As of June, Windows XP will no longer be for sale on the shelves. I think this is a serious mistake myself, seeing that this is the only operating system made by microsoft which seems to be the most reliable. I'm not liking what I'm hearing about Vista and I know there's a form where we can petition to save Windows XP. I seriously hope it gets saved, because it's the best thing they've ever come up with.

I'm using Vista right now. It causes Flash (all versions) to crash on me and you can't just X out of Windows Media or it will continue running in the background, meaning you'll THINK it's off but meanwhile the porn you were watching on it will continue to play while you go off for a quick wank and your roommate will discover your bizzare fetishes and say really awkward things to you and sneak around behind you trying to see what you're doing on the computer because he's really into it as well but he's gay and you told him "I'm not into guys" but now that he discovered you share common sexual interests he's more into you than he was and is now trying to convert you and you're afraid to sleep on your stomach because your doors don't lock and you're afraid you'll end up like Ving Raynes in Pulp Fiction only Bruce Willis won't be by to save you.

So yeah, Vista sucks, but I'm using an HP that came with it already installed and I can't use anything else.

There are about 2,304,823,598,209,853 unused licenses available for XP still, and they aren't hard to buy. Any MS certified retailer is able to make copies of a windows XP CD. It's not going to be hard to buy a copy of XP after June 30th. Computers will still be shipping XP until January 31, 2009.

Also, this is the longest an MS product has been supported since MS-DOS, XP is pushing 8 years old now.

Yeah boo hoo. Absolutely no one said the exact same things about 98, 95, or even bloody DOS when they were discontinued in favour of the next one (note sarcasm please).

I have to say, I have had absolutely no trouble with Vista at all. And if I do, it's either easily fixed or my own fault in the first place.

Hey, maybe that's it. You lot are fucking around with it and can't accept it when you bugger something up.

Oh well, deal with it.

Please don't be so nasty in the forums outside the Top Drawer!

OK?

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Vista works fine, but it's only really for newer machines. Lower power machines and ones with older parts will still work much better with XP, which is why it will still be sold after that date with lower power computers.

I am also using VISTA. While it wasn't my choice (hey, I got this computer for free from my parents for XMAS, whattya gonna do right?), I think this is just the natural process for anything technological. You get updates and you get the next level. Sure, I've had a few difficulties with VISTA, mostly having to do with the IGFX driver, and the fact I can't communicate with my friends hacked XP computer. But it's just in the baby stages. I bet XP sucked balls when it first was released, but I hear by the third Service Pack it got better and better. I think if we just give it a chance, and some time, it will eventually work okay, or, possibly, even better than XP.

Time and patience. Possibly the two most key things in owning anything that needs or requires updates and upgrades. Nothing is perfect on the first go around.

I'm willing to work with MS, sure it will suck now and then, but eventually it's got to get better.

Right?

He's right though.

lol deleted posts

Yep.
Or: I take away your ability to make any at all

I still prefer XP, but Vista is hardly the kill-all everyone seems to think.

My biggest problem with the OS is that it isn't that big of an upgrade from XP. I mean, sure, some flashy bells and whistles, and added security functions are great, but they don't make the whole machine in my book.

Still, look at it like this, XP lasted for over seven years, which in modern terms is pretty damn impressive. I still enjoy using it more than Vista, and I still think Microsoft dropped the ball with Vista, but there's no reason to fear it.

It was only horrible within the first few months of release. Now it's okay.

It isn't. I never said it was. The thing is, neither was XP.

Like you said, Vista is getting better. It'll keep getting better. But whiny nerd whiners can't be arsed to bloody wait.

Microsoft? SOFT in the head? This is news, is it?

My main problem with Vista is that it wants to be a Mac, minus the speed and reliability. Vista has resource demands that makes it very unattractive to me at the moment. My machine has XP installed, and as XP doesn't appear to be on a timed detonation, so I'm good.

Despite saying it in an insulting way that will likely just make people tune out or fight, Custard Trout is absolutely right about operating systems. Who still runs DOS or Windows 95? (Actually, I NEVER had a good opinion of Windows 95 -- when it was new and now)

The machines that come with Vista installed will run all right with Vista because they'll have the hardware to support it (hopefully). Most of the people buying machines with Vista will be all right because they won't know or care about the performance differences, which seems to be Microsoft's target market.

If you're really not happy with Vista, change your operating system to Linux, or buy a Mac. By discarding everything Microsoft, you will A) Free yourself from the corporation and make a point with your dollars, the only thing any corporation will listen to. And if you want to try to get even, encourage everyone you know to use anything BUT Microsoft products.

Not everyone has that choice; if you work in an office like I do, you need the Microsoft compatibility so I'm stuck with it, and I can't afford a Mac.

Custard, cut it out or your getting a forum ban. The DD TOS makes a point about people NOT behaving like jerks in the forums.
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smkinoshita, That's not such a good solution. Macs are limited to one set of priority hardware at fixed costs. And Linux isn't for your normal computer user. For machines with less power they need an OS that will run and still get updated, without the user needing to be an expert. Which is why MS agreed to keep on licensing XP for newer low powered machines

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But say you get an older computer from someone. It can't run Vista and Linux is beyond your abilities? XP is ideal for those situations and it's a lot more common than you'd like to think There is definitely still a need for it.

Smkinoshita is right. Forget Microso$t and buy your shit from a different faceless, uncaring corporation.

That'll show 'em.

The argument is tired. This is EXACTLY what people said when Windows XP took over Windows 98. "I'll NEVER leave Windows 98!", "Windows XP is too buggy", etc.

Eventually most of us will be using Vista. That is, unless LINUX gets an easier interface. Then all bets are off.

