[muckshifter]

ok, maybe not a Blog, more like a "mucks rant" on Vista


The PC;

It’s the ‘Old Girl’ … need a reminder? ok, it is;
AMD 2500+ CPU
MSI gForce 2 Motherboard
AGP x8 gForce FX 5600 256MB ram
1gig 333 Memory
120gig HD
Lite-on Combi Drive


Vista First impressions;

Pretty, very pretty indeed, I’m tempted to turn off all the bells-n-whistles but then we would not get to see how hard MS has be working to improve “the system” then would we.

Right, lets get this out of the way first … “A program need your permission to continue” … you is gonna see a lot of that, and, it is going to get right on your nerves. I play a game with it, see if I can get the mouse pointer in the right spot before the “A program needs your permission to continue” pop-up, pops up, it moves you know. The game is pretty boring but when you see “A program needs your permission to continue” for the 1,000th time you really do feel like throwing your mouse at the screen.

Oh, there is another one … “An unidentified program wants access to your computer” … this one is great, always seems to pop-up when installing programs … like MS Office 2003, MS Office 2007, no, straight up, would I tell fibs. Ok, other programs too.

You just press a button and of they go … this is part of Microsoft’s NEW Security … pop-ups. I tell you now, if MS don’t come up with something better, then you’ll find a whole host of “How Too’s” to get rid of it … it really is a pathetic attempt.

Now, if you thought that was bad, read on …

I installed an AV program, AntiVir Personal, Vista moaned at me that it was not on its list and could not help me in monitoring using it. OK, I go get my paid for KAV and pop that on, whoopee, the little bar turns from red to green and we are good to go … err, hang on a mo’, it has gone … there is no bloody sign of KAV anywhere to be seen … ah, start, all programs, Kav … err, the program is already running … look pal Vista me old buddy, I need to give KAV its product key, but you won’t let me … I cannot stop KAV running from any normal conventional means … hell; I have trouble even finding it … Add/remove programs, nope, I need to stop it first, CAD? Nope, do not have permission … this is still on going and a nicely worded report has been sent to MS.

Oh, sound doesn’t work … common one this, it seems nobody has got any sound … ok, I exaggerated slightly … I have a driver, or so Vista tells me, but no audio devices. This too is ongoing and another report has gone off to MS

You still have to reboot after installing some programs … you know Office 2007 and any AV program, and … and … and ... and some more.


Now bare with me here I’m still trying to think of some interesting goodies I could come up with and say some nice things … oh yes, here’s one ... Bonkit works.


This “Gadgets Bar” reminds me of Linux & Superkaramba (you just knew I was coing to make one reference to Linux) … it’s the same thing really, trouble is, there is nothing for it, whereas in Linux I just love the 1,000s of apps that are available … some great ‘toys’ there … still, not MSs fault that they ain’t got anything worth putting on it yet, must remember Vista is still beta.

OH oh, just remembered, another err, little problem … I turned off the screen saver, I see them as pointless, but I forgot about “power management” and found the screen blank … so, I moved the mouse, nothing, press the space bar, nothing, move the mouse & press the space bar at the same time, nothing … HIT the keyboard with the mouse, I swear I heard the mouse squeak, but no screen. REBOOT solved that little ‘problem’ then. I have now turned off all power management, I may at sometime conduct an experiment but for now I sent off another report.

Some more negativity … IE7;

What the hell is it with the “toolbar” being at the wrong end … aw come on, it is, and you cannot move it, well I can’t … yet ... gaud help you southpaws out there. I need a three foot wide mouse-mat.

Something a little more on the serious side though is … SSL ... it’s changed, and new specifications are now in force. Now to be fare here the fault is not all MS but can also be laid at the feet of webmasters for not complying … but … oh you knew there was going to be a but … but, there is still a problem that they need to address and PDQ

A small example is I could not log-on, nor post over at WCG even after putting WCG into the Trusted Site Zone, I had to turn off Server Verification. Oh boy?


So, have I got anything nice to say … well, yes I do ... Firefox works a treat.


AND I love Vista …




… more to come.


Any questions?

