2007-12-27 [Hedda]: Is there any valid reason to use Vista instead of XP?

The only practical reason I've heard of is DirectX 10.1, but nothing supports that yet. Otherwise everything works better and faster in XP.

The problem I see from outside the Window's camp (I use almost only Linux even though I use XP while typing this) is that Vista has some unfixable problems due to design. It will always be too slow and complicated to copy things, and anti-virus and DRM-bullshit will always slow it down and make it work badly, even if Mircosoft make the bugs go away, gets hardware support and make developers adapt their applications.

Luckily things like Vista can't happen to Linux as we can always switch to another new and updated distribution. But Windows users either have to use the old XP or the new Vista-crap.

2007-12-28 [Aileana]: To be very honest with you, no there is no valid reason to use Vista instead of XP, if you must use Windows at all. Vista is full of bugs, uses three times the RAM that XP requires, and constantly bothers you with "confirm or deny", even when you made the mouse click yourself. It is possible to turn all that fancy bs off, but by the time you do, you basically have a prettier XP. When I fix someone's new computer so that its usable, I have them buy a copy of XP, and I wipe the drive.

2007-12-28 [Hedda]: OK, thanks! That's what I've heard from everyone else too.

A fun fact is that the new KDE and Fireox will just less memory than the previous versions. So that's what my mother will get. And then I can support it unlike I can do with a Windows-computer.

2007-12-29 [Aileana]: Well, I can support a Windows computer far easier than I can a Linux computer - would you like to help with that aspect of Tech Support?

2007-12-29 [Hedda]: Not really. I'm definitely not an expert on Linux support. And I have enough of Elfpack support to do

2007-12-29 [Aileana]: OMG I just looked at who you are, and I'm sooo sorry I asked, lol! You must be so busy with everything! I wish I knew how to work Roxen, so I could help you... :/

2007-12-30 [Hedda]: It's mostly MySQL I need help with, actually. I want views, but as far as I know, there is no MySQL support for that. So I'll try to build something with replication.

My (our) problem is that when someone searches in their Elfpack messages, the entire site hangs. Of course I want those searches to be done in the background without locking the message-table. 

2007-12-30 [Aileana]: The only thing I'm personally familiar with in that regard is the BlueHost MySQL web interface... Sorry :(

2008-01-05 [Hot Tabasco]: Service pack 1 for Vista is in CTP release, it fixes a lot of bug, but then the system will not get any faster.

2008-01-05 [Aileana]: Of course not. Vista was designed to run efficiently on 4 gigs of RAM. Problem is, once you go to 4 gigs, you have to get 32 bit Windows, and most programs cannot be found for 32 bit Windows.

2008-01-14 [Hedda]: I have 8 GByte of RAM and it costs almost nothing today, so that's really not an issue.

But Vista by design contains DRM-shit that will make it slow even after all the service packs. That's the long term problem - It's made to please Hollywood and censorship, no for pleasing the customer.

2008-01-14 [Aileana]: Once you turn all the crap off, you basically have a prettier XP. It's really not worth trying to work with - my clients just buy the $400 deal of the day, and a copy of XP, and for $500 they have a what-used-to-be $2000 dollar machine.

2008-03-04 [Hedda]: I found this excellent video on how to install Window Vista in 2 minutes: 

http://youtube.com/watch?v=FVbf9tOGwno