Windows Vista is almost GA!

What do you think?

Wednesday, January 24, 2007 by Frogboy | Discussion: WinCustomize Talk

I'm really curious as to what people at WinCustomize think of Windows Vista.

From a customization point of view, Vista has some immense opportunities. But my fear is a real splitting of skinning between XP and Vista.

XP, let's face it, works pretty good. And it's been out for years. So getting people to switch to Vista may be a slow process.

What do you think?

16 Reply 5 Referrals
BigDogBigFeet
Reply #1 Wednesday, January 24, 2007 7:41 PM
This one is easy for me. First of all what is the average PC footprint out there in use probably, and I'm guessing a 2 - 3 year old PC running at 1.8 to 2.2 Ghz. The average graphics capability is somewhere between 64 and 128 MB. So, the average home user just isn't going to go out and upgrade this year. And, every major game title this year (with maybe a couple of Microsoft games being the exception) will be XP based because Vista game sales in 2007 will just not be there. In short the hardware and software entry point for the early adapters has to come down. And the last time I checked, unless there was a clearly defined technological advantage to new technology adoption, businesses wait, and stay with what they already know works. So, everything with large sales appeals for technology suppliers is XP based. Having said that developers have to know how to roll out Vista apps as the installed base of Vista machines increases. It is my belief that 2008 will be the telling year to know whether Vista will be quickly adopted or a slower paced more gradual conversion.  

Erk.
Reply #2 Wednesday, January 24, 2007 7:45 PM
I'm in two minds about it.

On the one hand, I have a perfectly functioning OS with XP pro, and I'm used to it's every little nuance. [Sometimes nuisance ]

On the other hand ...I can afford to buy Ultimate when it's released here ...but I don't think my system is capable of running Vista, which means at the very least a costly upgrade or new rig.

Though I am impressed with what I've seen so far, I guess I've got to make the decision as to whether I really need Vista just yet.

If I do get it, I've then got a perfectly functioning OS [in XP Pro] just sitting, gathering dust.

I think I'll wait for a few months after release, look at where skinning for it is heading, and then decide how 'critical' it is that I get it.

PurrBall
Reply #3 Wednesday, January 24, 2007 8:03 PM
I like some, some not. I just really wish that they hadn't moved shell locations and dialogs around. For us power users who *know* where literally everything is in XP, Vista is like the difference between XP and OS X. I know what to search for, but I shouldn't have to search for anything.

I DO like the driver support.. things seem to just work like they should. It is pretty fast and feels smooth. Feels even better with WB Vista.
I'm definitely buying it sometime for at least one desktop. I already have the express upgrade for the laptop.

NightTrainthedark
Reply #4 Wednesday, January 24, 2007 8:15 PM
It's simply too costly for myself to upgrade. That would be 2 Pc's and a laptop that cannot run Vista at it's peak. So that's 3 hardware upgrades. Xp works just fine. I really know how to screw it up now. I got the shaft on Windows ME so I am very hesitant and will wait before dumping a few K into Vista upgrades.

Of course, I am waiting to see what Stardock is going to bring to the table because that could have a significant impact on my decision to upgrade.

Xp works fine for my office so no expensive upgrades are needed their.

If you have Microsoft stock it might be a good time to cash out.   

firebrick
Reply #5 Wednesday, January 24, 2007 9:06 PM
No plans for Vista for me, i just built this pc 6 months ago and it is fully capable of running Vista Ultimate, but nothing has really made me go "wow i gotta have that". animated wallpaper, spinning and twisting windows..no thanks, i can do what i need to do with XP. If it isn't broke.. why Vista it?

Island Dog
Reply #6 Wednesday, January 24, 2007 9:25 PM
Well I have been running Vista for a month or so, and I have been using it more and more often in just the past couple of weeks.  I have been impressed with several of its features (article about one coming soon), and I plan to get another copy for the "family" computer.

While my hardware does a "decent" job handling Vista, I will have to build a new box soon.

