Microsoft Vista

[pzarquon]

Re: Microsoft Vista

Anyway... back on topic. The New York Times' David Pogue gave Vista a quick review. Then, in this great video, he refutes claims that Microsoft's new operating system is just a blatant attempt to copy Apple's OSX.

I admit, I've avoided playing with a Vista system... and seeing the various UI touches is quite an eye-opening experience. It really is an imitation of OSX. Interesting that as Apple moves to PC-equivalent hardware, Microsoft is moving its OS toward Apple.

[mel]

Re: Microsoft Vista

David Pogue is well known in the Mac area as he has written several books on Mac OSX and others. He also has written some books on Windows XP. I think his bias is definitely in the Mac area.

Still if I do ever get around to buying one of those giant Intel Mac Pro Towers, I'd set it up for 2 or more hard drives, run OSX on one, Windows Vista and perhaps Linux on another. Do both Bootcamp or Parallels with the purely PC stuff. And of course be diligent and watch out for all the nastyware viruses associated with Windows.

[Miulang]

Re: Microsoft Vista

Another reason why your company probably won't be upgrading its servers to Vista in the near future: Vista is incompatible with the last version of SQL Server (I believe it is SQL7)! How stupid is that? Most companies have WIN OS servers and run SQL as their dbase. They are rushing to get a desktop version of this called SQL Server 2005 Express into production, though.

This is another case of MS management not keeping their eyes on the big picture and letting each team do their own thing without keeping everyone headed toward the same goal.

However, this faux pas may prove to be a present for other dbase companies who can develop software to be compatible with Vista.

Miulang

[Bard]

Re: Microsoft Vista

As far as I know they have only released Vista for clients anyway. SQL Express has been released for a while now for things like XP. I'm not sure that full SQL Server will even install on XP, it requires 2K Server or 2K3 Server.

I'm guessing that even if SQL Server turns out to be incompatible with the Vista generation of things, when Vista server rolls around they'll conveniently have a new version of SQL Server to upgrade... $$$

[Konaguy]

Re: Microsoft Vista

I bought a GeForce MAX 4000 PCI video card w/ 128MB of video memory today. Man its speeded up Windows XP.Unfortunately I cannot test it under Vista,as the drivers are only compatible with Vista RC2 (I have RC1).

[idvfilms]

Re: Microsoft Vista

I am not sure if any of you have heard about the stink promotion that was drummed up? It seems Microsoft sent out Acer AMD machines loaded with Vista to "select" bloggers. It first appeared that they were allowed to keep these machines w/ no strings. Then by the next day told the select bloggers to either return them or donate them etc. funny part is they sent a number of them to die hard mac users.

Linkage to blogger list

Oh and I should mention this vashingpoint game from the desk of "Loki" where a key is to be Cipher to be broken w/ B Gates mentioning a somethingajing at CES.
Gotta give props to their new promotions team LOL

[Miulang]

Vista RC1

Anybody using Vista RC1 (the last widely released beta version) and who has it plugged into their TV set to use Media Center should be having a few problems right now:

Media Center, which is included in the Home Premium and Ultimate versions of the Vista operating system, allows remote-control access to a variety of entertainment options, including television, for machines that have a TV tuner.

However, for those running the "release candidate 1" version of the software--the most broadly distributed of the Vista test versions--the TV feature stopped working on December 31.

Microsoft blamed the issue on the fact that it has a paid license for the video decoder and Dolby sound technology, and it only licensed those through December 31. The overall RC1 software is not scheduled to expire until June.

"As of December 31, 2006, users running Windows Vista RC1 beta code will no longer have access to the Media Center functionality, due to the expiration of the MPEG 2 decoder and Dolby Digital components built into Windows Vista and used by the Media Center experience," Microsoft said in a statement in response to inquiries by CNET News.com. "Because these technologies are licensed and royalty bearing, they will expire within a certain time period, according to our license agreements."

A Microsoft representative declined to comment on whether the company could have extended its license, saying it doesn't comment on the terms of such licensing deals.

Only solution is to wait for the "real" version of Vista which is supposed to launch on Jan. 30 for the consumer version. The whole thing will be inoperable by the end of June when all the other licenses expire. In other words, there is no free lunch anymore.

Miulang

[GeckoGeek]

Re: Vista RC1

Only solution is to wait for the "real" version of Vista which is supposed to launch on Jan. 30 for the consumer version.

What about downloading RC2?

