are DX9, and until I get the money for a high-end DX10 card, to SLi later, then I'm going to stick with x64 Pro. Undoubtedly, I'm gonna go for Ultimate. Texas Hold 'Em on the Xbox 360 hates me, and always deals me crap hands <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":(" border="0" alt="sad-fix.gif" />
EpidemicDark Force GorgeJoin Date: 2003-06-29Member: 17781Members
edited January 2007
Ok, you, as an experienced PR something and holder of an anti-linux avatar, post statements contrary to what everyone else experience, and ask us to believe a word of what you say. No sorry. The 150 you pay for a vista-upgrade is only spent for a new shell.
antifreezeThe guy with the goods!Join Date: 2003-05-12Member: 16232Members, Constellation
I'm currently using Vista Business from the MSDN Academic Alliance and it great. I had a few issues at first because it bugged the ish out of me with all the "Are you sure?" messages (Good god, it wouldn't even allow direct x to run straight away) but now it's pretty good. The only problem i am left with is the lack of support for my wireless card and bluetooth dongle.
<!--quoteo(post=1597124:date=Jan 10 2007, 11:08 AM:name=TychoCelchuuu)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TychoCelchuuu @ Jan 10 2007, 11:08 AM) [snapback]1597124[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec--> Not if you get a Microsoft employee to buy it for you from the company store! <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I wondered how long that would take. And no, I cannot, no matter how nice anyone asks. :-)
Definitely some misinformation floating around here, but it's only because Vista is new and the word's not yet out on the street as to what it brings you. Definitely check out:
Try to get past the appearance and dig a little deeper. I know, I know, reading is haaaaard Todd! :-P
As a side note, DX10 was never going to happen on XP not so much because evil MS wants your cash (although.. we do want your cash. Like all businesses), but because 90% of the GDI subsystem had to be rewritten in Vista to do all this cool stuff, and that sure as heck was not going to happen for XP.
Hang tough Iced_Eagle, I'm with ya on the excitement train.
---
Cost of XP Pro upgrade: $179.99
Cost of Vista Ultimate upgrade: $249.99
Complaining about how you will never run Windows on a forum for a game that only runs on Windows while posting from your Windows machine... priceless...
<!--quoteo(post=1597725:date=Jan 11 2007, 07:13 PM:name=Necro)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Necro @ Jan 11 2007, 07:13 PM) [snapback]1597725[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec--> while i'd like to go vista a lot of things turn me off like the constant nag-like warning messages or how everything seems drmified <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
You can turn off UAC (although I wouldn't advise it - and you'd be turning off the same security feature you have in Linux and OSX that somehow no one seems to care about). Once app developers get their acts together of the next few months, seeing UAC prompts will be a rarity. I see it only a couple times a day, and only for apps that are truly admin-level and <i>should </i> be prompting me.
As for DRM... nothing I can do to help you there - RIAA and MPAA has everyone by the groin. Go to Linux, but then you can't get all the music and movies in the first place, so it's a bit of pyrrhic victory.No joy with OSX there, they are the original DRM overlords.
Just do what Bill Gates recommended: Buy music online, download straight to CD, then rip.
I don't use parental controls (because my two dogs aren't gamers), but there's nothing about allowing games to be deleted in the end-user or game programmer's guidance:
Parental Controls are just group policies - same ones that have been there for 8 years in Win2000, XP, and 2003 (ordered under IE site policies and software policies often referred to as SAFER). This is simply a friendly way to control them as a parent, rather than the more powerful (but more complex) GPEDIT.MSC interface used by administrators in business environments. They never had the capability to delete, simply to block (which... is just as bad if your Mom said 'no HL2 after 9PM!').
<!--quoteo(post=1597751:date=Jan 11 2007, 08:05 PM:name=MonsieurEvil)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(MonsieurEvil @ Jan 11 2007, 08:05 PM) [snapback]1597751[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec--> I don't use parental controls (because my two dogs <b>aren't gamers</b>)
Still not seeing where it uninstalls games (it does remove shortcuts to games that your parents don't want you using, which makes sense). And yes, I realise he used to work for MS. Trust me when I say that we're not going to suddenly block every online game ever from working properly on Vista - why would that be in our interest? This fella has a case of the impatients and the half-truths...
