[fivehundo]

My old PIII made the cut for Vista!!!

For those who are curious, here are Vista's system requirements:

If you purchased a PC in the last two years, chances are good that you can run Windows Vista. To install and run the core functionality of Windows Vista, you need:

An 800 MHz processor

512 MB of RAM

A 20 GB hard drive with 15 GB of free space

 

[tbiller]

I guess congratulations are in order. :-D

Of course, while it will run, you won't be able to do anything with it. Vista on anything with less than 1Gb RAM and a very powerful graphics card will run like a slug swimming in treacle.

I can't see any good reasons whatsoever to move from XP, having run Vista through the Betas and both release candidates.

Enjoy!! :wink:

 

[MickMaguire]

On 2007-01-30 13:42, fivehundo wrote:

An 800 MHz processor

512 MB of RAM

A 20 GB hard drive with 15 GB of free space

As tbiller already pointed out - dont expect it to run worth a ***** on those specs. We setup a vista machine of this spec recently for testing... it was slooowwwwww.

 

[Wombat]

Although I am a dedicated Mac user,
SWMBO uses a PC and we also have a new PC laptop.

What advantages for the average user would there be to upgrade from XP Pro?

 

[welshrob]

On 2007-01-30 13:49, tbiller wrote:

I can't see any good reasons whatsoever to move from XP, having run Vista through the Betas and both release candidates.

Enjoy!! :wink:

Same here. I`m a bit of a luddite when it comes to PC`s. If I had my way we`d all still be using windows 95.

:-D :-D :-D

 

[iandel]

G'day,

I run Puppy Linux. Total size is 84meg (yes, meg), will run in RAM, from a CD or ThumbDrive, only needs 128meg of RAM (but more is better), and that includes Word Processing, SpreadSheats, Web Browser, Web Authoring software, and lots more, and is incredibally fast and FREE.

There is also a load of other software which can be downloaded and installed for FREE.

And no viruses. Tell me once again, why do I need to give the richest man in the world some of my money?

 

[Strontje]

Thanks Iandel! I didn't know about Puppy. I just created a boot disk for Ubuntu Linux, but I have 2 old laptops to play with. Maybe I'll try Puppy on one and Ubuntu on the other.

I've heard Vista has a bit of a learning curve. If you have to learn a new OS anyway, why not try a free one?

[ This message was edited by: Strontje on 2007-01-30 14:28 ]

 

[Caffeinated]

On 2007-01-30 14:28, Strontje wrote:
Thanks Iandel! I didn't know about Puppy. I just created a boot disk for Ubuntu Linux, but I have 2 old laptops to play with. Maybe I'll try Puppy on one and Ubuntu on the other.

I've heard Vista has a bit of a learning curve. If you have to learn a new OS anyway, why not try a free one?

Because there's no software for free OS's? Like buying a moped when you really want a motorcycle: it's an approximation of a motorcycle; just like linux is an approximation of an operating system. You can get it to do most of what windows will do, if you do your research and work at it for a while... and you know something about computers...

I played with linux several years ago, so I'm sure a lot has changed. But with all the processing power and cheap RAM available now, why bother.

Oh yeah, "fight the power", I forgot. (yawn)

 

[MickMaguire]

On 2007-01-30 14:11, Wombat wrote:
What advantages for the average user would there be to upgrade from XP Pro?

non yet... In fact you will probably find (like we have) that a bunch of stuff wont run on it. Wait until it goes to Service Pack 1 before considering jumping ship.

[ This message was edited by: MickMaguire on 2007-01-30 15:28 ]

 

[tbiller]

On 2007-01-30 15:27, MickMaguire wrote:
non yet... In fact you will probably find (like we have) that a bunch of stuff wont run on it. Wait until it goes to Service Pack 1 before considering jumping ship.

Too true. I was on-site at a client site this past week troubleshooting some backup issues and they had some ThinkPad T60's installed with Vista Enterprise and 1) the laptop's fingerprint recognition wasn't working and 2) the backup software's management client wouldn't run under IE7.

So it's not ready for the enterprise quite yet, at least not for that client anyway.

And I can't really get a handle on an OS that can remotely disable software that I want to install, and the terms of the licence expressly forbid any workarounds to such restrictions!!

I much prefer software that does what I ask of it, rather that the other way around, thanks all the same.

Oh and Puppy Linux is fab, so cheeky ...

:wink: :wink:

 

[tbiller]

On 2007-01-30 14:12, welshrob wrote:

Same here. I`m a bit of a luddite when it comes to PC`s. If I had my way we`d all still be using windows 95.

:-D :-D :-D

LOL!! It's good to know old habits die hard mate!!

 

[Strontje]

On 2007-01-30 15:21, Caffeinated wrote:

On 2007-01-30 14:28, Strontje wrote:
I've heard Vista has a bit of a learning curve. If you have to learn a new OS anyway, why not try a free one?

Because there's no software for free OS's? Like buying a moped when you really want a motorcycle: it's an approximation of a motorcycle; just like linux is an approximation of an operating system. You can get it to do most of what windows will do, if you do your research and work at it for a while... and you know something about computers...

I played with linux several years ago, so I'm sure a lot has changed. But with all the processing power and cheap RAM available now, why bother.

