I just dont see any need for Windows anymore

[ade234uk]

Seriously. I don't care how many times Microsoft keep telling us about Vista. I will never ever go back to using Microsoft ever again.

I dont listen to the BS that gets written about Linux by them anymore. Fact is they know that they are losing their grip and there is nothing they can do about it. As a business why would I want to pay Microsoft another £60 - £90?

Whats the fuss about Vista anyway and what does it bring to the table thats new?

[IYY]

There were many promised features for Vista: a decent shell, proper file/directory permissions, tabbed browsing, 3D rendering of the desktop... Basically, everything that we've had for years (well, except for the 3D rendering, we've only had that for a few months with Xgl).

But it will be slow, will require super-hardware, will use more "wizard" interfaces (from what I see on the recent screenshots)... I'm glad I'm off the MS boat.

[Stormy Eyes]

Whats the fuss about Vista anyway and what does it bring to the table thats new?

It's just a case of, "Look! We made yet another crappy OS, but it's got more wizards, a flashier UI, and requires that you buy new hardware! Aren't we special?" All advertising is is an effort to make you want something you don't need. That's what Microsoft is trying to do. They can only get away with the same ******** for so long, and their current line of ******** is getting stale and dried out.

[tom-ubuntu]

Competition is good. I doubt that Xgl would exist in its current state without Vista.

What about a equivalent to WinFS?

[scooper]

Totally agree. I keep a Windows machine that's twice as powerful as my Ubuntu box and it still seems a lot slower and clunkier. Now, the only reason to run Windows is for gaming and multimedia. For businesses and other "serious" use Linux is far better, and (IMO) much easier to use and administer. Wizards get in your way, are inconsistent, clumsy UIs, and prevent you from understanding what you're doing.

Between Apple's resurgence, Linux, Firefox, OpenOffice, and the web as the preferred application platform, MS is in deep trouble. That doesn't make me totally happy, since we inadvertently own the stock. It just doesn't look very good. They need to can Balmer, and probably Gates, and make radical changes to embrace the modern world.

[truNWA]

I don't see the need either. Thats not to say I won't look at windows(or atleast a pirated version for short term use) in ther future. We all have to kinda accept the fact that most ppl and companies in the world use a crappy OS called Windows. That means that we all will have to associate with crap until the rest of the world comes to their senses.

[scooper]

Competition is good. I doubt that Xgl would exist in its current state without Vista.

What about a equivalent to WinFS?
Not so sure about Vista motivating XGL. Wasn't Apple and Sun there first?

Reiser 4 is aiming at the same functionality as WinFS, and it exists, and WinFS won't be in Vista. They've been doing this and not delivering it since the mid-90's with "Cairo". If there's enough value in filesystem-as-database someone will deliver it in the *IX world soon.

[Stormy Eyes]

Competition is good. I doubt that Xgl would exist in its current state without Vista.
Actually, Apple was doing hardware-accelerated desktops first, and before that, Sun Microsystems had NeWS (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NeWS) and NeXT had Display PostScript (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Display_PostScript).

What about a equivalent to WinFS?
Hans Reiser, of reiserfs fame, implemented database-style journaling first.

[tom-ubuntu]

I agree with you guys, that Apple was first with accelerated desktops. But Vista produced more pressure IMHO.

Thanks for the info with ReiserFS4, didn't know that database-style storage is implemented there. Have to read about that.

[prizrak]

Vista is gonna be pretty much OS X judging by the videos that I have seen of it. As usual MS will take things that have been out there for years and claim them as their own. WinFS isn't going to be out anytime soon if it will ever make it. I personally think that MS should stop being retarded and just embrace what open source can give them. If they were to use any of the free filesystems w/o changing anything to make them incompatible they would get all the functionality they need as well as have a fully interoperable system for the dual booters. Maybe even get some of the people who hate them off their backs not like it would ever happen, cuz if MS embraced open standards w/o extending them Windows would have to compete on quality alone ;)

[NeghVar]

Tabbed browseing with IE7 is apparently where kludgy and aqward, no where near as nice FF.

As for the 3d desktop, you have to buy a more advanced more expensive copy to get that, both the very basic one and the lower end home user model dont have it.

File permsions will be messed up somehow, I wonder if anyone has seen anythin on this but when you set up the computer does it auto to root or tell you explicitally to set up the password but use a regular account everyday use?

Until they change that style they are worthless. It may anoy people a bit but it annoys them more when they get viruses/spyware/ms updates that install inexplicatly even wen u turn them off and require you to restart when you do that critical update for solitaire...

[aysiu]

It all depends on the user / company / school / organization.

If you have Windows-only software, you use Windows. If you have Windows-only hardware, you use Windows.

For people like me, Ubuntu is just fine... and then some.

My workplace, however, uses a database program that's Windows-only and interfaces directly with Microsoft Office (not OpenOffice). So there's no way in hell they're going to switch to Ubuntu or another Linux distro. When Microsoft stops supporting XP, we're going to Vista.

[LoclynGrey]

All my machines at home have Ubuntu. I'm in the process of building a mini itx multimedia wireless media machine for the lounge...yes it would be easy to put windows whatever on there but doing so just feels so dirty and lowers the standard of the machine lol. besides where is the challenge if I put windows on it and also I'd rather it be stable and not fall over every other day. (Especially since my wife would need to use it, so it has to always be working)

My work uses Windows xp on their desktops and laptops. So I still have to put up with Windows. I kid you not, on my wrk laptop running xp it would lock up at least 3 times a day. (and thats on a good day)
At one stage I had ubuntu on the laptop and it ran well with no lock ups etc.
Our IT person wasnt so impressed with me running linux, I had to change back :(. Plus I got into a argument with him about Windows vs. Linux, he is very pro Microsoft and MS exchange server (not that we ran an exchange outlook client on our laptops), besides I was an IT Manager for 4 years so I knew what I was talking about lol. But... back on went XP (fully registered version) and low and behold, back came the lock ups and crashes.... :(

[BoyOfDestiny]

Seriously. I don't care how many times Microsoft keep telling us about Vista. I will never ever go back to using Microsoft ever again.