Xyth... it be true. Although there are times when my Labrador will walk across my laptop while I try to play a mindless flash game and cause me to lose. So I guess he's a more a griefer...
Necro<insert non-birthday-related title here>Join Date: 2002-08-09Member: 1118Members
yes but i bought the computer as no one else will use it and if they do its for games!
i dont want it getting rid of my desktop shortcuts and forcing me to go to the start menu for games!
also i tried vista beta 2 at assembly (assembly.org) where they were literally giving em away and it ran fine - lack of audio drivers made me go but but on my new comp thats arriving this/next week (8800gtx/4gb ram/e6600) as u can see the specs its meant for nextgen games and vista but the whole limiting/whining about items is the only thing that really turns me off of it.
The number one thing that pisses me off about vista is the fact that it's the only OS with DX10. Being an avid gamer I want to keep up with the times, but I've never ever switched OSes to do so. 98se ran games just as well as XP does.
I'm not going to be extorted into running vista simply to get the new pretties. I don't think it'll be long until either the courts or game studios force MS to release DX10 for XP. Nobody's going to make a game that only 10% of their market can take full advantage of.
I don't give a rat's left testicle about any of the GUI changes in vista. I pared my XP back until it looked identical to 98/2k. I also turned off all windows sounds. It's a huge surprise when I visit someone and I'm using their computer and it makes that "Donk!" sound when an error occurs. The only thing that I like the sound of in vista is the improved searching doohicker. That sounds kinda handy.
I think people here are too young to remember that not only did you have to get a new OS to play the latest games 15 years ago (wait, I need DOS 3.0 5.0? 6.0? 6.22?), you had to buy all new computers. And not just because you needed better framerates, but because you needed a 32-bit processor all of the sudden and your motherboard only did 16-bit. And then a Pentium. And then a $400 video card that had 8MB of RAM and did something called OpenGL. And so on...
Life moves on folks. Just because it's software doesn't mean that magical elves can make everything backwards compatible forever.
There has to be a time when you start to realize that looking into the past becomes a waste of time, and it would be a much better to develop a forward-looking OS... I mean of course Microsoft took risks with Vista and you can never make everybody happy, but that's life. You need to cut backwards compatibility eventually and it will always come with hatred for those who like living in the past where nothing can change. For example, I grieved for days on end when Microsoft Bob would not work. Oh woe is me!!! Why?!
Also, there's tons of things that are stuck and proprietary to various OS' whether we like them or not, and not just DX10... What if I want Garage Band or some other Mac-only program on my Windows machine? I'm 100% confident that Apple can get it to run on Windows PC's, but they just won't. Oh, I'm also sure a lot of us own something that is almost completely proprietary and that actually is going to court and that is an iPod. It only works with iTunes and no if's and's or but's. That case is going to be interesting if Apple loses since I could then sync the iPod with other software and also it's iTunes format would be able to play on other devices other than Apple made ones. I'm going on a small tangent though <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" />
I'm so satisfied with Vista right now. If nobody here likes it, I'm perfectly fine since everybody has their opinions. Like Monse said, the biggest thing you can do is vote with your wallet. Sure MS probably won't miss your cash, but they will miss another Vista customer.
If you guys also aren't enjoying Vista right now, I can't wait to see your reactions when code-named Vienna hits ( <a href="http://jameskyton.wordpress.com/2006/12/29/beyond-windows-vista-fiji-and-vienna/" target="_blank">http://jameskyton.wordpress.com/2006/12/29...iji-and-vienna/</a> )... It's such a huge departure, if they keep their promises, that it really is the "next-gen" OS.
P.S. About my avatar, I could care less about what it's symbolizing... I just think it looks sweet <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=";)" border="0" alt="wink-fix.gif" /> I've never used FreeBSD. *gasp*
Talk to Apple though. I'm sure that if they can find a DRM-less way to do things everyone else will adopt it. They are the leader in downloadable music after-all and not anything that Microsoft has created. Not sure what that has to do with the point of this thread though.