 

ZubaZ
Reply #7 Wednesday, January 24, 2007 9:41 PM
I'll be runnig Vista Business for a while on one box and will migrate to Ultimate as I upgrade.  The other boxes in the house may stay at one of the lower versions depending on fundage.

Truth be told, I am more excited by Windows Home Server and my upgrade path may depend on whether it supports XP.  If it doesn't I'll upgrade to vista sooner to gain it's benefits.

LittleBearJason
Reply #8 Wednesday, January 24, 2007 10:26 PM
Back awhile ago.. Somewhere on Wincustomize, there was an article where the developer compared cpu usage.. It was Windows XP using the boring old Luna Interface... VS Windows XP using Windowblinds. It showed in their test that Windows XP using WB used lesser cpu cycles then using xp with the plain luna interface.

Go figure! Think Stardocks apps can also help offset cpu load on Vista like it did on XP in their tests?

CerebroJD
Reply #9 Wednesday, January 24, 2007 11:08 PM
I've been using Vista since christmas-ish on my laptop I got in early December, and I must say I'm very impressed by the responsiveness of the UI (Aero or WB) and the configuration options are in many ways alot more powerful than in XP.  The seperation of the administrative tasks and UAC (i think thats the name) is a great step to helping secure the OS, especially from a user perspective.  I think its a great blend of power and user-friendliness that will definitely be a good selling point to those buying computers for the first time. 

elvee
Reply #10 Wednesday, January 24, 2007 11:25 PM
I wont have Vista until I buy a new system(most likely a laptop), and even then, I will probably still use my XP OS. I love XP and see no reason to upgrade just yet.


And why...other than money...are there soo many different versions of one OS. Put them all together as one. I don't think apple has multiple different OS's and everything goes along just fine. I don't own a Mac so I am just guessing on that one.  

seldomseen
Reply #11 Wednesday, January 24, 2007 11:44 PM
XP PRO SP2 on desktop (built from ground up by me 2002, occ. upgrades)
XP Home on laptop (Sony factory-inst. 2005)
Both run and do all I "need" at the moment.
Obj. Desktop and SDC give me all the "wants".
I like being current and "keeping up with the Joneses", but
new desktop + new laptop + supported peripherals & software =
no food, no clothes, no heat, no school, no car, no insurance ...
So, no Vista in forseeable future.
Just too expensive.
"Wants" vs "Needs"

XX
Reply #12 Thursday, January 25, 2007 2:38 AM
I think I'll wait for good long-term upgrade before I will go get vista. Maybe in a year or so. It depends on many things, however.

Adamness
Reply #13 Thursday, January 25, 2007 5:36 PM
I think most people will at least wait until this Fiji service pack is released towards the end of the year to see if there is anything worthwhile. A lot of the scrapped features in the initial Vista launch will be added back in with Fiji. If you take out the GUI redesign, including Aero and whatnot (which many people will not like anyway), Microsoft hasn't offered enough to make Vista a worthwhile upgrade, especially for that price.

As a student in art school, I have to wait for companies like Adobe and Quark to make sure their products run smooth. (I really don't want a Mac ) Then, of course, I'm waiting to see what else comes out for Vista, including what Stardock produces. For as much as I love having everything skinned, I don't think there will be enough difference in Vista skinning and XP skinning to warrant the upgrade. XP works fine for that and more, so I, and probably most people, will wait for a new computer in the near to distant future to get the upgrade.

Bandit4edu
Reply #14 Thursday, January 25, 2007 6:48 PM
students will have it on their own PCs, and I'll have to upgrade the lab as soon as possible...currently the stand alone, non-networked PC in my office, and a couple in the system office are the only ones with (pre-release)vista on them in the building. But in order to keep up with demand, I'll have to be teaching the OS by at least March.

On a personal note (and my personal computer)...I'm thinking about going back to DOS...

seldomseen
Reply #15 Thursday, January 25, 2007 7:00 PM
...I'm thinking about going back to DOS...


  abacus?

BigDogBigFeet
Reply #16 Thursday, January 25, 2007 7:26 PM
C:> dir sounds great. I added my own custom doh! and duh bat files back then, but I wouldn't go back for anything.  

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