And yes, the RCs do expire, otherwise they would compete with the paid-for product. MS ain't that dumb.

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Vista RC1

What about downloading RC2?

And yes, the RCs do expire, otherwise they would compete with the paid-for product. MS ain't that dumb.

If you use RC1 offline can you simply readjust your system tray clock to an earlier time?

[GeckoGeek]

Re: Vista RC1

If you use RC1 offline can you simply readjust your system tray clock to an earlier time?

Maybe. But that seems like a hassle to have everything the wrong date. If you're really that cheap, I'd suggest learning Linux or just stick with what you have.

[arturo_h]

Re: Vista RC1

If you use RC1 offline can you simply readjust your system tray clock to an earlier time?

That's exactly what I've been doing. And it took me FOREVER to figure it out. It seemed mine stopped working on October 31st, which I found out later, a specific video codec RC1 was using expired. I was spending hours trying to find other video codecs to make it work, but just failed at every attempt. Finally read a blog somewhere about changing the date, and it worked perfectly. The solution was so simple it made me laugh when it finally worked. It is a hassle to change the date everytime I want to watch a DVD or watch TV on my laptop, and stupid Windows Update wants gets all freaked out since the date gets changed.

-Arturo

[Miulang]

Wanna fly in subspace?

Not to be outdone by Apple's announcement of iPhone at MacWorld, Microsoft formally launched a viral marketing campaign for Vista in front of the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas this week. There is a game called "Vanishing Point" that Vista-philes can play which ultimately will lead to one person winning a ride on Rocketplane Ltd. Inc's 4-seat subspace airship, plus other neat prizes like having your name embossed on a bunch of AMD chips.

Vanishing Point is "a large-scale online and off-line collaborative puzzle game," Microsoft said. Players register online for a sweepstakes — first prize is a ride to suborbital space, which Microsoft termed "the ultimate vista" — and then work together in forums and on collaborative Web sites called wikis to solve riddles from Loki, Microsoft's "Puzzle Master."

...Loki will make appearances in more than 10 cities between now and Vista's Jan. 30 consumer launch date, with stops scheduled in Miami, Phoenix, Berlin and Seattle. Any player who registers online can win, regardless of his or her contribution to the collaborative puzzle-solving taking place in the blogosphere.

...Besides the ride in Rocketplane Ltd. Inc.'s four-seater spacecraft, prizes include computers, Xbox game consoles, Zune digital music players and, of course, copies of Windows Vista.

Marr declined to reveal Loki's true identity, but said a special prize awaits the person who figures it out: his or her name, laser-etched onto a batch of microprocessors from Advanced Micro Devices Inc.

Miulang

P.S. If you're interested in playing the game, go to the Vanishingpoint.wiki and see the clues that have already been solved.

[pzarquon]

Re: Microsoft Vista

Several of my friends are doing Vanishing Point. They have no interest in Vista whatever, but they're a sucker for puzzles. Figures that Microsoft is seeing great success in gimmicky marketing, and not in actual product design.

By the by, you can take a "test drive" of Windows Vista over the web. Though the demo can be a bit slow (the real thing, after all, requires a pretty serious computer). I poked around a bit, and can tell you that if you want to experience all the best parts of Vista, plus a sneak preview of where it will be refined and improved over the next five years, just go to the Apple Store.

[mauiman]

Re: Microsoft Vista

Hi all,

I am a newbie here on this forum and a network engineer by profession. I have to admit that the new Microsoft Vista is an excellent product and is highly recommended. The one that I am currently running is the Ultimate. Far better than XP which I thought originally was great when it was launched. Since I have had the RTM code installed (over a month now), my system runs much faster as it utilizes resources much better than XP as well as not 1 crash since installation.

The official release is expected 1/30/07 and for those of your that may be in the market for a new computer, I would suggest either waiting until after the official launch, or if you need one sooner, make sure the folks that you are buying from give the the upgrade to Vista.

Pair it up with the upcoming Office 2007 and you are good to go.

Aloha!

MauiMan

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Microsoft Vista

Like I asked in another thread regarding the upgrade form, what qualifies a person to be an authorized system builder? The upgrade form indicates that you need a copy of the sales receipt from an authorized system builder as proof of purchase for the upgrade.

On this last order from NewEgg last week for WinXP Home OEM, included was the upgrade form (cannot be duplicated as they are serial numbered). Because I built this system myself, I am technically the system builder but am I the "authorized" system builder? I would assume so and in that case would a sales receipt from myself work?