I just want it to work. They have trouble enough with that on the first go around.

Personally I have used a Mac since 1990 through its various incarnations with absolute confidence.
Not one virus encountered even without a router or virus protection software.
Although I understand Linux is a pretty decent OS as well, though somewhat more complex to use than a Mac.
A couple of my friends are awaiting Vista for their new computers from MS but things don't sound too rosey as far as the new MS OS is concerned.

...rumour on the street is if Vista doesn't take off Microsoft will leave the OS arena to Apple and concentrate on the Server and Office end.

If Apple and Linux leave their cultist mentality, the future for IT will be interesting.

Then again this is just rumour like other before, but a lot of people are asking why if Microsoft spent millions on R&D how come they ended up with OSX Tiger?

The licensing is a farce.

Required reading: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trusted_computing

Happy new year, Kate.

DC -- merrily running linux since 2002.

You know I loaded Debian Linux on a computer about 2 months ago with very little pain. Other than that crappy mo-bo had on board audio, everything works flawlessly.

XP is now properly fortified and will be supported for some time. [Judging by the term of W-98]

Now that everything is more or less de-bugged, why would anyone want to go back to bleeding on the sharp edges of a new MS OS?

Vista and MS, like all ventures, is bound for a decline. No wonder Bill withdrew from MS corporate wars. = TG

When people start to notice corporate totalitarianism that means there is obviously not enough fear mongering going on about socialism.

Anyone who believes that the masses will move away from Windows to Linux or Mac is delusional ...

The long standing paradox is that everyone has to use Windows because almost all (over the counter) software is developed for windows, and almost all(over the counter) software is developed for windows because everyone uses Windows.

People will probably not rush out to buy Vista, but that will just mean that Windows XP will reign supreme until Microsoft can force you to upgrade.

Hear hear, TG, and, alas, NoOne.

Microsoft Windows is just a delivery vehicle for new versions of Office. There is no way Micro$oft will ever let go of that. For every $100 they make off of Windows they are making upwards of $500 on Office.

Linux lost the war when they refused to collaborate on a binary shrink wrap standard so normal people could actually buy and install software instead of finding a techno geek capable of installing the software for them.

Apple is a bit player in the market with 5% market share.

So what will happen is the same thing that has always happened. Microsoft releases a new operating system with various spying/encryption/copyrighting mechanisms in place and the hackers find and expose the mechanisms and create hacks to eliminate them and Microsoft ends up eliminating them.

It's just too bad that their competitors can't get their acts together.

And if by some miracle Linux does overtake the juggernaut and dethrone Windows(tm) you can bet dollars to donuts that they will just release Microsoft Linux the very next day, and make Office run on it .....

The only thing Microsoft understands is people who vote with their wallet.

If enough people go Linux or buy a Mac... they'll have to notice.

Kyle, it isn't a war. There's nothing to win or lose and there is certainly no time-line for 'victory' to be won, lost or claimed.

Anyone who claims that MS will never be dethroned doesn't remember Commodore, or DEC, or Wang, or IBM.

Your premise about MS Office is also flawed. There is a point of diminishing returns. MS can only push the profit margin on Office so far without people beginning to look at alternatives. OpenOffice, Google Office, and many others are largely good enough for 99 percent of the people who need an office suite.

When the state of Mass. and many European countries start talking about enforcing open document standards it is obvious that a sea-change is starting.

Cheers,
lance

"Anyone who believes that the masses will move away from Windows to Linux or Mac is delusional..."

Your statement is predicated on the assumption that Windows Vista actually works. It doesn't. I know this because I've been running it since the public betas started and I'm constantly downloading new builds. To call it an underperforming lemon doesn't do it justice. I haven't seen MS flub an operating system this badly since they released "Bob".

Vista's interface is convoluted and inconsistent. It's a resource hog. It breaks tons of older software. The security model they use is absolutely bizarre and confusing to end users. Any Windows XP user who gets tricked into upgrading is going to be horrified by how badly their hardware runs under the new OS.

Vista is going to be a marketing disaster for MS. I'm actually expecting consumers to revolt and demand that MS continue support for XP. If MS doesn't relent in the face of this pressure then you *will* see Apple and Linux market share climbing steeply. It doesn't matter how flashy Vista is, if it doesn't work it won't sell.

I don't think people are going to notice the content protection issue. Anyone running Vista is going to have more immediate problems to contend with.

For what it's worth, I'm a former systems analyst and Microsoft Certified Professional who runs a rural computer business in East Central Alberta. My opinion is based on over a decade of supporting MS, Apple, and other operating systems including Linux and FreeBSD.

"Linux lost the war when they refused to collaborate on a binary shrink wrap standard so normal people could actually buy and install software instead of finding a techno geek capable of installing the software for them."

With Ubuntu I simply browse a list of software that I want, click a button, and it is automatically installed. That's how I installed my office suite, MP3 player, movie player, etc. Much less complicated than the service call I made this morning involving a software install.

