Microsoft Launched Vista on Tuesday

[supremedesigner]

How much hard disk space will a typical Vista install require? I have a 120gb MBP, and I need to run at least one Windows program (Dragon Naturally Speaking) on it. Installing XP may end up to be a better choice, though.

That program sounds familiar. Is that used for I-communicator (for deaf people)?

 

[PCMacUser]

Hmm, I'm not sure how many people are going to go for Vista at this stage, given its high street price and steep hardware requirements.

And to hear from sites such as Tom's Hardware that it bites for games (due to poor drivers - which I'm sure will be resolved soon), it hardly leaves me wanting to install it straight away.

However, I do enjoy new products of any kind (hell, I got excited when the orange iPod shuffle came out) so I will be keen to take a look at it at some stage. But it won't make me go out and buy a new PC just to do so...

 

[73CortinaV8]

I scored a free copy of Vista bidness via a promotion. I installed it on a work laptop this past weekend.

After reading reviews, I was expecting a bloated, ho-hum POS XP successor. After playing with it, I was pleasantly surprised. Nice eye candy. The 3d window switcher is nice. Doesn't seem to soak up any more resources than XP, which, while not great, isn't close to the gloomy reviews. Fewer processes run than are typical on XP, though I don't know if it an illusion. I know all the DRM crap is pretty scary, but just from a look and feel point of view and performance point of view, Vista is impressive. I am surprised.

Now... I can't wait to get my hands on Leopard when it comes out. 🙂

 

[McLar3n]

I like how the post says that the Vista launch was "quite an affair" at the local CompUSA. Working at one myself that was open at midnight, people sure lined up...for the free bluetooth headsets.

 

[Mr. Amiga500]

I've read a report from one Vista user explaining that on their "AMD Athlon 64 X2, 2gb of dual channel RAM, SATA HD, and an ATI 9200SE", they got an error message saying that their graphics card is not powerful enough to run solitare.

Excuse me for wanting to vomit, but an ATI RADEON 9200 not powerful enough to run frigging Windows SOLITAIRE??? I can run a kick-ass animated solitaire on my 1987 Amiga 500! What the hell is this world coming to?

 

[mac-hummer]

Apple ...not as good as we thought

About the price...

Our Steve Jobs claimed that Apple shipped five "major" updates to OS X, including Cheetah, Puma, Jaguar, Panther, and Tiger, though I'd argue that virtually none of those were major updates at all. (Unless you count the cost, at $129 for each version, that's about $774 on Mac OS X upgrades since 2001. That kind of puts the cost of Windows in perspective.)
He also counted Tiger on Intel as a sixth major release, because of the effort in porting the OS X code to a new platform (which, actually, had been in the works for a long time and wasn't the 210 day project Stevo claimed).

So $774 OSX vs. $400 Vista

Now it makes me think, have i spent my money well? 😡

let's open our mind

 

[cazlar]

So $750 OSX vs. $400 Vista

Not sure of your maths there. 10.1 was free, so if you had bought every single possible upgrade (10.0, 10.2, 10.3, 10.4 and soon 10.5) that would be $645. And instead you would have had to buy XP Pro ($299) and Vista ($399 ultimate/$240 home premium).

So maximum $645 vs $698/$539.

P.S. You may be able to get vista for less as an upgrade version, but it kinda sucks that if you do you can't install unless over an old Windows installation, plus you are not meant to reuse your old XP licence afterwards.

 

[FadeToBlack]

About the price...

Our Steve Jobs claimed that Apple shipped five "major" updates to OS X, including Cheetah, Puma, Jaguar, Panther, and Tiger, though I'd argue that virtually none of those were major updates at all. (Unless you count the cost, at $129 for each version, that's about $750 on Mac OS X upgrades since 2001.
That kind of puts the cost of Windows in perspective.) But he counted Tiger on Intel as a sixth major release, because of the effort in porting the OS X code to a new platform (which, actually, had been in the works for a long time and wasn't the 210 day project Stevo claimed).

So $750 OSX vs. $400 Vista

Now it makes me think, have i spent my money well? 😡

let's open our mind

Eh. Most of the versions of OS X were huge improvements, IMO. I haven't used all of them, but judging by the ones I did use (10.1, Jaguar, Panther, and Tiger) each release was a huge improvement to it's predecessor. They all brought some awesome new features and in most cases, a huge speed boost. I know when I upgraded my old eMac from Panther to Tiger, it was a pretty big improvement in speed, not to mention all the new features.