One thing to say: How long's it going to take you to get compatable drivers on vista? Eh'? Seems like vista is the wait a year or so option of the day. No sane company is going to be sticking in DX10 requirements for quite some time I'd imagine. (Quite some time being 6 months-> year I imagine. Based off both developement time requirements and userbase.)
Every one of my drivers works perfectly fine... The only one that didn't work out of the box was my Creative Audigy, and that's because Creative has been so lazy in their driver creation.
The one they have out now is labeled a beta but works pretty much flawlessly.
If you have X64 then there are probably some difficulties finding some drivers, but it's the exact same way on XP x64.
*Edit* I agree... No developer who isn't sponsored by Microsoft is really going to be making titles Vista exclusive for a while. Most will start to phase it in like Age of Conan, Crysis, etc and just have both DX9 and DX10 renderers...
<!--quoteo(post=1597824:date=Jan 11 2007, 11:28 PM:name=Khaim)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Khaim @ Jan 11 2007, 11:28 PM) [snapback]1597824[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec--> One thing to say: How long's it going to take you to get compatable drivers on vista? Eh'? Seems like vista is the wait a year or so option of the day. No sane company is going to be sticking in DX10 requirements for quite some time I'd imagine. (Quite some time being 6 months-> year I imagine. Based off both developement time requirements and userbase.) <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<a href="http://windowsvistablog.com/blogs/windowsvista/archive/2006/11/17/updating-a-brand-new-product.aspx" target="_blank">19,500 device drivers on the Vista DVD, plus another 11,700 available as of 3 months ago via Windows update. Compared to 10,000 on XP...</a>
Im trying to be impartial here, so I went through that article Monse, piece by piece to see what i would think:
Aero - indifferent. Not a plus or minus for me. It can be turned off if not liked. Shell - definately an improvement. Search in the start menu and real time is good (don't think I've used search personally in years, simple when you keep the small amount of data organized <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tounge.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":p" border="0" alt="tounge.gif" />). Other stuff like breadcrumbs is a well done addition. Flip 3d? pretty big yawn for me, not really needed. Sidebar - not too sure here yet. Im one to try and keep my desktop fairly clean since I rarely look at it. Only my most common apps/games are on there and that's about it. Some of the widgets appear to be potentially useful, but Im not sold on it yet. Windows Mail - another good improvement. Would care if they weren't tons of other as-good or better options out there for free Windows Contacts - Im not a businessman, I don't have that many to keep track of. Never used any type of contacts list Windows Fax/Scan/Meeting place - never used. doubt i will anytime soon. Paint - glad it caught up to the real word, sort of. Again, tons of free, better options. Sound Recorder - never done much. Now I can save in a windows propritary format, woot. Calculator - good upgrade. The most complicated things I do are the 4 main things Snipping tool - very cool. good addition! Photo Gallary/Movie/dvd maker - I don't own any cameras (digital or video) since all my friends own them and they are always around when the moment is needed for one <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" /> IE7 - well, it's better. Again, more better options for free. Can get on XP. WMP 11 - I use winamp for music listening, and WMP for video clip watchig. I havent ever been annoyed with WMP so this may be an improvement, not sure? Windows Media Center - not gonna be using this (or any of my) PC's like that soon sadly. IIS7 - uh, never will use, never did! Security - always a welcome improvement. But Vista will be a big OS, and be found full of bugs, just like anything else on a computer, not specific to them. A little common sense will do anywhere here. dX10 - want for gaming, good improvement. sad only Vista. other grahpic stuff - falls under the 'dont need, dont care' audio - one area on XP I have no real complaints. Nothing new thats important to me here speech recognition - if it's good, might be fun to use. Sadly I tried it out in Office 2003, and well, it really didn't like my Psyc papers. Bunch of russian names and words it never understood <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tounge.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":p" border="0" alt="tounge.gif" /> Print - er, ah, wha? I really dont understand whats new there even Networking - good to see IPv6 in. Again, simple wireless/wired network here that runs smoothly, no need for fancy drawing of what I have setup. bunch o' technical stuff - sure, sounds great! Recovery/installation - big plus, good to see stuff like this finally be added and improved on. One of the few features that make me actually want this (we're at 2 now, with Dx10!) Diagnostics - good to hear. Will want to see how well the work in practice before tho Rest of technical stuff - sure, again, great. Removing windows messenger? Finally! Thank god for messengerOFF in XP
so, after that huge list? I found 2 things that I really liked. dx10 and recovery. I also like the new interface layout (breadcrumbs) somewhat, but not really mandatory. Other than that, nothing much for me. I can honestly say, until dx10 becomes prevelant, I have no real reason to upgrade.
