*Windows Vista*

[Gremlin]

Dont run 64bit Vista. If a driver etc is not signed by Microsoft you will not be allowed to install it, whereas the 32 bit version will still give you the ability to continue anyway.

Some might not realise the impact of this... but it could be potentially huuuuuge. Totally legit software like Logitech's setpoint for mouse and keyboard is unsigned... simply because Microsoft have not got around to signing it off... I have plenty of stuff like that, which the reps for Vista looked all surprised at me for...

Regarding Zed's comment on ram... yeah... that'll be like XP on 256... throw the word "recommended" in the bin and double it to get a better idea... ie, XP was good on 512 (sure, could survive on less, but for a normal user, with a bit of stuff running). ie... think 1 gig for proper running on XP, not to mention stuff like directx10, which no graphics card really provides support for yet (although my 7950gt says it does).

vista ready... the 64 bit, at the moment is only really available through amd. Expect release in January for consumers, but OEM will be november I believe... They will be offering a free upgrade sort of thing for those system builders for clients etc thing yada yada.

Personally, I'll make sure I have my xp pro stuff set and continue to use it... I don't think vista is that great, I like the 2000 look, and I'm very suspicious of what it will do behind the scenes without telling you. I did manage to get out of one microsoft person that yes, it will do more without letting you know. Since microsoft and my views tend to vary in most situations, I don't like the thought of that.

Client wise... yes, I will have to have a hdd with vista, and learn it, with the aim of eventually putting it in clients, but I hate how they have moved everything around, so the advanced tools look like they will be in different places...

[Brian d marge]

Looking more like KDE every day

Nice icons but.

aggreed ,,,, I use Xface , but tried freespire, 15 min to download 10 min to install ,,looks the same as vista ..

oh and was free

Sorry zed ,, but I was a ms user ,,till I saw the light

Stephen

[Drunken Monkey]

Gah! More fancy, stupid, memory-sucking GUI for me to disable...

Reckon, command line R0X0Rz ur SoXoRz. If you can't express it with switches, why bother!? I just don't know what the computer world is coming too, all this fancy guff just so idiots don't feel overwhelmed...pah!

[Zed]

Well i've been doing some testing this afternoon and have managed to speed the operating system up substantially on my dog of a pc, by simply customising the performance options (see 1st screenshot, all are ticked as default), but now much of the neat graphic user interface is sacrificed unfortunately.

Edit: Turned on the visual styles without too much performance reduction, so much more pleasant graphics now.

This OS is very 'intelligent' and I appreciate it's programmers foresight. I've had no major difficulties as yet, just minor glitches, install was smooth and it has started up problem-free every time since installation. I just had large 5 programs starting up at once and they didn't miss a beat, whereas before the performance change 4 out of 5 programs were not responding.

Ps. Has anyone else here downloaded/installed it yet?

[skelstar]

Its a pity that a faulty product is held in such high regard (refering to previous versions). If Windows XP was a motorcycle it would be SPB's GSXR1000K4 (no offence buddy).

I guess Im saying that I hope the developers have spent more time on creating something that 'just works', not features.

disclaimer: I do own and run two macs and concede they arent perfect, just farking easy to use.

[kro]

I'm a dinosaur, and won't concede that anything good has come from MS since Win2k, which I still love.

[Fub@r]

The other problem with Vista is they have swung the security pendulum right to the other extreme. With constant requests for admin permission on software even though you have an admin profile.

With regards to signed drivers Microsoft is blaming non-approved drivers as the reason for the Windows Blue Screen of Death hence why they are going to be strict on Windows Signed Drivers. If your a gamer or graphics based there will be major issues for example windows update for Nvidia drivers is 18 months behind, and due to their slow pace in signing you will never be able to get the best performance out of your graphics card.

[The_Dover]

sweet, something else to "steal" from Microshaft.

[Zed]

With regards to signed drivers Microsoft is blaming non-approved drivers as the reason for the Windows Blue Screen of Death hence why they are going to be strict on Windows Signed Drivers. If your a gamer or graphics based there will be major issues for example windows update for Nvidia drivers is 18 months behind, and due to their slow pace in signing you will never be able to get the best performance out of your graphics card.

One thing that did impress me was that when installing Vista it automatically installed ALL drivers for my hardware without requiring me to insert specific CD's. With Win98/2000/XP in the past i've ALWAYS had to install the motherboard audio driver and printer driver from the manufacturers disk, but this time the OS searched the Net and found the appropriate software!

[Smokin]

I think you may have talked me into giving it a shot Zed but your download links a bit dodgy, you wouldnt happen to have a working link by any chance?

[Zed]

I think you may have talked me into giving it a shot Zed but your download links a bit dodgy, you wouldnt happen to have a working link by any chance?

Hmmm waz workin when I first posted it? Have edited original post.

[Ixion]

One thing that did impress me was that when installing Vista it automatically installed ALL drivers for my hardware without requiring me to insert specific CD's. With Win98/2000/XP in the past i've ALWAYS had to install the motherboard audio driver and printer driver from the manufacturers disk, but this time the OS searched the Net and found the appropriate software!

*cringe* *Shudder*. Which is one reason why I HATE MS systems. DON'T DO THAT SORT OF SHIT, BILL.

If something's going to be installed *I'LL* install it.

I do NOT want some automated whatnot installing stuff without me checking it out. I've seen that go horribly pear shaped all too often. MS dumb things down far too much.

[Fub@r]

Some know software that wont work with Vista currently:

Nero - burning software
3Dmax - graphics software
AVG Beta
Teamspeak - voice comm software
Daemon tools - for virtual drives (this one really annoys me)

Bound to be heaps more. Basically if it doesn't conform to Microsoft rules for Vista it will never work.

If you are having problems getting software running don't forget to use the "programe compatibility wizard" on the desktop........first time ever a Windows Wizard has ever worked for me

[limbimtimwim]

One thing that did impress me was that when installing Vista it automatically installed ALL drivers for my hardware without requiring me to insert specific CD's. With Win98/2000/XP in the past i've ALWAYS had to install the motherboard audio driver and printer driver from the manufacturers disk, but this time the OS searched the Net and found the appropriate software!

Last time I installed Windows (Server 2003) I was screaming because I had to shuffle CDs and install drivers and crap like that. Most noticible was that the network card didn't work (A frickin Broadcom TG3, hardly an exotic device) without shuffling cds.

I had been coddled by that 'L' word and not having such trivial matters to deal with.

Welcome Zed, to the future! 3 years too late!

[limbimtimwim]

With regards to signed drivers Microsoft is blaming non-approved drivers as the reason for the Windows Blue Screen of Death hence why they are going to be strict on Windows Signed Drivers.

Those twits shouldn't have moved the video drives deeper into kernel space anyway. NT4 had it the right way around, video drivers were closer to userspace.