Re: our first pre-downgraded laptop

On Thu, 15 May 2008 18:55:13 +0000, Chris Cox wrote:

> The product DOES work... 

I guess it depends on your definition of working.  Does it boot and
present you with a GUI?  Yes.  By that definition Vista works.  But if you
want to actually use it to work with software and hardware, then no, it
doesn't work.

> Software companies, including Novell for example, make a living by doing
> FORCED upgrades.

And when a product didn't work, people weren't forced into it.  NetWare
4.0 was a piece of junk.  So what did Novell do?  Give free upgrades to
4.1 (IIRC).  M$ can't give away Windows, but the least they can do is
allow people to use the current working version (XP) until the next
working version (7) is available.

> Again, Vista DOES work. 

Correct, it boots and presents a GUI.

> And for the majority, it works just fine. 

Interesting, just a little Googling shows the opposite.

> Is it slower?  In some ways, definitely.  

In what ways *isn't* it slower?

> But that's a refinement issue for Microsoft to work on. 

They've had nearly two years now since initial availability.  They've even
released service pack 1.  Yet so far the issues have yet to be refined. 
You can't fix a broken frame.

> Was Windows XP faster than your Windows 98?

No, but it was faster than 2000.  The bootup time alone was significantly
faster on the *same* hardware.

> But as you mentioned, there will be some who are not so easily
> enslaved.... (I would love to see a revolution... but it won't happen this
> time around).

Not until you see M$ attempting to force Vista.  If they do something
stupid like revoke downgrade rights, get ready for a rather significant
exodus.
 
> In all fairness, Microsoft extended the OEM vendor time frame by six
> months already.  No... it's time for Microsoft to either "put up"
or
> "shut up".... 

Exactly, they need to just drop these deadlines and allow the sale of
licenses.  At a minimum allow it to be sold while mainstream support is
still available (14 April 2009 as of now).

> Can't comment about "Windows 7"...

I don't think anyone can, at least not reliably.  But it's just common
sense that if Windows 7 doesn't fix the ailments of Vista there are going
to be significant negative ramifications as far as M$ is concerned.

-- 
Joe
"Those of you who think you know everything are annoying to those of us who
do."