Did anyone else download this public evaluation of Windows Vista? It took me about 2.5 hours to download with a fast connection. I used a blank hard drive to install it.(Though it did give the option to upgrade XP.) It installed quickly, recognized, and properly installed everything except my TV card without additional software, and it installed drivers for that after I let it search for new Vista drivers. It seems to run quicky, and well, on my computer, though IMHO the compatibility wizard sucked. Anyone else try this? Not sure yet whether I'm impressed or not.
Windows Vista RC1 Evaluation download
- Thread starter retroguy
- Start date
Help Support :
I'm sticking with good ole Windows 98 until MS works out any bugs. Never upgraded the last time and for what one does with the comptuter saw no real difference. As MS has stopped customer support for Win98, that may be the only reason for me to upgrade.
All and all may consider waiting until I purchase a new computer, and just get the lot then. Though with the quality of new Dell computers, am kind of leaning towards keeping my older unit.
L.
All and all may consider waiting until I purchase a new computer, and just get the lot then. Though with the quality of new Dell computers, am kind of leaning towards keeping my older unit.
L.
kevinpreston8
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What's amazing to me about Windows...
no matter how much time goes by, Windows never really net-net gets faster, easier to use, or better. Sure, there are alot more features that most people never use. As I have been in the technology business since the old Apple 2 days, I cannot even fathom why computers take so long to start up. Put the core OS in field replaceable ROMS and be done with it. The damn thing should just turn on! Instantly! DONE! But no.
My factory loaded XP system with all the updates still will occasionally lock up, still will let one session kill other sessions, still will not always shut completely down. To properly use my video editing software, I really need to have all other programs off. This is progress?
At what point, really, will Windows work as good as Macintosh's did two decades ago? I mean really...registry problems, code so loose that a million viruses can attack it, hogging more and more memory? And for what? The old versions that run perfectly well have to be scrapped because of either no support or newer programs won't run on them. So you keep upgrading but things never get better.
The only real, substantial change I have seen in the past several years in the computer world is speed and storage. The biggest usable change for consumers has been in the form of high speed internet, and in dealing with video and being able to process it and process animation.
That we are still so many years down the road with Microsoft products and still having the same old problems with it attests to what happens when you have a virtual monopoly on any market. Quality sucks and people just accept it.
no matter how much time goes by, Windows never really net-net gets faster, easier to use, or better. Sure, there are alot more features that most people never use. As I have been in the technology business since the old Apple 2 days, I cannot even fathom why computers take so long to start up. Put the core OS in field replaceable ROMS and be done with it. The damn thing should just turn on! Instantly! DONE! But no.
My factory loaded XP system with all the updates still will occasionally lock up, still will let one session kill other sessions, still will not always shut completely down. To properly use my video editing software, I really need to have all other programs off. This is progress?
At what point, really, will Windows work as good as Macintosh's did two decades ago? I mean really...registry problems, code so loose that a million viruses can attack it, hogging more and more memory? And for what? The old versions that run perfectly well have to be scrapped because of either no support or newer programs won't run on them. So you keep upgrading but things never get better.
The only real, substantial change I have seen in the past several years in the computer world is speed and storage. The biggest usable change for consumers has been in the form of high speed internet, and in dealing with video and being able to process it and process animation.
That we are still so many years down the road with Microsoft products and still having the same old problems with it attests to what happens when you have a virtual monopoly on any market. Quality sucks and people just accept it.
westytoploader
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On my new computer (Dell OptiPlex GX520 small form factor) under the "Designed for Microsoft Windows XP" sticker, it says "Windows Vista Capable". When I saw that I wondered about its release and when it would be. While upgrading seems like "the cool thing to do", there always looms the possiblity of this version being another Windows 95 (we all know how pathetically unreliable THAT version was!).
And what about running older software? I'm sorry, but I like the ability to play classic side-scrolling DOS games from XP (provided that I run each through VDMSound first for SB16 emulation), and not only that, but my Sony digital camera/drivers are 2001-vintage. I'm thinking none of that will be functional with Windows Vista due to compatibility issues. Until I can afford a digital SLR I'm keeping that camera. When we think about how some programs designed for 98 do not work on XP (my camera software doesn't say XP anywhere on the CD, but miraculously works fine), there's no doubt it will be the same here.
And can someone provide a screenshot? I'd like to see how the layout is of this OS, and if anything has changed. I've been familiar with XP (Home & Professional, Service Pack 1 & 2) for a little over 2 years and quite like it.
I think when this particular computer (and all peripheral devices I have that go along with it) I'm using now becomes obsolete, which will be a while, then I'll check this new setup out.