[murdoch]

"And i love Vista" for a moment i thought you had gone soft on us all, gladly i realise you think it's crap like the rest of us. Mr Gates could sell more if it gets the Muckshifter approval

[feckit]

Originally Posted by murdoch

"And i love Vista" for a moment i thought you had gone soft on us all, gladly i realise you think it's crap like the rest of us. Mr Gates could sell more if it gets the Muckshifter approval

Blimey can you imagine what would happen if Muckshifter met Bill Gates!

[muckshifter]

... a little update before bed.


I just reinstalled Vista.




... so, not much change there then.

[floppybootstomp]

In future, for me, just one machine running Windows - for Games. And I'll probably stick with XP until a game comes along that inisists on Vista.

Tomorrow, I'll be trying Suse 10.1, I've read a lot about this distro, most agree it's fast, it's better than V10.0 but there are some issues to sort out.

So be it.

If I can use Linux for audio, video, office, video editing, audio editing, graphics, web page building and web browsing/forum participation, then that'll do me.

I've also read other reports on the beta version of Vista and even some Linux users claim it's an improvement over XP, MS have actually addressed quite a lot of issues, so it can't all be bad.

I'm wondering whether the things that are bothering you, Mr Mucks, can be turned off or not?

Whatever, it all interesting - stay tuned

[muckshifter]

Originally Posted by floppybootstomp

In future, for me, just one machine running Windows - for Games. And I'll probably stick with XP until a game comes along that inisists on Vista.

A Good choice.

Tomorrow, I'll be trying Suse 10.1, I've read a lot about this distro, most agree it's fast, it's better than V10.0 but there are some issues to sort out.

Suse 10.1 should really have the monica Suse 11 ... you will still have to err, 'fix' the naunces from an American based company unless you buy the boxed version with all the licences included ... easy enough.

If I can use Linux for audio, video, office, video editing, audio editing, graphics, web page building and web browsing/forum participation, then that'll do me.

That is so much easier than you think ... I used K3b to burn the Vista disk as I only had Nero OEM ... I do not use MS Office anymore.

I've also read other reports on the beta version of Vista and even some Linux users claim it's an improvement over XP, MS have actually addressed quite a lot of issues, so it can't all be bad.

It's not all bad ... for a very early Beta it is very good ... but there are still some big gaping holes and annoyences that need addressing, like IE7

I'm wondering whether the things that are bothering you, Mr Mucks, can be turned off or not?

Yep, they can, and quite easily too, but the idea here is to try and give some feedback, positive or negitive, in my own little way and using an older PC ... I ain't no reviewer, but still like to see how it all works ... I have the time and fortunately a spare PC to do it.

I do have a lot of admiration for what has been done along with the frustrations of a Beta product ...

I won't be giving up Linux ... Suse 10.1 had some teething problems but they were quickly fixed ... in fact I have no problems apport from that initial glitch with the new updater.

[psd99]

damn sounds good sir mucks

ne chance of some screen shots then?

dont be lazy and link me some pages.....

lets see some of yours then please.


one other point whats the minimum specs needed to run this os?

thanks

[Ian]

Originally Posted by floppybootstomp

In future, for me, just one machine running Windows - for Games. And I'll probably stick with XP until a game comes along that insists on Vista.

Same here - and I can't quite believe I'm doing that. I've always upgraded to the latest o/s within a couple of weeks, but I don't think I can be bothered to switch straight away now when there will no doubt be problems with compatibility for a good few months.

Next upgrade and I'll probably go for it, otherwise I'll be sticking with WinXP for now too

I've had vista on my laptop for 24hrs, and it was very pretty - but slow on this particular machine. It should be good once it is fully ready to take over from WinXP, as long as things are compatible.

[muckshifter]

Originally Posted by psd99

damn sounds good sir mucks

ne chance of some screen shots then?

dont be lazy and link me some pages.....

lets see some of yours then please.


one other point whats the minimum specs needed to run this os?

thanks

Sorry ... but I don't have a host ... there are an absolute tone of "screen shots" all over the web, mine will be no different ... I am using the 'spec' in the first post which is a 3/4 year old PC, it has a "Vista score" of 3.2 out of 5 which is slightly above average from what I've seen on other forums ... not many, very few in fact, are using this Beta on their main PC.

Vista is aimed at 64bit PCs and having the same sort of 'problems' as does XP64 bit ... lacking in drivers.

I'm still "playing" and I'll try and keep you all informed as a "user" of Vista.

[psd99]

no problems
thanks

will look forward to your findings...........