Comments
Hmmm... I could always get a Mac or finally install Gentoo... <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tounge.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":p" border="0" alt="tounge.gif" />
Install ubuntu. Easiest thing in the world.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
But installing gentoo is funner, especially a stage1 install.
Hmm faster? well it should be, but can I still simply run a w2k look desktop without all kinds of things hopping arround my screen and texts balloons popping up all the time, with a little modding? probably yes, but I lay the emphasis on "a little" not "a complete rebuilding of gui" <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin-fix.gif" />
I don't want fade effects in my OS
I don't wand 3d crap in my OS
I don't want MSN
I don't want IE
I don't want things hopping arround
I don't want balloons
I don't want other crap MS can come up with
Simply I don't want to have to do a ish load of work to get it back to the w2k look. All I want from an OS is to run and not screw arround with fancy crap <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tounge.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":p" border="0" alt="tounge.gif" />
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Thus XP + Blackbox = speeeeeed
That aside, I'm probably going to upgrade to Vista, but only after my hardware is the same relative spec to the OS. My cards are DX9, and until I get the money for a high-end DX10 card, to SLi later, then I'm going to stick with x64 Pro. Undoubtedly, I'm gonna go for Ultimate. Texas Hold 'Em on the Xbox 360 hates me, and always deals me crap hands <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":(" border="0" alt="sad-fix.gif" />
Hench the BSD daemon stabbing Tux with his pitchfork...
Not if you get a Microsoft employee to buy it for you from the company store!
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I wondered how long that would take. And no, I cannot, no matter how nice anyone asks. :-)
Definitely some misinformation floating around here, but it's only because Vista is new and the word's not yet out on the street as to what it brings you. Definitely check out:
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Features_new_to_windows_vista" target="_blank">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Features_new_to_windows_vista</a>
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Security_features_in_Windows_Vista" target="_blank">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Security_feat...n_Windows_Vista</a>
Try to get past the appearance and dig a little deeper. I know, I know, reading is haaaaard Todd! :-P
As a side note, DX10 was never going to happen on XP not so much because evil MS wants your cash (although.. we do want your cash. Like all businesses), but because 90% of the GDI subsystem had to be rewritten in Vista to do all this cool stuff, and that sure as heck was not going to happen for XP.
Hang tough Iced_Eagle, I'm with ya on the excitement train.
---
Cost of XP Pro upgrade: $179.99
Cost of Vista Ultimate upgrade: $249.99
Complaining about how you will never run Windows on a forum for a game that only runs on Windows while posting from your Windows machine... priceless...
;-)
while i'd like to go vista a lot of things turn me off like the constant nag-like warning messages or how everything seems drmified
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
You can turn off UAC (although I wouldn't advise it - and you'd be turning off the same security feature you have in Linux and OSX that somehow no one seems to care about). Once app developers get their acts together of the next few months, seeing UAC prompts will be a rarity. I see it only a couple times a day, and only for apps that are truly admin-level and <i>should </i> be prompting me.
As for DRM... nothing I can do to help you there - RIAA and MPAA has everyone by the groin. Go to Linux, but then you can't get all the music and movies in the first place, so it's a bit of pyrrhic victory.No joy with OSX there, they are the original DRM overlords.
Just do what Bill Gates recommended: Buy music online, download straight to CD, then rip.
<a href="http://www.microsoft.com/windowsvista/community/parentalcontrols.mspx" target="_blank">http://www.microsoft.com/windowsvista/comm...alcontrols.mspx</a>
<a href="http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms711320.aspx" target="_blank">http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms711320.aspx</a>
Parental Controls are just group policies - same ones that have been there for 8 years in Win2000, XP, and 2003 (ordered under IE site policies and software policies often referred to as SAFER). This is simply a friendly way to control them as a parent, rather than the more powerful (but more complex) GPEDIT.MSC interface used by administrators in business environments. They never had the capability to delete, simply to block (which... is just as bad if your Mom said 'no HL2 after 9PM!').
