I agree all the problems associated with the new OS Vista is tempting to try to boycott it. However, the experience is, that time just keeps moving on.
I bought a "basic" Gateway consumer laptop in the States, last October. I say basic, because it is off the shelf and was just under $600.oo. I comes with a 140Gid HD, Intel processor, and 2 Gigs of ram. The HD and the 2 Gigs was what sold me on that model, when comparing it to other offers at the time in that price range.
It has Vista Home Premium on it.
What did worry me was that it has a very basic little graphic card which is an integral part of the mother board and has NO dedicated memory (turbo cache). Well, while I do a lot of 3D design, both technical as architectural on my home based desktop machine running on XP SP2 and which is equipped with a special needs graphics card with a dedicated 1Gig of RAM, I decided I'd just use this little laptop as my travel computer, mainly to stay on-line and plug into my skype, where ever I go. Watch movies, write, read... the usual little bitty nonsense consumer stuff.
Well, my first impression was, that it was the first computer I ever bought (new), where EVERYTHING seemed to work without having to update drivers, call customer service and so forth. Vista is very easy on the eyes as all transitions are smooth (which uses a lot of power) and generally looking "purdy".
I have had NO problems so far, except that I miss some simple things like the "Folder UP" option next to the "Back" and "Forward" in explorer based windows (I can't understand that). Some of the every recurring security questions ("... do you really want to?" and THEN "... are your really sure you really want to...?" ) quickly become annoying.
I could also see where older people or folks with lesser eyesight my have a harder time to find files and folders and/or just find themselves distracted by all the suggestions and array of split windows etc.
Well, I was initially so happy with it, I ordered an OEM disc for my desktop, thinking it was not worth to stay behind and also that I'd rather not run TWO separate systems.
Today, a couple of months later, I still enjoy my little lap top, but I have decided against installing Vista on my desktop (workhorse). Not just for the obvious issue that Vista senselessly gobbles up all sorts of resources, but because it has actually has been stripped off some of the nice handling features of XP (which I really can't understand).
I have however, re-skinned my XP to look like Vista (that's real purdy now!) using a free downloadable program called Vista Inspirat (
here's the site) which even gives the windows some "faux" transparancy looks and actually uses up very, very little more resources as the basic XP skins. I like it, I love it and it make my transition between the two different machines less awkward.
All in all, I can understand all the opposition against Vista, I don't understand the rationale behind clogging up computers with an OS either, but I remember those who weathered against every each one new version of windows... I guess where they are today? As always, using the second last version and swearing they will not (again) move up. MSFT has never shown any sensibility for the concerns of it's millions of customers, I suspect they won't change that policy now. So, the only alternative left is looking at alternative OS's I guess.
... J-D.