Has Vista gotten any better?

[MrPopo]

Really, with your PC, what do you want it to do?

Do you want it to play all the latest games? Congratulations, here's your Windows machine.

Do you have a need for the massive customizability and security of a Linux machine? Then go with that.

Do you feel a need to wear glasses soley to look cool? Here's your Mac.

[superlarz]

I never had any problems with vista, and other than being a RAM hog, I dont think it is a bad OS.

Many people dont like it because they hear bad things. I think that most of the bad things they hear are because people were so in love with XP and Apples intense and successful advertising. Vista's bad rep is fallout from XP's huge successes.

Usually when a company comes out with an OS, older devices have problems at first. It is impossible to test every device on every configuration prior to release, which is why early on in an OS lifetime there is compatibility issues. This is more of a problem to test and sort out for MS because of the sheer volume of users and manufacturers.
Apple doesnt have as many problems because they are their only manufacturer, and have a much smaller install base. If Mac OS ever get a larger market share (30%+) you will see more problems from Apple when they move on to an new OS, and you will also see more problems as hackers have more reason to go after Apple users.

[Niode]

hack - illegal - irrelevant... If you accept that, then I could build you any system for pennies on the dollar loaded with thousands of dollars worth of software all for free!

Mac's price is a myth? I've used a mac, what is the glamorous stuff mac is giving me for the extra 1000 dollars? That iMeWhoozit crap? WOOHOO yeah that's 1000 dollars worth of software... uh huh!

My point is saying Mac is a "better" OS is a moot point. It's a matter of preference. Mac is for a Mac user. Dude man obviously ain't a mac user. No matter what mac can do in one area doesn't erase the fact Windows has a lot of stuff it can do that Mac just can't! And vice versa.

What the hell are you talking about LoD? Take the new macbook pros, comes with iLife for free and the OS is free too. For £1369 find me a dual gpu, dual core 2.4ghz core 2 duo with 2GB 1066MHz ram with a screen as good as the macbook pro's, backlit keyboard, less than an inch thick, 250GB HDD with a multi-touch trackpad that also weighs the same or close to the new macbook pro. Which also comes with a decent photo editor, video editing suite, audio sequencer and fully functioning word processor for less money. I bet you can't.

[skate323k137]

I'll never switch to Vista- on two identical machines XP will always run significantly faster. I'd rather run ubuntu with a virtual XP machine, than run Vista. My brother (who programs/scripts in linux for a living) built his boss a bad ass PC, and it took vista an obnoxious amount of time to boot up. He found that the machine could boot Ubuntu AND a virtual windows machine in 1/3 the time it took to boot vista by itself. He put in two monitors and has the ubuntu desktop on one monitor and the virtual windows machine on the other. His boss couldn't be happier.

my buddy has a decent machine with vista (same specs would be AWESOME with XP), and in order to use any old hardware such as my PS2->USB converters for arcade sticks, we always have to reboot and hold f8, and turn off "driver signature enforcement". Not to mention my 3 year old toshiba satellite runs remotejoy at full speed while his brand new vista machine with an nvidia graphics card lags noticeably. I'd rather have a machine that lets me do what i want and run the risk of messing it up rather than one that comes with a freaking overzealous security guard so to speak. while i understand that the general masses "need" this protection, nothing is more infuriating than knowing exactly what you want to do, and having to jump through 100 hoops to do it; that's how i feel about vista in a nutshell. it sucks and I'll never use it personally. I know enough about it to fix it up for people when I'm on the job, and it's always a pain in my ass anyway.

[lordofduct]

hack - illegal - irrelevant... If you accept that, then I could build you any system for pennies on the dollar loaded with thousands of dollars worth of software all for free!

Mac's price is a myth? I've used a mac, what is the glamorous stuff mac is giving me for the extra 1000 dollars? That iMeWhoozit crap? WOOHOO yeah that's 1000 dollars worth of software... uh huh!

My point is saying Mac is a "better" OS is a moot point. It's a matter of preference. Mac is for a Mac user. Dude man obviously ain't a mac user. No matter what mac can do in one area doesn't erase the fact Windows has a lot of stuff it can do that Mac just can't! And vice versa.

What the hell are you talking about LoD? Take the new macbook pros, comes with iLife for free and the OS is free too. For £1369 find me a dual gpu, dual core 2.4ghz core 2 duo with 2GB 1066MHz ram with a screen as good as the macbook pro's, backlit keyboard, less than an inch thick, 250GB HDD with a multi-touch trackpad that also weighs the same or close to the new macbook pro. Which also comes with a decent photo editor, video editing suite, audio sequencer and fully functioning word processor for less money. I bet you can't.

Laptops are a scene I don't know very well mainly because I don't use laptops ever. Mac or non-mac alike. I think the price of all of these contraptions to be bloated and ridiculous.

As for macs home pc market, their MacMini, iMac, and Mac Pro are overpriced piles of nonsense.

The Mac-mini is mostly just useless in my opinion unless you want a web-surfing box and that's about it. The only one that is useful is the 2.0 ghz one and it starts at 799 USD with NO monitor. It's another 600 for that. 1400 dollars could get you a much nicer PC by any other company, not as glamorous looking, but more power. Self built will obviously save more, but that's not really much to say, most people can't. But Mac doesn't even give you that option...

iMac - one of the reasons I don't like laptops is the design of a laptop. It doesn't allow me to easily work on or make changes to the hardware. I want a new videocard? Oh God that's gong to be a headache. Well what'd they do to the iMac? They designed it like a laptop that has to stay on your desk. BRILLIANT! Price again plays into the field, you're almost paying laptop prices with out the mobility and support for slightly better specs, but the FSB suffers.

