When I bought my laptop it came with Vista, and I really didn't have a preference, but the more I read about vista the more I'm just completely turned off by it.
I'm considering either downgrading to XP or making the switch to a linux system. The problem with XP is that support for it ends in 2009, and while that's a little over a year away, I'm not going to spend money on it and I'm not going to pirate it.
The problem with linux is that it isn't compatible with too many programs. I thought maybe I could partition so I could at least run something in windows should I need to, but that sounds like a mondo pain.
I was hoping some of you all could share your experience and preferences, maybe to help me make a decision. I'm still going to google around, I just thought I'd through this out.
Thanks for any and all info.
04:00 pm, Wednesday, October 31, 2007 (2 years ago)
Vista runs fair. I've never tried linux so there's no comparison.
Vista is a little rigid, I've had it a few weeks and I'm already noticing performance declines.
The good stuff:
+It's fuckin' gorgeous. I have a high def screen and watching movies on this lappy is great, I love how it looks, I only wish I could custo the theme...
+The startbar is pretty functional. I don't know how Linux OSs compare, but I'm happier with the Vista startbar then other windows's. The windows explorer is generally more functional than other windows.
That's it man. If someone came up to me and layed down what that guy on the previous link was saying I think I'd start crying. I got vista with absolutely no reason to or foundation for choosing it, that's a fact. I think anyway you look at it, that's what windows was counting on as the selling point for their new OS. I'm going to do some more searching after work, but for the most part all the pros I've been hearing come down to windows being traditionally easier to navigate. I also found this.
I'm going to boot Ubuntu without installing and feel around. If it's comfortable enough and functional enough, I'll go with it. I'm just not happy with all the garbage I'm getting with windows.
Not to discourage you but the following is likely. Stay with windows vista. Because of the simple fact that you are even concerned about support for a product will let any experienced or advanced user know that you will probably need help somewhere down the road, for us, we are the support. If you can fix ALL problems yourself then any other option other than Vista is suitable otherwise like I said stay with Vista.
It is without doubt that you should stay with vista because any other option is gonna take a very sharp learning curve as with linux which I have been using for more than 5 years is much different than windows period. Besides Vista has a vast collection of customizing options if you look and as time progresses it will offer/have many more just as with any OS that changes over time.
It also depends on your needs.
1. Windows Vista is more secure that Windows XP, but linux is more secure then both. 2. Linux is free but takes a great deal of learning curve to bring out its true potential. You better be prepared to screw things up, cause its gonna happen regardless. 3. You can always dual boot, but of course like stated before things can go wrong simply because linux is not 100% perfect.
If you don't mind putting great effort in learning linux its a good option if you don't work where a windows environment is needed(ie. school, job, kids, games etc.)
Actually, if you wish to get technical. XP is not a downgrade to Vista, but is a sidestep to Vista. XP is nothing more then a glorified XP. While some things are different, like security. Nothing else really changed.
The reason why XP will no longer have support in 2009 is because Windows Longhorn is slated to come out in 2010.
I say stick it out with Vista until Longhorn comes out to the public as a RC1 and then install Longhorn.
No Unbuntu. It's not worth it. Get simplyMEPIS - It'll come will all the programs you'll ever need and should work with your wireless card. It's a great Vista alternitive and, while it takes some time getting used to, it's definitely worth it. Play around for a day and you'll get to be an expert real fast. You'll be able to run it from your CD drive without installing if you want. A huge plus to simplyMEPIS is that it's completely immune to viruses and spyware. Download at http://ftp.uwsg.indiana.edu/linux/mepis/released/SimplyMEPIS -CD_6.5.02_32.iso.
To run Windows programs that haven't been ported for Linux, get WINE (Wine Is Not an Emulator). You'll need an intel x86 processor, though. Concerning that you ran Vista, you probably do already. I forgot the download link, but Google search it and it will be easy to find.
I'm thinking of moving to Linux too, however, with soo many versions (SUSE, Ubuntu, with / w/o design suite, with cream...) it's hard to decide wich Image download :S
i'm thinking mainly on Musix or Ubuntu, can't decide...can somebody help me decide which is best for me?
...and also tell me if it's easy to install-remove, if i want to go-back to win :S
"A huge plus to simplyMEPIS is that it's completely immune to viruses and spyware."
Completely wrong. Nothing is immune.
They said that about OSX, but that was proven wrong. They said it about any Linux distro... That was proven wrong. They said it about Solaris (Unix.) and that was proven wrong.
As operating systems grow in popularity, so doesn't the threat. Hence why Windows has some like like 50,000 known viruses, OSX about 100 and Linux about 30. Maybe 3 or 4 with Solaris.
Also, WINE doesn't support everything. WINE is a piece of shit. Can barely handle mIRC without crashing out.
I've been a Microsoft defector for about 5 years now. I learned to adapt to a strange way of using my laptop: I can change pretty much anything, and delete programs that I'll never use. Having said that; some people have a shorter tolerance to new things than others, and some may not like switching from Windows to Linux. It's a completely personal choice that: viruses, program installation and such will have no effect on their ultimate decision. I dig Linux. I like how it "feels." In the end that's all that it's about.
Okay, "immune" is old news. But it's unlikely you'll ever get a virus. WINE doesn't support everything, but it supports MOST things. Windows Media Player works like a charm. So does Office, though MEPIS comes with OpenOffice, which I like a lot better. I have heard that GNOME is easily customizeable. I'm pretty sure MEPIS comes with and supports the GNOME workspace, as well as the X-Window system.
