Try Linux. Especially Ubuntu. I've loaded it on Mom's and other less knowledgeable user's machines and they think they're using windows. Also, try openoffice. I've been using it for years. I don't like being held hostage to any entity. With open source software, you're free to do what you want, when you want.

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99 ML320
94 SL600
92 SL500
95 E320 Cabriolet
87 560SEC
86 300SDL Grease Car
80 380SLC Euro

13 Fiat Abarth
02 Maserati Spyder Cambiocorsa
00 BMW Z3
90 Rolls Royce Silver Spur
80 Ferrari 308 GTSI
88 Jaguar XJS12 H&E Edition
99 Land Rover Discovery

Buying an OS, no matter if it's from Redmond or Cupertino . . . before the Service Pack is released, is just beyond my risk tolerance, not unlike buying any new Mercedes chassis during the intro year.

Win2K was cut from support after SP4; XP has SP2 and I believe we're still waiting for the Vista SP1, which might address the slow networking transfers due to Vista being a resource piggy.

Right now vista is beyond lame, I bought a laptop with Vista premium on it. At idle (just after boot up) it uses 800mb of memory. EIGHT HUNDRED MEGABYTES!!!

I tried to downgrade to XP, but Compaq did not have the XP drivers for my laptop. I ended up trimming down some of the graphics and adding another GB of RAM. It now runs well enough but functionality wise, I don't see the value. I think that Linux will continue to gain ground against windows and over take it very soon.

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With best regards

Al

I'm not very computer savvy, but according to my brother who is, typically planned obscelence and bigger new programs written specifically for the new format come out. Basically what you have now (XP) won't be able to run the new Word or Excel or hot new game.
My brother studied computer science at Carnegia Mellon. He's a very efficiency/simplicity oriented person. He occasionally rants on how messy, unwieldy, and packed with junk programming codes are. All so you keep needing a faster machine even though you don't really need a faster machine.


Anecdotal, but I know a few people who have had a lot of problems with Vista.

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1984 300TD

I have to smirk when I hear about the users that bought new computers with Vista rave about the speed of the system, without acknowledging that their old computers didn't have SATA drives, as much ram, or multi-meg video cards that the new machines have.

No I have not run into that.

I love how Vista opens programs faster, and is mostly automatic. I don't have to think of anything its self maintaning. It also seems to fix itself, like when a website won't load. I have had it for quite awhile now and I don't think its ever crashed or anything like that.

IMHO this is like the Toyota of operating systems, it just does its thing and you never have to bother with it.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Oh, thought of another good one. Try to delete a favorite from IE, it covers the window with a stupid warning and you can't click the delete button without an issue. What a pos.

Really? Mine says "are you sure you want to move this file to the recylce bin" and you click yes or no. I beleive my old Windows XP was the same way?

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

What would you consider the "Mercedes of operating systems"? OS/2?

Mac, I can't freaken understand them, they do there own thing and force you to get used to it. Very old school Mercedes attitude.

They have Mac's in the language labs at school and they piss me off to no end. The mouse doesn't even have a roller WTF?!

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Nor a second mouse button Stupid.

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1985 CA 300D Turbo , 213K mi

Yep no right click, another thing that pisses me off. And why can't I open a program and make it cover the whole screen, whats with that little window BS. You click some weird thing on the left side of the screen and it just gets a little bigger.

Makes me love windows even more!

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

I still like the one Button click on my Mac, and I like how I can make the small window larger, by simply dragging it out to the size I need it to be. I also like the fact I can leave my computer on for months at a time, and never have to restart it...

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1999 Toyota Corolla VE (Mine)
2006 Honda Odyssey (Wife's)
1979 300CD (sold)

[QUOTE=alabbasi;1789681]Right now vista is beyond lame, I bought a laptop with Vista premium on it. At idle (just after boot up) it uses 800mb of memory. EIGHT HUNDRED MEGABYTES!!!
QUOTE]

So what if it uses so much memory? RAM is very cheap these days and many of the crashes, slow computers that people are complaining about could be solved/upgraded by simply adding a gig or two memory. The same applies to XP. Spend the extra 50 - 100 bucks, get some more memory and you are set.
If no room for more internal memory there is ReadyBoost.
Turn off the services you don't need, trim the startup programs so it will load faster and if you have a weak graphics card turn off the visual features.

If people are happy with XP they should stay with it and not upgrade, simple.
I have never bought a new car just because it was available; I buy cars as the need arises. Same with computers. My POS 1.5 years old Toshiba laptop died (motherboard fried), I HAD to buy a new one so I spent the money and got one that is able to handle Vista, my "Experience index" is 4.5. Vista has never crashed on it, I can run everything I need, not that much anyway. So as an end user I am fine with it just as I was with XP. I can't speak for professional or corporate users.

If you don't like the annoying "nanny" features turn them off. I turned off Windows Defender, Windows Firewall, I have administrator privilege, and I never get any of the warning windows. I am behind a router though; it acts as a hardware firewall. I guess Microsoft tried to save stupid people from themselves, but the way it was implemented is annoying as hell. If it bothers you read the manual, do a little search on the Internet and save the aggravation. Don't just complain about something; try to find the solution first.

If there isn't a third party driver available for Vista how is that Microsoft's fault? Shouldn't it be the vendors' responsibility to write device drivers for their products?

Alex

Mac has "come around" to a two button click and "scroll bearing" (I call it) but they still are sub par for the power user. Especially now, the Mac OS could be run on any PC as its just another x86-64 OS....so the system itself is no better than a typical PC aside from some extra frills and a shiny case. I saw the end of the non-intel architecture long ago before it took place. Their fake performance claims could only last so long. Like has been mentioned, using a mac is more or less you making suggestions to it of what you'd like to do, if it is willing, then it might happen. Dragging windows to a size you need it to be? You've been able to do that on windows since 1993. Macs are frustrating, they impede tinkering and exploration, and are overpriced for what you get. As for leaving them on, up until I did a hardware change to my pc a couple weeks ago, it had been up since November without a restart. Not a single issue. Runs stable as a rock (XP professional). And I am an IT person, I do a lot with my computer, and it rarely ever fails me. My current desktop system is even running in RAID1, so its essentially impervious to a hard drive failure as well. I also operate two servers (one running Server 2003 Standard and one running XP Pro) and they never, ever, ever, need to be restarted. The only time they do is if the power goes out for longer than the UPS can run, then it shuts them down.

Vista, ahhh vista. Its like an obese XP. Its just as stable if not more stable than XP if you strip it of the fat and electronic nannies. So many computers sold with vista already on them are loaded with gobs of annoying and pointless software. "HP PC Advisor" "Norton Internet Security" etc....are by far the biggest problem causers on vista. I work at a college IT dept and I help several people a week rid that junk off the system. It runs SO much better when cleaned up. The optimal Vista setup is a fresh OEM install on a self-built PC with good specs, then it will run well. I do give it credit for being pretty and pleasing to the eye, but until its other issues are cleaned up I won't be using it as my primary OS. I use Linux on occasion too and it is well designed also.

Thats my twenty cents.

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-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)