Windows Vista....Arc...Im going to strangle you for suggesting it...

[Darkling]

Ok, so, I went out and bought Windows Vista Home Premium. Verdict? None. I haven't installed it yet. They are already planning the first service pack and it requires me to keep my Windows XP cd because I bought the upgrade version (I love pcworld.com. So informative). Most of you probably know this already.

I am torn on this. I get mixed reviews from everywhere. It's 10 reasons to get it and 10 reasons to not get it. I may install it on my laptop. It's safer that way because a back-up is already there and I don't have to worry about losing anything. I keep everything stored on my desktop. 1TB (terabyte, not thingiebob) hard drive space FTW! If it turns out I like it, I am going to go ahead and grab Vista Ultimate for my desktop - the full install version. If I lose my Windows XP cd, I won't need to cry to Microsoft if I need to do a reinstall and convince them that I lost my Windows XP cd and be allowed to use the software I bought.

My impressions from the video reviews are actually positive. The whole rolo-dex 3D window switcher thing-a-ma-jig looks nice, I doubt I use it. I'm more of a mouse over guy (btw, found a new macro to do mouse over blinds. how cool is that). I see though I may actually have to upgrade my video card and quite possibly my sound card. I will only be spending about 175 on the video card. ATI Radeon 512mb card. The sound card will put a dent in my pocket though. Soundblaster X-FI Platinum.

In any case, the installation onto my laptop will happen today and if it sucks really bad, eh, back to xp.

Before you ask, why not Linux or Mac? Linux is um, foreign to me. Open source code, right? I am bad at using macros, how the hell am I going to use an OS where I have to type in my commands. Is this changed now? Last I seen Linux on a computer screen it looked like a bunch of DOS or Pascal stuff.

Mac? Not interested in learning another GUI. Of course, if it is cheaper than Windows Vista, I may be a switcher. They have MAC OS X at the military store here. Someone sued because all they would offer was Windows stuff, so the stores here started selling MAC. That's just awesome. Yeah, I'm old. Awesome was a cool word back in the day. Anyone remember parachute pants? Awesome.

I typed too much cause it is Saturday, I woke up at 6am, 6 cups of coffee now, and I have nothing else to do atm. Oh yeah, WoW. be right there.

[Lord Entropy]

I'm in no hurry at all to upgrade to Vista.  The only real advantage that I can see, besides processor-hogging eye candy, is the improved security and networking features.  That's not worth a several hundred dollar upgrade for me, at least not at this point.

[Caedryne]

TB check out this version of Linux, called Ubuntu it's free and as easy to use as Windows. Linux has changed much over the years. Personally imho, I'd wait 6 months to install Vista, if I was going to, because by then all the patches, updates etc will be available hopefully. 

  http://www.ubuntu.com/

[Shadowwolf]

The days of Linux being strictly command only are long gone TB, many GUI systems come wrapped with it now depending on the "flavor" you go with. KDE is as close to a Windows environment without being a direct knock-off as you can get, but you have some Linux installs that are like windows almost to an exact.

XandrOS is the one thats been trying to inch into the corporate environments by making itself so much of a Windows XP replacement its hard to tell its Linux underneath.

The beauty of Linux is you can generally pick your GUI and go with it since there are so many. Yes some versions of Linux come bundled with specific ones because those versions have tailored thier own proprietary software coding for that GUI and have enhanced it and made it efficient with their kernel, but you can essentially run any you want.

KDE is what I use mostly http://kde.org/screenshots/

then theres Gnome http://art.gnome.org/screenshots/gnome216

Mac is basically a GUI from apple running atop an edited version of Unix. Its running a Unix back end with Apple's "Quartz" GUI. http://www.apple.com/macosx/features/quartzextreme/

Lots of flexibility and Mac's GUI isnt all that sophisticated to use anymore, not like it was pre-OSX days. You can actually have right-click functions, etc like you do with normal Windows.

The only issue with Mac, Linux and anything aside from Windows is software availability. Theres just so much more software available for Windows than anything else so its difficult to make a change in OS without losing the ability to run some programs.

There is the ability to run WoW on Linux using some third-party software but when I tried it a few months back it was unpleasant, tho they are supposedly working hard to weed out the bugs and errors so I might give it another look.

[Tankgrl]

Do you rember that 'Brute Force' thing you warned us about Shadow?

http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/software/microsoft-vista-hacked-brute-force-keygen-opens-pandoras-box-241043.php

[un4]

I know someone who wrote a brute forcer back in high school.  He changed peoples' grades until he got caught.

[KittyPurple]

The only reason i run windows is cause wow won't run on Linux. now if only blizzard would work on that... windows keeps getting more shiny, flashy, and more bling. all that does is eat processor power, thats why i use windows 2000. in my experience, its the most stable, most versatile, easiest to use, and widely support enough to do what i want. they keep making windows more "user friendly" and "easier to use" meaning it gets to decide what settings are best instead of you. i'm sorry, i'm just ranting now... but untill something comes out that i have to have that doesn't support windows 200, it will be my os of choice.

[Caedryne]

Totally agree Kitty, and the worst is when you install a new version of windows and it overwrites all your settings and file associations.

[Shadowwolf]

Theres some write ups on playing WoW on Linux using WINE, ive not tried it again yet (last time was 1+ year ago) but considering the popularity of WoW, especially amongst the tech people, id venture a guess that large improvements in it have been made because there are many people who have a very strong aversion to Windows and would rather go buy a Mac just to play WoW if they couldnt get it working on Linux at all.

http://www.blizzplanet.com/content/459/

[Arcdelad]

My new computer came with windows vista (all new computers do)...and I am happy to report wow and everything else is running smoothly....it has some cool multitasking things to it and it lets you put "gadgets" on your desktop, but overall more of the same...

[Shadowwolf]

Good luck finding drivers if you ever change what it came with or try to use something older =)

[Arcdelad]

well...the first thing I did to my computer was add a wireless reciever to it..i was nervous becuase it was a linksys one that was designed for XP...popped it in, restarted, bam...great internet connection...

second thing I did was pop in 3 more gig of ram (from the 1 that came with it)..again...imemdiate success....

next thing I did was put in a geforce pci-express card...admittedly that thing touted vista compliance, but again no problems..

i think a lot of issues have been resolved with windows patches...im not saying everyone should run out and upgrade, but if you do or get a new comp you will be okay

[Kothnok]

Hehe, depends on the hardware.  When I upgraded to a new laptop the manufacturer specifically stated at the time of purchase that the hardware I was getting did not have any Windows Vista drivers for the dual graphics cards yet and one would be turned off and useless if I was also getting Vista with it.  Luckily I was still able to purchase WinXP with it. =)

[Caedryne]

still waiting for Linux, but that may be a long wait, way too many bells and whistles with Vista for my taste, especially when you can, (if you want to) download the bells and whistles, like Aero seperatley for free if you want