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Hey guys,
I am a computer novice and I am looking to buy a new computer soon. I am going to buy a Dell and I am worried about Vista. Is it so bad? Is there a patch/fix for it? I just need some feedback.

Thanks in advance.

I have vista, but I'm no computer expert, far from it. It looks pretty, and I haven't had any major problems, but it is properly irritating having to click a dialogue box to confirm the program is allowed to do what you want it to do all the bloody time.

I like XP but I would probably try Vista with a new computer. Make sure you have at least 1GB of RAM, which is probably normal these days.

Is it still so bad? Yes ! If you want to play games, you want an XP machine (vista won't run many of my games also quite alot of my software) ... also dell is nice but if you build your own pc its better value (yes i know alot of people don't have the skill to do this)

edit

er and you'll want at least 2g ram

Vista does have its problems 1 I encountered is the computer is constantly returning the settings of a game to default graphics which is usually high and suddenly not bieng able to run it smoothly. And the appearance of games you deleted coming back the next time you turn on the computer

I hate Vista with the white hot fire of a thousands suns.

I hate Vista with the white hot fire of a thousands suns.

And they call him a vista sympathiser

Aristotle wrote:Vista does have its problems 1 I encountered is the computer is constantly returning the settings of a game to default graphics which is usually high and suddenly not bieng able to run it smoothly. And the appearance of games you deleted coming back the next time you turn on the computer

word. Had the same problem actually. Once I turned of my Notebook right after playing, say DoW, with the next start up all the settings would be messed up.
Other than that, its running petty stable on my system, ive seen other notebooks with some serious problems though. going from constant freeze/ crash behavior all the way to the "do the windows update and nothing will work anymore".

basically the usual with windows. youre always gambling

Ahtman wrote:I hate Vista with the white hot fire of a thousands suns.

I have about the same level of hatred that I have had for everything computer-related. (Except DOS, which actually caused me to swear off of computers for five years.) Could you give some specifics, if they are not too technically intricate. (I am functionally computer illiterate and suffer not the scorn of the geek.)

I know that Microsoft put out a patch (SP!) recently, I just don't know if it fixed all the problems.

See, I have not had any real problems with Vista. My games run great, it looks beautiful, and I don't have any problems with lock ups or game malfunctions. Definately not any more than I do with XP. Maybe I am one of the exceptions.

1. They sell it in computers that can barely run it, doubly so in laptops.

2. Glitchy as hell

3. It asks you for permission on every single mundane action over and over and over. It was supposed to be more user friendly but it actually makes it more annoying to use. Every five minutes it will just stop everything to ask "are you sure you want to turn the volume down?" and it gets old fast.

4. I would say 4 gigs of RAM to be smooth at a minimum. It is just a system hog that doesn't know how to just be there in the background. Always feasting on your memory. NOM NOM NOM.

Dell small business is more XP friendly than most commercial PC retailers. I think at this point the only option is for the "down grade" to XP - but it should allow you to buy a machine with the OS your looking for. I bought a Vostro from them in January & am satisfied with the purchase.

SP1 made Vista much more smooth. It also optimized many aspects of its performance - in fact many games will now perform better on Vista than on a similarly equipped XP machine.

Vista Pros
Faster (with SP1)
Still in support window (XP's just ended)
DirectX10 - not a big deal, but DX11 probably will be, and that very well may not get dev'd for XP

XP Pros
Proven stability
Legacy hardware/software support - This is strictly on vendors here. When Vista was released, they opted to create Vista drivers for new hardware/software only - leaving legacy users to rot in XP or forced to upgrade.
Lower RAM requirements - What you can do in XP for 2 gb, Vista Requires 3.

Get a mac. Yes I'm serious.



<-- This is my serious face.

All the way round, XP will provide you a better experience now. In the future once everything has stopped making stuff for XP, you'll eventualy be forced to "upgrade". However, I'm going to hold out as long as possible so that when (if) I swap over, they'll have worked out a lot of the bugs.

Now if they would only get rid of the *@#$^%*#$!(@$@# ing pop ups in the OS it might actually be good. I have a pop up blocker on my web browsers to get rid of the kind of crap, why would I want the same kind of junk integrated into my OS? It boggles my mind.

Of course, Vista is still problematic.
Haven't you seen that Mac commercials?


Mac: Hi. I'm a Mac.
PC: ...and I'm a PC
(Follow with a longwinded yet amusing commercial about how PC's suck and Macs rule)

They're on ALL the time.
that should be proof enough.


Eric

http://www.ctrlaltdel-online.com/comic.php?d=20060513

ok now on a more serious note, i use XP and i will probably upgrade when i get my next computer (AKA: one this one dies beyond any possible recovery) so im looking at at least a year or two. but one of the computers at work has vista and all i can say is that you shouldnt get it until later once they have fixed the OS into a less-buggy-than-a-roach-infested-trailerhome state.

my $.02

-chase

As for the pop up thing, the "User Access Control" can be turned off so it does not work. It can also be deactivated program by program so you do not need to turn the whole thing off.

It can, but most people not certified in Vista aren't going to be able to intuitively figure it out.

I just ordered my new computer from Dell with Vista. It will be here next week. Wish me luck figuring it out.

Thanks

Got the computer today. Using it right now. It is great.

Thanks guys

I don't like the newer MS Office & Vista interface - extremely mouse-heavy, and mouse-mandatory.

My thoughts are XP or Linux when I get my next PC.

But if I did get Vista, I'd want to exercise my XP "downgrade rights".