I don't use parental controls (because my two dogs <b>aren't gamers</b>)
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
You have <i>failed</i> as a parent!
<a href="http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=12314" target="_blank">http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=12314</a>
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Still not seeing where it uninstalls games (it does remove shortcuts to games that your parents don't want you using, which makes sense). And yes, I realise he used to work for MS. Trust me when I say that we're not going to suddenly block every online game ever from working properly on Vista - why would that be in our interest? This fella has a case of the impatients and the half-truths...
Xyth... it be true. Although there are times when my Labrador will walk across my laptop while I try to play a mindless flash game and cause me to lose. So I guess he's a more a griefer...
i dont want it getting rid of my desktop shortcuts and forcing me to go to the start menu for games!
also i tried vista beta 2 at assembly (assembly.org) where they were literally giving em away and it ran fine - lack of audio drivers made me go but but on my new comp thats arriving this/next week (8800gtx/4gb ram/e6600) as u can see the specs its meant for nextgen games and vista but the whole limiting/whining about items is the only thing that really turns me off of it.
I'm not going to be extorted into running vista simply to get the new pretties. I don't think it'll be long until either the courts or game studios force MS to release DX10 for XP. Nobody's going to make a game that only 10% of their market can take full advantage of.
I don't give a rat's left testicle about any of the GUI changes in vista. I pared my XP back until it looked identical to 98/2k. I also turned off all windows sounds. It's a huge surprise when I visit someone and I'm using their computer and it makes that "Donk!" sound when an error occurs. The only thing that I like the sound of in vista is the improved searching doohicker. That sounds kinda handy.
--Scythe--
I think people here are too young to remember that not only did you have to get a new OS to play the latest games 15 years ago (wait, I need DOS 3.0 5.0? 6.0? 6.22?), you had to buy all new computers. And not just because you needed better framerates, but because you needed a 32-bit processor all of the sudden and your motherboard only did 16-bit. And then a Pentium. And then a $400 video card that had 8MB of RAM and did something called OpenGL. And so on...
Life moves on folks. Just because it's software doesn't mean that magical elves can make everything backwards compatible forever.
There has to be a time when you start to realize that looking into the past becomes a waste of time, and it would be a much better to develop a forward-looking OS... I mean of course Microsoft took risks with Vista and you can never make everybody happy, but that's life. You need to cut backwards compatibility eventually and it will always come with hatred for those who like living in the past where nothing can change. For example, I grieved for days on end when Microsoft Bob would not work. Oh woe is me!!! Why?!
Also, there's tons of things that are stuck and proprietary to various OS' whether we like them or not, and not just DX10... What if I want Garage Band or some other Mac-only program on my Windows machine? I'm 100% confident that Apple can get it to run on Windows PC's, but they just won't. Oh, I'm also sure a lot of us own something that is almost completely proprietary and that actually is going to court and that is an iPod. It only works with iTunes and no if's and's or but's. That case is going to be interesting if Apple loses since I could then sync the iPod with other software and also it's iTunes format would be able to play on other devices other than Apple made ones. I'm going on a small tangent though <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" />
I'm so satisfied with Vista right now. If nobody here likes it, I'm perfectly fine since everybody has their opinions. Like Monse said, the biggest thing you can do is vote with your wallet. Sure MS probably won't miss your cash, but they will miss another Vista customer.
If you guys also aren't enjoying Vista right now, I can't wait to see your reactions when code-named Vienna hits ( <a href="http://jameskyton.wordpress.com/2006/12/29/beyond-windows-vista-fiji-and-vienna/" target="_blank">http://jameskyton.wordpress.com/2006/12/29...iji-and-vienna/</a> )... It's such a huge departure, if they keep their promises, that it really is the "next-gen" OS.
P.S. About my avatar, I could care less about what it's symbolizing... I just think it looks sweet <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=";)" border="0" alt="wink-fix.gif" /> I've never used FreeBSD. *gasp*
Talk to Apple though. I'm sure that if they can find a DRM-less way to do things everyone else will adopt it. They are the leader in downloadable music after-all and not anything that Microsoft has created. Not sure what that has to do with the point of this thread though.