Consumers benefit from competition, Trout.

Sorry Ozoneocean, I just re-read my post and I didn't mean to be proposing a solution, but I just realized I did. -_- It was more meant to be a rant.

Speaking of re-reading... Sandy, if you really want to save XP, encourage people to follow these links:

Here's one with info:
http://weblog.infoworld.com/save-xp/archives/2008/01/save_windows_xp.html

And here's the petition link itself:
http://reg.itworld.com/servlet/Frs.frs?Context=LOGENTRY&Source=entdesk&Source_BC=13&Script=/LP/80276783/reg&

I'm not going to discourage anyone from trying to take a stand for something they believe in.

DISCLAIMER: SMKINOSHITA is no more partial to XP than to any other Microsoft OS. He makes no guarantees as to the effectiveness of said petition, or the security of the information you submit through the form. Void where prohibited. Keep out of reach of children. Do not mix with alcohol.

By that time everyone will be too busy cleaning pig poop off their cars and ice-skating in Hell to worry about their OS.

That's not true really at all. From what I remember, Windows 95 came as something much better than old 3.1. Then 98 was something like a much better version of 95, so people took to it easily. Then there was Windows NT (networking for business), which was better, but not really marketed towards home users. Windows Millennium was some kind of thing... I still don't know what that was for sure... another update of 98? And Windows 2000 was a better version of NT?
So those products had mixed messages, 98 was getting old and crappy and we NEEDED an upgrade!

Windows XP came along and solved the dilemma. And it worked well. People still thought about waiting it out, but it was obvious that it was so much better than 98 and the others, and it took over from NT/2000 so it dealt with that issue too.

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Vista has had a different road yet again. The extra focus on security caused issues with hardware drivers at the start, -more than usual because of it. The focus on the fancy look (not really that fancy), meant that you couldn't get all the nice looks without a more powerful machine, as well as the fact that it's such a
massive memory hog.

It really does work fine. But it is really NOT for everyone. The trouble is that at this stage, XP still looks good and still works great. Unlike 98 when XP came along, XP in a Vista world hasn't been left behind. And for most people it's only worth upgrading to when you buy a whole new computer, which make adoption VERY slow for businesses that run Windows machines.

I think I'll do what I did last time with XP; hold out until games and programs come out that no longer support XP. With time a new version of Direct X may come out that will not support XP, forcing game developers to make games using it. And that'll force me to buy Vista.

Sorry, oz. You remember it wrong.

When XP came out, it was buggy as all get out. People were screaming for their Windows 98 back, until they finally came out with Service Pack 2.

Which, in my opinion, is the same story here. Early adopters get the bugs and make the most noise (luckily for us, the late adopters). That's just the way it is.

Well I agree with Ozone's statment regarding 98 vs XP.

When XP came out I was running 98 and was impressed with the new system. Millenium Edition was a joke and I didn't touch it with a 10 foot pole. I'm still running XP but I have tried Vista excessively and It has few nice features. I like but I'm not geting it just yet. Maybe when they work out the few kinks that still linger in it.

P.S. But spang is right with Service Pack 2 as well. I remember now not switching until after it came out.

The first version was pretty decent for me. Service pack 1 slowed down most things though. Speed was regained again with service pack two It came out with the introduction of Vista man... games are already using it.

You got lucky.

But yeah, SP1 came along and reduced some bugs. But the world did not fall in love with XP until SP2.

XP was actually an anomaly in the Microsoft business plan. THeir product strategy is to release a new copy of windows every 1-3 years. Vista hit development snags and got stuck in "development hell" with constant demands on the engineers to add more and more technologies and compatibilities until they reached a point where they had to erase the chalkboard and start from scratch, twice. The end result was a well-rounded and very secure OS that worked almost flawlessly on OEM systems that matched specs. The problems came in because marketing pressured the engineers to lower the minimum requirements in order to attract a larger market. The original requirements and Vista compatible tags led to large numbers of people upgrading to vista on sub-par machines using older programs and hardware. patches were released making the older technology compatible within weeks and OEMs were forced to stop installing and advertising vista on machines that did not meet reqs.

End result: bad reviews travel on an 11:1 ratio to good news, and vista earned a bad reputation despite being a well-rounded and stable product.

That said Ubuntu linux is free and easy to use alternative that I use personally and recommend to everyone looking to buy a computer.

I would like to upgrade when I can. But unless a version of Manga Studio is released that works with Vista comes along I can't. Well, I could partition, but I don't know of any programs I would use that NEED Vista.

When a program like that comes out I may worry then, if I needed it bad enough.

I liked XP more than ME back in the day, but I had 1 program I used a lot on ME so I had to keep both OS' till the other program finally started working on XP.

Because I disagree with your methods and heretics shall be disposed of?

Guys, guys, guys.

Settle this rationally.

CAGE MATCH

So that XP thing sure is something, eh?

No, because people who continue to act like jerks after they're told not to aren't needed.
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XP has more bugginess than Vista actually. And that will continue as new program versions are made and you add new hardware to replace older stuff. -As I'm finding on one of my older computers

No, because people who continue to act like jerks after they're told not to aren't needed.

Exterminate the inferior upstart, Mein Herr. Leave only the obedient posters, and we shall build a better world.



Every version of windows is just a patch upon a patch with a shiny new interface. Except for Windows ME, which was just NT with more of those games no one plays.

Honestly, unless I really REALLY have to, I'll be sticking with XP until Windows 7 is released, since they'll be redoing the entire kernel. Windows as a whole has a lot more legacy code and bloat than nessecary, but I still need XP to run a lot of older programs and games. Vista is solidifying pretty nicely, and they're doing well by releasing the x64 version with the x86 version in retail.