A customer in Consort paid me $100.00 to install a bunch of "cheap" kids games she found on sale at Staples for $10.00. They were all written for Windows 95 and won't run under XP unless you know your way around the Compatibility Settings.

I made $250.00 yesterday setting up four computers in another customer's home so that they could download using Limewire easily. The problem is that Windows XP doesn't install the uPnP (Universal Plug N Play) components by default allowing Limewire to dynamically open ports in the firewall as needed.

Don't assume that it's easier because it's Windows. Believe me, it's not.

"It's just too bad that their competitors can't get their acts together."

Speaking of not being able to "get their acts together", read this. Now, go read this.

Been using Vista RC1 off an on and notice it definitely is a resource hog, even running on a 2.8GHz, 1GB Ram, 256MB Video, and 120MG HD less than 50% full, which SHOULD be more than enough.

It does look nice, but as I mentioned earlier OSXish.

Now Office 2007...egad, quick, run as fast and as far as you can. Talk about a major overhaul. I don't mind, means more work for me in training people, even those who, like me have used Office since version 4.

Here is a good link to learn where "things were" and where they are now.

http://officebeta.iponet.net/en-us/help/HA100744321033.aspx

NoOne: "Anyone who believes that the masses will move away from Windows to Linux or Mac is delusional..."

Agreed, but when Windows XP isn't around or things gets too expensive or restrictive...you'll see a migration.

But yes, the general populace are lemmings.

"even running on a 2.8GHz, 1GB Ram, 256MB Video, and 120MG HD less than 50% full"

It's no more impressive on a an Intel DuoCore with 4 GB of RAM and a terabyte of disk space. It took me four months of fighting and three different 512 MB video cards before my dual displays would work. That being said, my Gretag Macbeth i1 Display 2 won't work with it which means I can't colour profile my monitors. Makes it kinda useless to me as a pro photographer.

@NoOne

"People will probably not rush out to buy Vista, but that will just mean that Windows XP will reign supreme until Microsoft can force you to upgrade."

They'll do *what*, now?

And the name? "Windows Vista SE".
For "Suicide Edition", of course.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/12/28/vista_drm_analysis/

the only thing separating vista from a catastrophe is for the Apple folks to go "oh, by the way, here's an add-on that will run all your XP stuff" seeing as vista is (insert polite or not so polite euphemism).

looks like I will be one of the many migrating to an Apple finally next major upgrade. just in time for Apple to see their old big chance has come at last and they adjust their prices to inflict the coup de grace.

"an Apple a day" etc

on the other hand, who was it said you never went broke underestimating the american public?

Wanna move this Mocro Sloth OS doggie fast?

"Buy this OS and we'll clip Bill Gates for ya"

BTW the "SE" is for sloth edition

Here's a good product for people who want to have both Apple and XP.

It's called Parallels.

http://www.parallels.com/products/desktop/

I actually have Windows 2003 Server running on my mac Mini with 512 ram, runs better...go figure.

Loading Vista RC1 onto my mini shortly, ordered more RAM for the mini.

The sky is falling!!!
Really folks, Microsoft has fixed a lot of the issues from the beta versions. The issue of not being able to move the OS to a new MoBo or hard drive has been addressed. While Vista is a resource hog it does do a lot mainly because the customers want something that does it all. Otherwise, DOS 3.2 would be good enough. Remember, the average computer user cannot tell you what OS they are operating. I know this PC I'm on right now will end up with virtual PC and more than a few OS on board, just as a test bed when I build my new PC. I agree that the better the competition in the OS field, the better the products the consumer will get. Imagine a world with only Ford as a vehicle choice (or Lada!).

Oh, btw, you can't "legally" load Vista on Parallels...or any other virtualization software...

EULA:
4. USE WITH VIRTUALIZATION TECHNOLOGIES. You may not use the software installed on the licensed device within a virtual (or otherwise emulated) hardware system.

"Really folks, Microsoft has fixed a lot of the issues from the beta versions."

I'm running the latest build and it's still crap.

"on the other hand, who was it said you never went broke underestimating the american public?"

Not Coca-Cola. The "New Coke" thing has still got to be reverberating around their corporate headquarters.

Does anyone have a Debian Linux site that will bring someone of moderate computing ability, up to speed?

Gunney99,

Not sure what your asking. If you want a Debian variant try:

http://www.ubuntu.com or
http://www.kubuntu.org

Makes a fellow wistful for the days of the Apple II vs Commodore vs Atari 400/800 wars... they were incompatible but they all did what they did very well...

Mr. Gunney99 asked: "Does anyone have a Debian Linux site that will bring someone of moderate computing ability, up to speed?"

Try the Linux basic tutorial guides at the site: www.aboutdebian.com/linux.htm. The guides are very readable.
Enjoy.

Is there no one in our Nation, to rid us of this meddlesome Operating system? (O:}

Thanks for the tips. Will try the suggestions.