Hi there
In the US you might be lucky actually GETTING a person to answer the phone.
In most European countries people have to deal with ABOMINABLE off shore call centres with really annoying menus that never have the option you want, have to wait AGES before anybody finally answers and when you DO get someone the English is so poor that I'm sure even a native English speaker would have real problems so people tend not to bother anymore.
Cheers
jimbo
I deleted as it was in the wrong section
cheers
jimbo
I have not trusted PC World for several years now. They had similar type of stories about XP when Vista was released, and were even staunch "Vista-problem-deniers" where they claimed that the problems related to user error, not the OS itself.
In my own use and testing, the early W7 beta was much faster secure and better top to bottom than Vista ever was or is.
I think they need to change the headline and story itself to read:
Vista is just a stop gap.
Vista will never outshine anything, it is equivalent to Windows ME version2. It is a junk filled bloated OS that was just released for the time being as a stop gap until something better came along, which is exactly what Windows ME was almost 20 years ago. The general public has all but forgotten WinME as most of the attention and memories from that time frame was on Windows 98.
Possibly chalk it up to marketing: rush and release a buggy problem filled OS so whatever comes after it will seem like some massive "messiah of Operating Systems" and hopefully cause a major exodus of computer users to this nice shiny new OS. The real problem lies in that people (aka the general public, the consumer) likes XP, they know how to use it, and it has been found that more computers have been returned, exchanged or converted over to XP. Microsoft is not releasing these numbers, they may claim some exhorbitant number of Vista licenses sold, but what they are not showing is that a minority or possibly a majority of Vista licenses are killed off shortly after activation for a replacement, XP. Most of the reporting websites show that XP is still holding tight around 70-75% of the market share. Vista is growing very slowly, but the real surprise is that Vista is actually causing more people to look into alternatives like Linux, and most specifically Ubuntu. Usage of linux on dekstop/netbook computers has exploded over the past 2 years, outpacing most other operating systems, percentage-wise.
Another surprise is the usage of Windows 7. In Jan 2009, it showed 0.2% of the OS market already, and by April 2009 it is up to 0.7%. At this rate, by the time it is officially released later this year, we may possibly see 5% adoption rate by the new year and overtake Vista within the first 6 months of 2010, and possibly overtake XP by early 2011.
copyright... ME: screwballl mike for sevenforums.com :)
Hold onto that thought!
Getting things running on 7? I've been finding more stuff goes right on and runs on 7 over what was seen in Vista until lately! There's still a few older XP programs to get worked out on the 64bit RC. But the overall picture for 7 is quite impressive!
"Bloated OS" was one of the initial terms heard when Vista came out. The hardware factor is what actually played the largest role overall. It was a totally new larger kernel over XP's and offered far more updated grapicial elements plus the DX10 factor will paying a price at the same time.
The one thing MS looked in 7 was now seeing an increased support for older video cards over what is seen in Vista. As for taking longer to start up and finish loadong plus later lagging when going to shutdown I was seeing that in XP as well as Vista when placed side by side with 7 here.
With everything able to run on the 32bit 7000 build once the RCs were out you know where XP went! Plus Vista may be ending up on the latest Virtual PC beta used for the new XP mode. "Kill two birds with one stone"! 4 OSs on only two primaries requiring only two drives over splitting drives? Simply do the math there!
VM will also suggest other possible outcomes like running your favorite Linux "flavor of the month" in a VM as well as considering a look at even older versions like 95 or 98 on VM for old times sake!
Hi there
I still have some old hardware and some "Blue Print" type software which will ONLY run in XP (or Windows 2000). The manufacturer no longer exists so there's no way this will work on W7 (I've tried --even in "compatability" mode -- no good.
The hardware is still fine and will last for a few years yet. This stuff is PRO quality and even if I could find an alternative I'm talking about at LEAST 8,000 - 10,000 USD to upgrade, re-license and re-train.
Just not worth it at the present time -- I can dedicate an old computer for this stuff -- I don't need to have it running on a laptop. If it runs in "XP compatability mode" under Virtual PC then that's also fine (actually it works in a dedicated VM using vmware).
XP will be around for AGES and AGES yet -- in the business world it's often difficult for those working in the IT service area to actually see what "Real users" are doing and can get "blown away" by looking at new gear.
In a business it's a different story -- I'm sure you've often come across problems when the Server files get full people say "just go and buy a new 1TB disk they only cost a few dollars now. Unfortunately it's just not that simple.
Domestic or "Consumer grade" equipment is in general NOT suited to the robust every day use in a busy office and this "business grade" kit costs a different order of magnitude more than typical "Home" equipment.
A business wide change is very costly and disruptive which is why on the whole this stuff will be managed gradually and over a period.
In addition you have to deal with the "bean counters" who usually have some formula as to the "depreciation" of the equipment. Until the book value goes down to some "notational zero" companies won't upgrade unless there are significant tax (and other) benefits for them to do so -- and since XP (and even Windows 2000) still works fine in a huge number of cases you've got a really big selling job on your hands.
Cheers
jimbo
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