About Vista, though, I think it's ridiculous how many versions they have of it. I mean, c'mon, there's like what, 4 versions? That's just confusing to the consumer and pretty pointless, IMO. I also don't get why they have the upgrade only versions? Why not just make one FULL version? It just doesn't make sense to me and I'm sure it doesn't make sense to people that aren't as in to technology as me. All it does is confuse people.

 

[apfhex]

So maximum $645 vs $698/$539.

P.S. You may be able to get vista for less as an upgrade version, but it kinda sucks that if you do you can't install unless over an old Windows installation, plus you are not meant to reuse your old XP licence afterwards.

I agree. Retail OS X copies aren't upgrades, so it's only fair to count the full priced versions of Windows.

 

[waltchan]

Windows Vista sucks...

Windows Vista really sucks and is very buggy. Buy it at your own risk. I hear the Vista Ultimate version is the worst. After only fifteen minutes out from the box in my new Gateway GM5242 (highest-end) desktop computer, the whole system crashes and has since refused to boot up or work correctly. Restoring it back to factory settings is not possible as there are numerous, no-reason system errors popping up on the screen all the time that prevent any recovery to begin, and Gateway and Microsoft customer reps still have no idea how to fix the problem. So, right now, six hours later, I am still on the phone with them. And Gateway customer reps don't really feel like helping. All they do is read the stupid script typed by Gateway with no knowledge in computers at all. Basically, I have a $2,000 expensive paperweight (with a 24" Gateway widescreen LCD monitor together) sitting on my desk still in inoperable order (which means, I can use my MacBook more), and I don't know how long it will take for me to learn Vista. And, I can't return it back to the store. 😡 There is nothing wrong with the hardware in the computer, but only the Microsoft Vista Ultimate software that prevents the system to work correctly. I could format the whole hard drive and put Windows XP in, but what's the point for the price I originally paid. And don't say why I bought a Gateway (yeah, I know Gateway's reliability is the worst by Consumer Reports). I bought Gateway because Gateway is the only maker out there to offer new styling in PCs at the Windows Vista launch date. All the other brands (HP, Compaq, Acer, and Sony) are still using the same style for two years now (shame), and two year old design is already considered to be old or obsolete to many people.

Good thing Apple computers are never like this. They have always been dependable on me.

 

[Appler]

Some of us will be forced to upgrade

Although the Mac OS easily trumps the MS OS (any of them) anytime, some of us dual boot gamers will be forced to upgrade to vista. Maybe not yet, but when games using direct X 10 are released. I still don't know why, as the Mac community grows ever so rapidly, game developers still don't take them into consideration for (1) same-date releases , (2) or sometimes even releases period.


Macbook Pro 15.4 inch Core Duo 2.16 Ghz , 100 GB 7200 rpm , 2 GB Ram
80 GB Video Ipod

 

[Porco]

I don't have to use Windows very much, so I'm fairly indifferent to Vista's launch, but I voted it positive anyway. Here's why (all 'hopefully's);

-Better security, Firewall on by default etc = less 'pwnd' machines sending out spam. The internet is, on many levels at least, increasingly platform agnostic and good security on all OSs is good for everyone (except the criminals and annoysters (I know that's not a word, but it should be)).

-Some people want to or have to use Windows. Good luck to them if Vista makes that nicer.

-More competition for Apple means a better OS X.

-Amongst the MS hype machine, many reports are comparing it to Tiger and mentioning that OS X has had many of Vista's features for ages already.

-It's out, and everyone knows its feature set. Now Apple can start talking about Leopard more.

 

[pilotzen]

Hijack

Off topic a little.. do you think Bill is going to release all his major software on Tuesday's now? 😉

 

[RealMcCoy]

Lol

I watched the "keynote" of Bill Gates on the Vista Launch ... boy oh boy ... that was a hilarious piece of entertainment. I hope they have that on you tube somewhere ...

Those guys need to work on their presentation skills for sure !!!

 

[iW00t]

Did you guys notice all those Vistas ads on TV since tuesday?

 

[iMikeT]

Did that event really take place today?

After years of delay, I can't believe that Long... uh Vista finally shipped.

I don't know if anyone can call it new or even revolutionary since those of us who have been using Mac OS X have had all the new features that Vista claims to have for the past six years now.

I love my !

 

[iMikeT]

About the price...

