My question to fellow developers out there is, do you like Windows Vista? If the answer is YES, then WHY?
I hate it. Period. It is very slow and runs so many resources. Here is an example. I have four laptops - 3 with Windows Vista and one with XP. All three with Windows Vista have 2GB or more RAM and latest processors and all have SQL Server 2005, Visual Studio 2005 and other standard software I use. Yet, I use my 3 years old laptop that has 512MB RAM. Reason? It is much faster than the others.
Performance is not only the reason. New security in Vista is very confusing and annoying. If it confuses techies like us, what do you think about home users?
As always, Microsoft leaves you no choice. All new systems come with Windows Vista now. I've seen businesses and individuals buy machines with Vista and end up loading Windows XP on them.
I wonder if the success (or should I say failure?) of Windows Vista will affect the success of .NET 3.0 and 3.5? Microsoft has spent a fortune in .NET 3.0/3.5 model that revolves around Vista.
Unless Microsoft comes up with quick and improved fixes, I don't see Vista flying high. XP will still be the favorite.
Some more readings:
- Blog: Microsoft Vista Incapable
- Joe Wilcox: Is Microsoft Repeating Vista Mistakes?
- News: Ballmer Defends Windows Vista
Thoughts?
Mahesh ChandPosted Mar 5, 2008, 12:58 PM
On new machines, customers have no option to select an OS. This is driving every body insane. I have seen people buying a machine with Vista and getting rid of it and installing XP. I think Microsoft and hardware manufacturers should give customers an option to select an OS.
Matthew CochranPosted Mar 4, 2008, 6:55 PM
I'm sticking w/ XP for a while. It works. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p> I have a colleague who has experienced inconsistent problems getting <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:place>Vista</st1:place> to open different ports to consume some services. They would re-lock every time he reboots the machine or it went into sleep mode. After watching his painful struggle, I made the decision to spend my time developing in XP rather than troubleshooting the Vista OS. I've also heard that all the admin tools are located somewhere else and it takes a while just to get acclimated to the environment which I don't want to spend time with right now. <o:p></o:p> Hopefully Microsoft will get everything working a bit better because I do see great value in the new 3.5 and 3.0 features (LINQ, WPF, WCF, etc.) and it would be great to be able to count on the expanded framework being there so I don't have to put the redistributables in my deployment packages.<o:p></o:p>
Mike GoldPosted Mar 3, 2008, 5:43 PM
Microsoft just lowered the price of Vista Premium, finding that it was more profitable to sell with a larger discount: http://www.technologyreview.com/Wire/20359/?nlid=909
Brandon LewisPosted Feb 28, 2008, 8:48 PM
I totally agree, Vista beat me up and took my lunch money :( Heh heh, nah... my girlfriend has a laptop that used to run Vista and I convinced her to let me load XP Professional onto it and she loves it now. As a software developer I hate Vista as well, it does such strange things with my applications. Where XP has no problem using my enumerated settings and configuration setup for my apps, Vista seems to chuck keys out and the like and the configuration will just not load sometimes for reasons unknown, after all... it works great on XP. I certainly hope Microsoft comes up with something better, Ive heard so many people gripe about Vista and I too dislike it very much. Its slow, its cumbersome, its anal about everything, and its nothing but XP dressed up in a suit of highly polished and expensive platinum armor. Just eye candy...
Mike GoldPosted Feb 27, 2008, 11:59 AM
Thanks for speaking out. It will be a while before I make the switch to Vista. I've heard the same complaints. It's slow, it's security features make it more than cumbersome. I'm very happy with XP SP2. I will stick with it until some of the problems are alleviated. I have heard that Vista SP1 fixes some of the more severe complaints. Is this true? http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,142233/article.html