--Austin
And what about running older software? I'm sorry, but I like the ability to play classic side-scrolling DOS games from XP (provided that I run each through VDMSound first for SB16 emulation), and not only that, but my Sony digital camera/drivers are 2001-vintage. I'm thinking none of that will be functional with Windows Vista due to compatibility issues. Until I can afford a digital SLR I'm keeping that camera. When we think about how some programs designed for 98 do not work on XP (my camera software doesn't say XP anywhere on the CD, but miraculously works fine), there's no doubt it will be the same here.
And can someone provide a screenshot? I'd like to see how the layout is of this OS, and if anything has changed. I've been familiar with XP (Home & Professional, Service Pack 1 & 2) for a little over 2 years and quite like it.
I think when this particular computer (and all peripheral devices I have that go along with it) I'm using now becomes obsolete, which will be a while, then I'll check this new setup out.
--Austin
westytoploader
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Kevin, I didn't see your post until now. I agree 100% that computers have only become more complicated than they were, say, 15 years ago...I remember the simplicity of MS-DOS and learning the commands at 4 years old! Sure, the command prompt was intimidating to those who weren't familiar with it, but it offered so much flexibility. Look at how many steps you have to take to look at the contents of a disk now! It's not just A: and DIR/P anymore, sadly.
My old 486-33 computer, that ran MS-DOS 6.2 and Windows 3.1, booted completely in 20 seconds, simply because there were fewer commands to be carried out. There was no "system registry" BS, instead AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS held all of the commands to be run on startup. The living room computer (2-year-old Dell Dimension 2400) takes 5 minutes to load up, if not more. Due to all of the processes in the registry and lack of memory to run them all, the computer slows down considerably.
On my current PC mentioned above, thanks to 1 GB of RAM and a 3.4 GHz Pentium 4 HT hyper-threaded processor, Windows XP boots in exactly 30 seconds from the moment I hit the power button. Really sad when you think about it, but since modern operating systems are so complex, you almost HAVE to have a fast processor and ample memory in order to run them efficiently. All part of the "planned obsolescence" thing I guess...
My old 486-33 computer, that ran MS-DOS 6.2 and Windows 3.1, booted completely in 20 seconds, simply because there were fewer commands to be carried out. There was no "system registry" BS, instead AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS held all of the commands to be run on startup. The living room computer (2-year-old Dell Dimension 2400) takes 5 minutes to load up, if not more. Due to all of the processes in the registry and lack of memory to run them all, the computer slows down considerably.
On my current PC mentioned above, thanks to 1 GB of RAM and a 3.4 GHz Pentium 4 HT hyper-threaded processor, Windows XP boots in exactly 30 seconds from the moment I hit the power button. Really sad when you think about it, but since modern operating systems are so complex, you almost HAVE to have a fast processor and ample memory in order to run them efficiently. All part of the "planned obsolescence" thing I guess...
I'm running WinNT4 and Win2K on various machines. I do not like XP, and it's unlikely Vista will be of interest to me, except as a forced upgrade to support new hardware, which thus far hasn't been necessary.
Vista Issues
The computer I put Vista on is a 3.6Ghz P4HT with 2 GB Ram. Westy...some of my XP programs wont run on Vista. Even with the Compatibility Wizards help. You'd have to just experience the thing to understand it. I cant describe any of it....it's a tad wierd. Go figure. As far as the screenshot goes, I cant even do that. The only way I have of doing it works ok with WinXP, not Vista. The aero glass graphics are very cool though. I'll post more on this if anyone is interested, as I use it. I'll also try to figure out how to get a screenshot.(Any suggestions?) None of the classic games I like to play work in Vista. A few dont even work in XP. (Sim City 2000) I can play it in Windows 98 though. Thank God for small favors.
The computer I put Vista on is a 3.6Ghz P4HT with 2 GB Ram. Westy...some of my XP programs wont run on Vista. Even with the Compatibility Wizards help. You'd have to just experience the thing to understand it. I cant describe any of it....it's a tad wierd. Go figure. As far as the screenshot goes, I cant even do that. The only way I have of doing it works ok with WinXP, not Vista. The aero glass graphics are very cool though. I'll post more on this if anyone is interested, as I use it. I'll also try to figure out how to get a screenshot.(Any suggestions?) None of the classic games I like to play work in Vista. A few dont even work in XP. (Sim City 2000) I can play it in Windows 98 though. Thank God for small favors.
jasonl
New member
Let's go back to Dos
And play games from the command line as they should be without trying to compete with the GUI
And play games from the command line as they should be without trying to compete with the GUI
I made the mistake of loading a BETA (testing) version of Microsoft Internet Explorer. BOO HISS YUK!
Sorry, I don't know about you, but I'll stick to tried-and- true offical relases.
