[LarryFlowers]

Microsoft has been quiet about Vista and frankly they have been hammered in the press, on the internet and in those MAC TV ads.

They may have been quiet, but they have been building a campaign.

Microsoft recently went to San Francisco and recruited a group of Windows XP users who had expressed negative comments about Vista. They were taken to a facility and shown a "new" Windows Operating System, code name Mojave. They were asked to evaluate the system.

90% of the group had positive feedback and were pleased with the "new" system. Only then were they told it was Vista.

The effort was video taped. You can expect it will be used in ads.

Word is that Steve Balmer has decided that "enough is enough" with the MAC advertising which has definitely crossed the line. Be prepared to see a counter campaign.

 

[Hansen]

It's about time. Vista really has gotten such an undeserved bad rap.

 

[Shardin]

I agree, my wife and I both have new laptops (Intel Duo, 2 Gb ram) and they work and run fine. My wife is not a technical person and she has had no problems with Vista. It was a little harder for me as I moved from XP. Now (about 30 days) I am having no issues. It does take some horsepower, but if you have enough computer it seems to work fine. Oh Yes Vista Home Premium on both.

Just my opinion.

 

[Ken S]

Microsoft has really been suffering with Vista they've only sold 180 million licenses so far.

 

[Drew2k]

I like Vista, but they need to address the annoying pop-up UAC messages - Mom and Pop Sixpack will not suffer those gladly ...

 

[MikeW]

I turned UAC off. That fixed the popups!

 

[Jason Nipp]

I didn't upgrade because all I hear is negativity in regards to Vista.

 

[Drew2k]

I turned UAC off. That fixed the popups!

Well I did the same, but I know what I'm doing and am willing to accept any "risks" of doing so. At my mother's house, though, where there's always someone playing on her PC, I'd want to keep the benefits of UAC without the annoyance of UAC.

 

[AirRocker]

too little too late...

I will admit that Vista is a decent operating system. I don't really have any trouble with it... But the more people that try out mac's, the more people that are going to switch.

 

[Michael D'Angelo]

I didn't upgrade because all I hear is negativity in regards to Vista.

I have upgraded all of my PC's from XP to Vista and I personally like Vista much better and do not have any problems at all.

I still have XP at work and hate using it now.

 

[Jason Nipp]

My wife has a relative at Microsoft. I may have to call to get Vista Ultimate and try it out. MS employees get awesome discounts.

 

[machavez00]

I think most of the issues were with PCs that were labeled "Vista ready" and weren't. PCs that come loaded with Vista run fine.

 

[PatentBoy]

While I use macs more often, I was part of the Vista beta program and my only real gripe was the over-the-top constant "are you sure you want to do this?" types of reminders - it really gets annoying.

Aside from that, Vista is generally OK with me, except for its complexity. While not really directed specifically to Vista, one thing MS can do, IMO, is simplify the experience - for example don't give me 15 different settings, including access to the software drivers, to fiddle with in the Displays control panel - just those 5 that 99.9% of us actually use. The OS is replete with this type of complexity - IMO, providing this extra complexity is an unnecessary negative for the Vista/XP OS experience.

 

[Dave]

I think that Microsoft has finally decided that they no longer sell or allow any businesses to sell Windows XP, that they had better start getting out ahead of the new sales that are going to be made with new computers that will have to have Vista loaded. All the Windows XP disc were supposed to be pulled from the shelves in the stores a couple of weeks ago. So if you are buying a new Windows Version it will have to be Windows Vista.

 

[MikeW]

While I use macs more often, I was part of the Vista beta program and my only real gripe was the over-the-top constant "are you sure you want to do this?" types of reminders - it really gets annoying.

Aside from that, Vista is generally OK with me, except for its complexity. While not really directed specifically to Vista, one thing MS can do, IMO, is simplify the experience - for example don't give me 15 different settings, including access to the software drivers, to fiddle with in the Displays control panel - just those 5 that 99.9% of us actually use. The OS is replete with this type of complexity - IMO, providing this extra complexity is an unnecessary negative for the Vista/XP OS experience.

You hit the nail in the head with this post. Another area that is too complex is browsing for a file. The folder navigation in the right pane is too small. Names get cut off and you need to know where you are going. To a novice, that may be very difficult.

 

[Brandon428]

I honestly loved Vista. I have Vista Ultimate and while it was a little irritating learning new shortcuts for this and that,overall it was a great OS. That's until I got a Mac. To me Mac OSX is superior to Vista in a lot of ways. The more I used Leopard,the more I became frustrated with Vista. Xp is better IMHO. Vista is a great OS but If you really want a powerful,intuitive,and reliable OS I suggest giving Mac a shot.

 

[ITrot]

Thanks guys... I didn't know I could turn the 'UAC' off... I found it to be annoyijng as well.

 

[Mustang Dave]

Does Microsoft even advertise their products? I can't remember the last time I saw or heard something on TV or Radio since the Windows 95 "Start Me Up" blitz. I see those Mac commercials at least once a week.

For home use buy a new computer get Vista on it no real issues now that the rest of the world has updated their software and drivers. Maybe the bad rap Vista received early on should have been directed at the third party vendors for not having their products ready?

From a business perspective I feel no incentive to invest in Vista for our environment. I "might" allow Vista to trickle in when desktops and laptops are replaced but other than that I am in no real rush to go out and get Vista. Start your ad campaign there MS.

 

[Nick]

With all the rhetoric about Vista, both pro & con, I have yet to see or hear a
compelling reason for me to "upgrade" to Vista from XP. I recently bought a
new Dell laptop that came with XP Pro factory-installed. If the day ever comes
when MS forces me to upgrade to a new OS, that's the day I go get a Mac

If you already own a late-model car that still runs fine, goes up to 90 MPH and
gets up to 30 MPG, why on earth would you spend money on a more expensive,
more complex vehicle that goes 91 MPH, gets 31 MPG and has the gear shift in
the glove box?? :shrug:

Color me dubious 'cuz I am not convinced!

 

[harsh]

I'd like to know if the test machines were off-the-shelf or severely custom configured (disabling key security features and the like). I'd also be interested in knowing what applications were installed and if they were the kinds of software that a typical user would use day-to-day.

If W2K weren't as good at (and so much faster than) Vista for doing what most people do...

If Vista didn't require so much new hardware...