Our Steve Jobs claimed that Apple shipped five "major" updates to OS X, including Cheetah, Puma, Jaguar, Panther, and Tiger, though I'd argue that virtually none of those were major updates at all. (Unless you count the cost, at $129 for each version, that's about $774 on Mac OS X upgrades since 2001. That kind of puts the cost of Windows in perspective.)
He also counted Tiger on Intel as a sixth major release, because of the effort in porting the OS X code to a new platform (which, actually, had been in the works for a long time and wasn't the 210 day project Stevo claimed).

So $774 OSX vs. $400 Vista

Now it makes me think, have i spent my money well? 😡

let's open our mind

You forgot to factor in the new hardware that people will have to buy just to satisfy Vista's bloated demands.

 

[mrthieme]

About the price...

Our Steve Jobs claimed that Apple shipped five "major" updates to OS X, including Cheetah, Puma, Jaguar, Panther, and Tiger, though I'd argue that virtually none of those were major updates at all. (Unless you count the cost, at $129 for each version, that's about $774 on Mac OS X upgrades since 2001. That kind of puts the cost of Windows in perspective.)
He also counted Tiger on Intel as a sixth major release, because of the effort in porting the OS X code to a new platform (which, actually, had been in the works for a long time and wasn't the 210 day project Stevo claimed).

So $774 OSX vs. $400 Vista

Now it makes me think, have i spent my money well? 😡

let's open our mind

You forgot to include anti virus software in your estimate of Windows.

 

[a456]

Vista is released....


... and no one cares 🙄

Not quite true - those waiting for the long-awaited demise of MS care, because they are eager to see if this will create a sea change in the whole PC market whereby we can return to the more progressive and creative era that was quashed so many years ago and is now in its revival. Dust off your Atari ST and your Amiga 1200 the good times are here again.

 

[a456]

About the price...

Our Steve Jobs claimed that Apple shipped five "major" updates to OS X, including Cheetah, Puma, Jaguar, Panther, and Tiger, though I'd argue that virtually none of those were major updates at all. (Unless you count the cost, at $129 for each version, that's about $774 on Mac OS X upgrades since 2001. That kind of puts the cost of Windows in perspective.)
He also counted Tiger on Intel as a sixth major release, because of the effort in porting the OS X code to a new platform (which, actually, had been in the works for a long time and wasn't the 210 day project Stevo claimed).

So $774 OSX vs. $400 Vista

Now it makes me think, have i spent my money well? 😡

let's open our mind

You are in the minority if you updated every time. You also forget that a five year old Apple machine will run the latest OS, whereas you will have to upgrade (or more likely replace) your machine to run Vista. And you forget that for the price, Mac users have enjoyed features such as instant file searching for years, and have reaped the benefits for years - it has certainly saved me a lot of time, money and energy to have Spotlight find files and emails - not to mention all the other areas where OS X has saved me time.

 

[Dunepilot]

Not quite true - those waiting for the long-awaited demise of MS care, because they are eager to see if this will create a sea change in the whole PC market whereby we can return to the more progressive and creative era that was quashed so many years ago and is now in its revival. Dust off your Atari ST and your Amiga 1200 the good times are here again.

People aren't that intelligent though, are they. People have been lapping up the inferior Windows product since Windows 95. Why would they stop now?

Most consumers will do what they always do - buy a new PC every 3 years in order to run the latest version of Windows so that they can stay 'up-to-date'.

Also, I haven't used Vista yet, but their implementation of that feature that kind-of copies Expose is ridiculously crude.

 

[iShak]

reality check:

BBC uk poll for yesterday in the technology news section.

does the WOW starts now for you?

yes?
no?


^ .. 19% say yes ... 81% say no

redmond stockup on angina pills.

 

[cheunghy]

I just watched the 'keynote'...

The song 'What a Wonderful World' at the very beginning reminds me about the PowerBook introdction video. (Honestly, the singer does not sing well at all...)

BTW, a little bit off-topic, why did Apple stop making those great introduction videos after launching the PowerMac G5? 🙁

 

[direzz]

Bah. Everyone knows that MS just copied OS X, and when Leopard comes out we'll leave them in the dust again.

Actually MS is already in the dust - I still can't believe how crude XP is when I've used it since switching. Haven't used Vista yet, but it'll be interesting to see how it is.

still, i love os x, but there are some unique features in vista as well.

 

[fixyourthinking]

According to my local CompUSA they had one sale of Vista at the midnight launch and 4 customers total. They still have their initial stock of Zunes and have not placed a new order since November 2006.