Sorry, I don't know about you, but I'll stick to tried-and- true offical relases.
westytoploader
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Ahhhh
I used to tick off a few people on a project I worked on by pointed out, while we were waiting for Windoesn't to reboot for the 50,000,000,000 time, that at home, I have a Mac, because it's unix and..just...works...
Windows is basically a big piece of closed proprietary garbage that's not worth the effort. You want real stability and security, go UNIX (or VMS if you're weird
)
I used to tick off a few people on a project I worked on by pointed out, while we were waiting for Windoesn't to reboot for the 50,000,000,000 time, that at home, I have a Mac, because it's unix and..just...works...
Windows is basically a big piece of closed proprietary garbage that's not worth the effort. You want real stability and security, go UNIX (or VMS if you're weird
)kevinpreston8
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There is no doubt...
If it weren't for mandatory compliance issues with my work, I would have a big honkin' Macintosh on my desk. Heck, next go-around, I might just do it anyway.
If it weren't for mandatory compliance issues with my work, I would have a big honkin' Macintosh on my desk. Heck, next go-around, I might just do it anyway.
Hrm...
My main machine is an intel based Mac. I had a Windows XP partition on it for a bit but I decided to remove it once I heard of Crossover. Lets you install Windows applications right onto a Mac, without having any Windows. So who needs Windows anyway?
But whatever. I have a Dell that gathers dust next to my work Macintosh. I use it to compare layouts for FileMaker, since most of my users use PCs. Once in a while, some manufacturer makes a bit of software or hardware that doesn't work on the Mac and I just shake my head. I know a lot of Mac users, and it seems like they are throwing away profit. Its not 1992 anymore, Apple is going strong and in the black.
When people ask me what to buy, I usually say to buy an Apple if they can afford it and find it appealing. No reason not to, since it can run both OSes. Then again, when people ask me what car to buy, I tend to tell them to buy a BMW, if they can afford it. Why not get the pretty one? Thats what it really boils down to. Personally, I don't want to look at a big black plastic box with blue lights and grey plastic air grills. I'd rather have the nice clean white lines of a shiny new iMac. Kinda makes me think of white goods...
As far as Windows Vista... its hard for me to get excited over an operating system anymore. I've seen some of Vista and its nicer than XP, I guess. Always seems that MS is soo excited about some new feature and they cram it into their new toy, and it doesn't work all that well, or the implimentation is weird. I give them a lot of credit for trying new stuff, but sometimes I wonder if they can see their products from the end users point of view. "This would be a nice feature if it wasn't carried out soo badly." Who has enough time to learn how to really use and care for a computer? Why should you have to? (and if you do, how will I ever make a living?)
Then again, it looks like Apple is pretty much ignoring the Human Interface Guidelines they put together years ago. So I guess its all going to hell.
Maybe I should go back to GS/OS.
www.codeweavers.com
My main machine is an intel based Mac. I had a Windows XP partition on it for a bit but I decided to remove it once I heard of Crossover. Lets you install Windows applications right onto a Mac, without having any Windows. So who needs Windows anyway?
But whatever. I have a Dell that gathers dust next to my work Macintosh. I use it to compare layouts for FileMaker, since most of my users use PCs. Once in a while, some manufacturer makes a bit of software or hardware that doesn't work on the Mac and I just shake my head. I know a lot of Mac users, and it seems like they are throwing away profit. Its not 1992 anymore, Apple is going strong and in the black.
When people ask me what to buy, I usually say to buy an Apple if they can afford it and find it appealing. No reason not to, since it can run both OSes. Then again, when people ask me what car to buy, I tend to tell them to buy a BMW, if they can afford it. Why not get the pretty one? Thats what it really boils down to. Personally, I don't want to look at a big black plastic box with blue lights and grey plastic air grills. I'd rather have the nice clean white lines of a shiny new iMac. Kinda makes me think of white goods...
As far as Windows Vista... its hard for me to get excited over an operating system anymore. I've seen some of Vista and its nicer than XP, I guess. Always seems that MS is soo excited about some new feature and they cram it into their new toy, and it doesn't work all that well, or the implimentation is weird. I give them a lot of credit for trying new stuff, but sometimes I wonder if they can see their products from the end users point of view. "This would be a nice feature if it wasn't carried out soo badly." Who has enough time to learn how to really use and care for a computer? Why should you have to? (and if you do, how will I ever make a living?)
Then again, it looks like Apple is pretty much ignoring the Human Interface Guidelines they put together years ago. So I guess its all going to hell.
Maybe I should go back to GS/OS.
CrossOver runs the Windows software you need on Mac and Linux.
Don't buy a Windows license, don't reboot and don't use a Virtual Machine. Try a free trial of CrossOver to run your Windows software on Mac and Linux.
www.codeweavers.com
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