Oh yeah, "fight the power", I forgot. (yawn)

Tee hee! Now I don't feel so bad about attacking you all the time. :-D

No, I wouldn't suggest to your average Joe working with high powered apps/graphics/games/etc. that they use Linux. But, I also wouldn't recommend to somebody with an old PIII who probably only uses it for web browsing, email and pounding out the occasional word processing document that they waste their money on the latest Microsoft product.

Yes, Linux has improved greatly over the years and there is a lot of software available. Open Office (also available for Windows), for example, is a pretty decent suite. It's also a lot easier to get running than it used to be (depending on the version). I've already played with Ubuntu by running it off the CD.

As for "fight the power," personally, I think Bill deserves every penny he's made.

 

[iandel]

Caffeinated,

It must be a few years since you used Linux. Apart from some games and specialist programmes I'm not sure what you would want to do which you can't do in Linux.

OpenOffice.org will run all your M$ Office stuff, and save it in M$ format as well (or export it as a PDF if you want). This probably makes it more M$ compatible than M$ Office itself as it will run from version 97 to current. I know people with M$ Office that are having trouble with backwards/ forwards compatibility problems.

GIMP is a programme similar to PhotoShop, but free. Is it as good as PhotoShop? Probably not, but it will do everything most people need, plus a lot more, and it is cross platform.

There are many web browsers including Firefox, Opera etc. There are a plethora of web writing programmes and tools, including web photo album makers.

Data Bases abound.

I can watch DVD's from anywhere in the world without having to worry about regional coding. This is important to me as I have family in Europe and Australia and so get DVD's from around the world.

I could go on and on and on, but I won't. I have used M$ Windoze in every format since Windoze 95 through to XP and still have computers with Windoze 2000 and XP. However, I find that I do everything I need on Linux and only use Windoze to help the spousal unit with her work stuff.

I have one computer (AMD2800, 1 Gig Ram) which has both M$ XP and PuppyLinux. Believe me Linux is much, much faster. It is like getting off my 2006 T100 and getting onto my RIII, if that gives you some idea.

 

[Sprint1050DA]

I would wait to look at buying Vista. There are still issues with XP that haven't been ironed out. I still have to download patches every now and then. Think about all the people who ran out and switched from 98 SE to Windows ME. That was a disaster. Wait and let other people do the unofficial Beta testing.

 

[Caffeinated]

I admit my post was a bit of a troll, I like to mess with Apple/Linux people. Sorry Darin. :-D

However, I am a big fan of the IDEA of Linux, but not the REALITY of Linux. I hope it continues on and I look forward to the day when all applications are cross compatible and not OS dependent. That's the only way to break Microsoft's near-monopoly on operating system software.

The Army just started using a new app for doing standard forms. It only works on XP. My wife did her resume on her Mac in MS Word, but when she opened it on my PC the formating was messed up. So how can she be sure it is displayed properly on potential employers computers? She has no choice but to re-do it on my PC. I'm not a big gamer, but there are like 12 games for the Mac and less for Linux.

These are real problems that need to be solved before Linux or even Mac for that matter, will become a viable option for people who use PC's at work and want (need) to bring stuff home.

BTW, I got a free upgrade from Dell when I bought my laptop, but I will wait a while before I upgrade to Vista.

 

[iandel]

G'day again,

My wife has to use windoze with her work supplied computers except where she needs a Mac in the lab for certain software. She had some data in a format from an older Mac which the new Mac could not open. Neither could M$ Office. Guess what! It opened and read very happily in OpenOffice.Org, a FREE office programme. Thanks to open source software, research on heart disease is not put back. :-D

On another note, I have spoken to several people over the last few years from high national security positions. Guess who don't use Windoze but rather use Linux and unix systems because they are more secure?

Also, I have great fun getting into files on Windoze systems that have died and rescuing people's work for them. You can even get the 5+ gigs of hidden hard drive on your laptop which contain the backup files for when Windoze dies. It will probably be 10 Gig of wasted hard drive with Vi$ta. Why don't they supply a DVD (or 2) with the software instead of using the hard drive which you paid for? :hammer: :wink:

 

[Strontje]

Steve, it sounds like you're advocating for a United Nations of the computer world. :-D

I'm not going to defend Apple or Linux because you make good points. I really don't have a problem with people using Windows.

Now, as for that Word doc, its possible you would've had the same problem going between Word versions on 2 Windows machines. Personally, I've never had a problem going between Mac and Windows. That said, when submitting a document like a resume, ALWAYS use PDF!

 

[Tbirdnz]

If I had my way we`d all still be using windows 95.

Windows 95 ! Luxury ! Why when I was your age I was happy with two heinz beans cans and a length of string.

It's only recently I've done away with my two flags for semaphore and bought a mirror for heliograph working.

You young uns never had it so good !

---------------------
Flash on !

 

[Caffeinated]

Well, one of these operating systems/software suites dominates the world of computing and the other, well, they can't give it away.
:razz:

Go with whatever works for you.

Steve

 

[joeswamp]

Actually the interesting trend in all this software is that it's all quickly becoming so much more open and web based. It's now possible to make Word and Excel documents through google, and the functionality is probably adequate for 99% of users.

I think as we get more interconnected the actual operating systems that we use will increasingly become irrelevant, as the only thing we'll run is a web browser.