I dont listen to the BS that gets written about Linux by them anymore. Fact is they know that they are losing their grip and there is nothing they can do about it. As a business why would I want to pay Microsoft another £60 - £90?

Whats the fuss about Vista anyway and what does it bring to the table thats new?

Indeed, I still remember an aim conversation where a friend said "longhorn [wasn't called vista yet] will be a great OS, rivaling windows 2000"... My response was "google it". A few minutes later I got a reply: "Oh...".

:)

One of the reasons I hopped on the Linux train to avoid the ever annoying activation (god forbid you change your hardware too many times) and the draconian copyprotection/monitoring that vista will include.

Turns out without that, it may just suck anyway. Yes it's opinion, yes vista isn't out yet. But what it offers wouldn't fly on my hardware anyway. I have a chance for xgl to work on my radeon 9250 based card ($69), I don't have to defrag, I have no malware, I can install literally hundreds of apps with mere clicks, I'm one happy camper.

[Stormy Eyes]

Tabbed browseing with IE7 is apparently where kludgy and aqward, no where near as nice FF.

As for the 3d desktop, you have to buy a more advanced more expensive copy to get that, both the very basic one and the lower end home user model dont have it.

File permsions will be messed up somehow, I wonder if anyone has seen anythin on this but when you set up the computer does it auto to root or tell you explicitally to set up the password but use a regular account everyday use?

Until they change that style they are worthless. It may anoy people a bit but it annoys them more when they get viruses/spyware/ms updates that install inexplicatly even wen u turn them off and require you to restart when you do that critical update for solitaire...

So it's going to be Windows ME, part deux. I can't f---in' wait. :evil:

[prizrak]

It all depends on the user / company / school / organization.

If you have Windows-only software, you use Windows. If you have Windows-only hardware, you use Windows.

For people like me, Ubuntu is just fine... and then some.

My workplace, however, uses a database program that's Windows-only and interfaces directly with Microsoft Office (not OpenOffice). So there's no way in hell they're going to switch to Ubuntu or another Linux distro. When Microsoft stops supporting XP, we're going to Vista.
Well they did switch from a console one to a GUI one at your workplace. They could switch from an MS centric one to a Linux centric one if they saw an advantage. Nothing is set in stone ;)

[prizrak]

So it's going to be Windows ME, part deux. I can't f---in' wait. :evil:
Not like it matters to us we got Ubuntu. :) I doubt it will be ME like at the very least it is using the NT kernel, which is of course miles better than the old 9x kernel ME used.

[Goatee]

This is right but the delay (hmm... have we heard that before? m$?) gives us the Linux community a chance to be ready with a stunning OS to give them a good kicking!

Hee Hee!
8)

[derjames]

As a business why would I want to pay Microsoft another £60 - £90?

Whats the fuss about Vista anyway and what does it bring to the table thats new?

And not only that
40£ for the antivirus/firewall
120£ for Office
etc, etc, etc.....

read the following article about the specs for running Win Vista....

http://news.com.com/Vista+wont+show+fancy+side+to+pirates/2100-1016_3-6060700.html?tag=nefd.lede

so people with current computers only are going to be able to buy Windows VISTA Home basic, that does NOT include the more advance GUI, and other fancy features/options,...
who cares, With the new ubuntu release we will have a more powerfull OS than vista...
Cheers

[aysiu]

Well they did switch from a console one to a GUI one at your workplace. They could switch from an MS centric one to a Linux centric one if they saw an advantage. Nothing is set in stone ;) Given the amount of time, money, and energy spent on migrating from our old database (which we were on for almost twenty years) to this one, I doubt we'll move any time soon.

The migration was painful.

[prizrak]

Given the amount of time, money, and energy spent on migrating from our old database (which we were on for almost twenty years) to this one, I doubt we'll move any time soon.

The migration was painful.
They normally are. Migrating from something legacy is hard work, and in most cases unnecessary unless you run into what I ran into at my old job where I had to manually enter huge amount of data from Excell spreadsheets, was wishing for a way to just plug the damn thing in. Although if the dbase is based on something like SQL it would be a Breeze to migrate that to a Linux based solution :)

[c1ean]

I've just started using Ubuntu, and I already am beginning to realize how ridiculous windows actually is. I used to love litestep, but I'm more than willing to part with it for something way more stable and functional... Hopefully I can get used to the file organization soon though!

[prizrak]

If you loved litestep on Windows I suggest giving Fluxbox a try. Well any of the *box WM's actually litestep is based on the same thing they are. You should check This (http://www.ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=54476&highlight=enlightened) out makes the Ubuntu experience more fun. Or if your hardware allows XGL/Compiz :)

[FISHERMAN]

IMHO, the best thing about Windows is the 3rd party support.
Most official SoftWare(Games,...), Hardware drivers,... are only made for Windows.
Of course this is a chicken and the egg problem.
If you keep using Windows, then the 3rd parties won't be interested in making a linux port. And if you completely switch to Linux, you just have to hope that enough people do the same.