Windows Vista

[aronmartin]

I was wondering what everyones expirience has been with windows vista so far. How compatible is it with older software? Is it buggy? How much of a resource hog is it?

[PoisonWaffle]

I've got mixed feelings about it.

It's really easy and fun to use for basic things (web browsing, IMing, etc). I had Vista RC1, and it wasn't that buggy (more stable than winxp pro sp2)... so I'm assuming the actual retail version is even better. I had a few problems with older software (specifically FSAA and AF in DX9 games, particularly HL2; a lot of old win9x apps wouldn't even run), but not too bad. As long as you've got a gig or two of RAM, you shouldn't have a problem with it hogging resources. I ran it with Aero on a P4 rig with 2gb ram without any problems.

My biggest complaints with it are these:
-Networking - it's slow to connect to networks, even if they're manually configured and enabled by default. It has to 'identify network access' for up to a minute or two in bad cases... usually takes at least 10-15 seconds.
-Organization - everything is all over the place. It's a bit of a change from winxp, so it's expected to have things moved around a bit... but things are just in the strangest places in Vista! You don't even have your standard display configuration menus (like what you'd get when you right click on the desktop, go properties, display, advanced) to tweak your graphics... can't install coolbits 'cause there's no where to install it!
-UAC - "Yes, I know I just changed my password (or changed display settings, or changed network settings, or tweaked msconfig, etc, etc, etc), so you can change it... don't as me again, dammit!" Yes, UAC can be disabled, but it does do a good job of keeping malware at bay...
-Sucky driver support - games run slow without decent graphics drivers, a lot of misc hardware (webcams, cameras, phones, NICs, etc) won't work at all...

If all of your hardware is brand new, you're not attached to your wallet or anything that's been made before 2007, you don't mind learning your way around a new OS, you don't have any DX9 games, and you're willing to upgrade to Windows7 in a year or two, then get Vista. You may want to go with Home Premium just to play around on and have fun with.

If you do upgrade, I HIGHLY reccomend dual booting w/XP so you can still run older stuff if you need to.

HTH

[aronmartin]

I guess the main reason why I would upgrade is for directx 10, since I have a the hardware for it. Other than that I really don't have a reasong to upgrade.

[PoisonWaffle]

I suppose...

Whatever works...

[rhino56]

i have been wanting to just try it, but i like xp and am used to it. what are some of the advantages to it?

[PoisonWaffle]

Supposedly more secure, but that's entirely debatable...

I just like the fact that it's easy to use and I always just feel 'at home' and 'comfortable' using it. I don't feel like I'm using a computer, I feel like I'm using something that's more a part of me than anything else. It's like when you get a really nice mouse, keyboard, and monitor... it feels so much more comfortable to use that it seems like it's less of a machine than a part of you. Vista brings that even farther...

I don't use Vista anymore 'cause RC1 expired in June. I did change my system clock back a year so it didn't kill it... but it went psycho and I had to reformat it and put XP back on it.

I'm just going to wait for Windows7 before I switch windows OS's. IMO Linux with Beryl is better if you have drivers for your hardware.

[geekatinfinity]

Well,I think Windows Vista is good at features and will be useful to you only if you have a very high configuration like RAM of 2Gb and good motherboard. I am not prefering Windows Vista now because i can't afford it.

Even 1Gb RAM is less for this. My friend has it on his Laptop but not satisfied with its performance!

[dunk3r23]

I have Vista on my laptop, and it's Ok. Btw some software isn't working with Vista

[=ACID RAIN=]

I use it on my laptops. Works fine for me, but I tweaked it on the services and stuff. I still have aero enabled, but it's a resource hog in and of itself. 2GHz C2D with 2GB of ram in a vostro 1700. Nice system and runs smooth. Wife's is a cheapy acer laptop with ...what, 1.6GHz I think, T2060 maybe, and 1GB of ram. Not quite as fast, but browses the web like a champ LOL, which is basically what she uses it for.

The vostro runs my games fine (COD2 right now) with a 8600M GT installed. Runs my editors fine, runs the cisco emulator program fine. Even runs trillian fine. Emulates linux just like XP with qemu, no complaints from it. I have yet to find something that doesn't run on it. Support by 3rd party apps is picking up fast.

I haven't used vista on a desktop yet.

[hpntct]

Well, I'm happy with Vista. I've set it up to look like XP. I like the Readyboost feature and it works fine with 512MB of ram. There's enough driver support now that I haven't had any problems with any of my hardware. Still using the same computers I've built 3 years ago. However, it won't install on my HP Pavillion ZT1155 (P4 with 512MB). If anyone knows how to install on this system, it would be greatly appreciated.