Mac Pro - Oh please, this thing is like buying a Dell XPS. If I ever met anyone buying either I'd laugh.


My computer runs Linux right now which can do all that OS stuff you speak of for free. And legally. The hardware in it is really good, and I've had it for quite some time. I didn't pay that much for it considering when I bought it like 3 years ago.

2.67 ghz core 2 duo
3GB DDR2
Geforce 7950Gx2 dual GPU
750GB of storage space
Dual Hauppauge capture card
Auzentech 7.1 eXplosion sound card
22 inch LCD secondary monitor at 1680x1050
30 inch LCD primary monitor at 2560x1600

and I see myself getting several more years of work out of it. And I paid less then any Mac Pro that was out at the same time I bought it. And up until a few months ago I dual-booted with Windows Vista and it did everything I wanted it to and more for still less.

[Niode]

Yeah because pro studios totally don't need the rock solid stability and silent operation of the Mac Pro and OS X for Logic Pro. Which is rapidly becoming THE standard in audio production.

What are you talking about with $1400 for a mac mini? Who in their right mind would pay $600 for a monitor for a mac mini. It's designed to be used in small desktop scenarios. You're not going to buy a 26 inch+ monitor for the mac mini. Are you insane?

The Mac Mini is marketed at people who want to get into the Mac way of computing but don't want or need an overpowered system. It makes sense for certain people. IE people who want the simplicity of using a mac, not having to worry about viruses/trojans/malware/spyware. They want a system that just works with their hardware, they don't want to fanny about with drivers. They just want to browse the internet, and email their friends and relatives. The mac allows them to do this in the most seamless and transparent way possible. The average user hates windows because it's so high maintenance. They don't want to bother with updates that pester the user every five minutes to reboot, they don't want to have to de-fragment their hard drives because windows is sluggish. They don't want to pay for somebody to come look at their computer because it's doing something they don't want it to do. The mac mini is so small they can take it to an apple store and have a 'genius' look at it and have it sorted for free.

The problem you have is that you are comparing specs to what PCs require because of bloated OS and software. I have a Mac G3 and it runs just fine. Still. I've never had to reinstall the operating system. It works the same way at the same speed as it did 4 years ago. That just isn't possible with Windows. Trust me, I've tried it. The only time I've ever had to do any maintenance on my Macbook Pro was to install Leopard. Which was as painless as an OS upgrade could go. It upgraded the OS kept all my programs and all my data and I was right where I left off but with all the extra features that leopard brought. The only other OS that I had a similar experience with was Ubuntu. Everytime I've tried upgrading windows on many of my machines It has had some sort of conflict that made the system flat out refused to upgrade or has just impacted performance so much I had to just format and reinstall windows just to have it run properly again.

I guess I'm just talking to a brick wall here though. You're too stubborn to even give Mac a chance but all too quick to trash it despite not knowing anything about it.

[lordofduct]

my point about the monitor on the mac mini is that it doesn't come with one, and on the mac store:

Apple Displays

Connect your Mac mini to one of Apple's flat-panel, liquid crystal displays for a gorgeous Mac experience. Each display features an anodized aluminum enclosure, FireWire and USB 2.0 ports, and an industry standard DVI connector for a direct pure-digital connection. Choose a 20-inch Apple Cinema or 23-inch Cinema HD Display.
Learn more
20-inch Apple Cinema Display
Offering a panoramic view, this display lets you see as much as two full A4-size pages of text-with room left over for menus, video clips, tool bars and palettes. With a resolution of 1680 by 1050 pixels, it delivers twice the brightness, twice the sharpness and three times the contrast of ordinary displays.

23-inch Apple Cinema HD Display
This stunning, all-digital, 23-inch flat-panel display delivers 1920-by-1200-pixel resolution for viewing high-definition (HD) content with room to spare. It's ideal if you're using Apple's Final Cut Express video editing software. With more workspace, you can see more audio and video tracks, more of your timeline and more controls and palettes. Video and still images are crisp and clear. Colors are vivid and accurate. Text is sharp and easy to read.

Apple Displays

* None
* Apple Cinema Display (20" flat panel) [Add $599.00]

of course you can buy elsewhere for cheaper, but that there is exactly what it says under "Mac Displays" when ordering the 2ghz model at 799 USD. Total 1400.


And way to go mac "sound production standards" because we all are sound producers! That's a point of 'preference'... and a niche market. Truck drivers tend to prefer the Peterbilt truck with their large capacity air breaks, Detroit Diesel engine, and affordably customizable 5th wheel placement. But you don't see me using my Peterbilt as my towncar.

[Niode]

You were the one that said anybody buying a mac pro is an idiot. They are the best you can buy for certain things. Creative professionals are idiots if they refuse to use macs.

[lordofduct]

You were the one that said anybody buying a mac pro is an idiot. They are the best you can buy for certain things. Creative professionals are idiots if they refuse to use macs.

I said: "If I ever met anyone buying either I'd laugh."

And I was referring to consumer market users who could easily get the same features at a more affordable price then buying either a Mac Pro or a XPS. This entire discussion has been about consumer market, not commercial. I thought that was a given.

[Mozgus]

NERD BATTLE!!!

All operating systems suck. The trick is just finding the one that sucks you the right way.