The one they have out now is labeled a beta but works pretty much flawlessly.
If you have X64 then there are probably some difficulties finding some drivers, but it's the exact same way on XP x64.
*Edit* I agree... No developer who isn't sponsored by Microsoft is really going to be making titles Vista exclusive for a while. Most will start to phase it in like Age of Conan, Crysis, etc and just have both DX9 and DX10 renderers...
One thing to say: How long's it going to take you to get compatable drivers on vista? Eh'? Seems like vista is the wait a year or so option of the day. No sane company is going to be sticking in DX10 requirements for quite some time I'd imagine. (Quite some time being 6 months-> year I imagine. Based off both developement time requirements and userbase.)
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<a href="http://windowsvistablog.com/blogs/windowsvista/archive/2006/11/17/updating-a-brand-new-product.aspx" target="_blank">19,500 device drivers on the Vista DVD, plus another 11,700 available as of 3 months ago via Windows update. Compared to 10,000 on XP...</a>
Aero - indifferent. Not a plus or minus for me. It can be turned off if not liked.
Shell - definately an improvement. Search in the start menu and real time is good (don't think I've used search personally in years, simple when you keep the small amount of data organized <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tounge.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":p" border="0" alt="tounge.gif" />). Other stuff like breadcrumbs is a well done addition. Flip 3d? pretty big yawn for me, not really needed.
Sidebar - not too sure here yet. Im one to try and keep my desktop fairly clean since I rarely look at it. Only my most common apps/games are on there and that's about it. Some of the widgets appear to be potentially useful, but Im not sold on it yet.
Windows Mail - another good improvement. Would care if they weren't tons of other as-good or better options out there for free
Windows Contacts - Im not a businessman, I don't have that many to keep track of. Never used any type of contacts list
Windows Fax/Scan/Meeting place - never used. doubt i will anytime soon.
Paint - glad it caught up to the real word, sort of. Again, tons of free, better options.
Sound Recorder - never done much. Now I can save in a windows propritary format, woot.
Calculator - good upgrade. The most complicated things I do are the 4 main things
Snipping tool - very cool. good addition!
Photo Gallary/Movie/dvd maker - I don't own any cameras (digital or video) since all my friends own them and they are always around when the moment is needed for one <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" />
IE7 - well, it's better. Again, more better options for free. Can get on XP.
WMP 11 - I use winamp for music listening, and WMP for video clip watchig. I havent ever been annoyed with WMP so this may be an improvement, not sure?
Windows Media Center - not gonna be using this (or any of my) PC's like that soon sadly.
IIS7 - uh, never will use, never did!
Security - always a welcome improvement. But Vista will be a big OS, and be found full of bugs, just like anything else on a computer, not specific to them. A little common sense will do anywhere here.
dX10 - want for gaming, good improvement. sad only Vista.
other grahpic stuff - falls under the 'dont need, dont care'
audio - one area on XP I have no real complaints. Nothing new thats important to me here
speech recognition - if it's good, might be fun to use. Sadly I tried it out in Office 2003, and well, it really didn't like my Psyc papers. Bunch of russian names and words it never understood <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tounge.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":p" border="0" alt="tounge.gif" />
Print - er, ah, wha? I really dont understand whats new there even
Networking - good to see IPv6 in. Again, simple wireless/wired network here that runs smoothly, no need for fancy drawing of what I have setup.
bunch o' technical stuff - sure, sounds great!
Recovery/installation - big plus, good to see stuff like this finally be added and improved on. One of the few features that make me actually want this (we're at 2 now, with Dx10!)
Diagnostics - good to hear. Will want to see how well the work in practice before tho
Rest of technical stuff - sure, again, great.
Removing windows messenger? Finally! Thank god for messengerOFF in XP
so, after that huge list? I found 2 things that I really liked. dx10 and recovery. I also like the new interface layout (breadcrumbs) somewhat, but not really mandatory. Other than that, nothing much for me. I can honestly say, until dx10 becomes prevelant, I have no real reason to upgrade.