we moved in next door.

edit - according to a report in The Register, arguably the best independent source of IT news, Windows Defender (the anti-spyware component of Vista) is vulnerable to 84% of known spyware threats. As I said several months ago, and many times since, while there's no doubt that it's more secure than previous M$ offerings, don't believe the hype that it's invulnerable. Take exactly the same precautions that you would with any other M$ o/s, if you're sensible; decent third-part anti-virus, anti-spyware, and firewall. That's IF M$ Kernel Patch Protection architecture lets you - it would seem that aspects of this technology are shutting out much more reliable and proven products from security vendors, in a rather blunt weapon attempt to ensure some benchmark of security. However of course IE remains the true Achilles' Heel, even the much improved IE7 is still victim to far more web-based vulnerabilities than M$ propaganda would have you beleive. But what do i know, eh? I just work with the stuff every day.

Borromir, the Islamic world's most reliable and secure computer, will be upgraded soon to Intel Core 2 Extreme, MSI 975X Platinum motherboard, GeForce 8800 GTX (haven't decided on the make yet but prob BFG, EVGA or XFX) and 2x 500gb drives, prob Seagates or Hitachis. Such significant advances to {iBorromir will put him several parsecs in advance of anything Esquilaxitavia could manage, despite their misappropriation of funds in recent times. And the beauty of it is that I still won't be paying retail prices for any of this kit! (nor VAT)

And I'll be loading XP Pro on with SP2, Kaspersky, Zone Alarm Pro, behind my QoS firewall. No Vista nonsense in New Tawakalnistan!

Furthermore, in the IT strategy meeting that we had at work today, the only one I ever bother going to and staying awake in, we decided en masse that we wouldn't be upgrading to Vista for at least 4 years, despite the Boss thinking that it would be a jolly good idea (he doesn't think so anymore since we put the fear of God into him) although we'd get the occasional laptop with Vista pre-installed. Reasons?

1. cost of asset replacement
2. application incompatibility
3. cost (licensing and hardware upgrades)
4. lack of appreciable benefits in migrating to Vista (as offset against 1,2, & 3)

New desktops will be repartitioned and installed with XP Pro to maintain compatibility integrity with the rest of our kit.






Edited by - Tawakalna on 2/12/2007 12:13:18 PM

Indeed, just looking at our 3 year plan this morning we won't even be talking about upgrading to Vista until the second quarter of 2009. So we'll be doing the same, any preloaded desktops with Vista will be blown away and RIS built with XP Pro SP2.

I've got a copy I'm playing with here at work at the moment (no activation key mind you, just a 30 day install) it's got some nice features for the end user but there's not really anything w*nk worthy for the average techo. Still when the price drops a bit I might consider upgrading the home beasty.

Edited by - Mustang on 2/12/2007 2:54:12 PM

Indeed. the much-lauded (in some circles) security features of Vista are really designed for the home or mobile user, and as such aren't of any appreciable benefit in a properly managed corporate network where such things are taken care of centrally and where we'd generally turn off all the shiny bits through Group Policies.

Having said that, I'm going to be buying the Sprogette a new cr*ptop for when she goes to uni, so that'll prob have Schmista preloaded, and she's so useless with computers that it'll prob be suitable for her needs, although I will of course be bunging decent AV and anti-spyware on; IF they'll go on which remains to be seen, seeing as M$ have shut third-parties out. I get the feeling that decision will come back to haunt them. The last time M$ went down their own anti-virus use with MSAV for DOS (remember that?) it was an unmitigated disaster....

Taw, you could get her an Apple though it does cost a bit more.

thought about it, but it's too expensive to repair when she eventually busts it; pc-based laptops I can fix myself no worries, Apple kit is a bit different. And if i get her anything too good, she'll prob get it nicked.

Anyone else taken up the vista mantle yet?

After two months of backlogs HP has announced that they have finally received the order for my 'free' (minus all the hassle) copy of Vista Business... I doubt I'll install it, now that I've got everything setup just how I like it with XP... but nonetheless I'll keep it around if the need should arise, though I can't imagine why.

The Business version lacks the Media parts that Home Prem and Ulitmate ones have.

I'm not gonna fork over 200+USD on a newly-released OS. It's simply not worth it.

Bah... you're boring.

EDIT: Apparently you can pick up Home Premium for 120 USD.

Edited by - The Evil Thing on 3/13/2007 11:20:19 AM

I couldn't resist. Micro$uck bashing is just something obligatory for me. Well... They did earn a minimal amount of my respect with XP, and only after 4 years of hard patching and my interventions with active services and general system security...

I am very unimpressed with this new blow to the people's reason when it comes to OS's, and it is by no means worth the money it costs. The improvements are typically M$-way "one-click-simplistic", giving you even less control over the system than before. I HATE IT when my computer fails to comply to the only really important rule - receiving and applying any and all input from the user, be it harmful or not. I personally DO NOT WANT my OS telling me that something's not good for me, and I DO NOT WANT my OS giving me only the most basic options regarding it's operation and file handling, crappy security, and not giving me a "do not cache thumbnails". And I certainly DO NOT WANT it reverting some of my settings back to default, seemingly at random.

Besides, I doubt that I will ever be able to make Vista as stable as WinXP... I took a screenshot a few days ago, sitting at a Net and Game server in a PC Playroom that I've set up, to brag to some of my online buddies. Yes, I am vain just like that. Anyway, it's molested 16-18 hrs a day, both for LAN and Net tasks, yet it's online, day 48. Screenshot link, if you need to see. Sorry about the chat in the background, it is shown for authenticity purposes...

In an OS, I seek control, reliability and resource-effectiveness. Vista has NONE.
Thank you all for enduring my rant.

On another note:

---

And I'll be loading XP Pro on with SP2, Kaspersky, Zone Alarm Pro, behind my QoS firewall.

---

Why not NOD 32, Ad-Aware SE and/or Sunbelt Counterspy, and Kerio or Sygate firewalls? Nearly the same overall amount of money, yet more reliable choices...

>-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-<

Careful what you wish for... You just might get it.
>-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-<

Edited by - Chetnik on 3/14/2007 7:00:51 AM

Wow, you really hate Windows. Perhaps you should use Linux. I'm not being facetius or snide. It sounds like you expect Microsoft to release a version of Windows that is the opposite of idiot proof. They never will do something like that for two reasons; 1)It would cost money pull large chunks of code they spent money on developing in the first place, 2)They won't take the risk that some self-proclaimed "expert" will muck up their system and then go crying to them when the problem wouldn't have happened in the first place if they'd used the 'safe' (for wont of a better phrase) version.

Given that you don't appear to have used Vista (if you have I didn't get that impression and apologise) I don't see how you can know that it is LESS stable than XP.

Your rant strongly implies you are a serious power user. Linux might well be your thing.


*Waits to get punched in the face*


You'll all have to excuse me if I don't find the MS-hating original, clever or interesting. It's a big company. It has to make huge amounts of money. It brought you DirectX and lots of other glorious things. Deal.

As much as i would love to waste a year and money I don't have to get a new system stable enough to use for more than a few minutes at a time I think I'll save my money to get my "new" used car drivable as it's more important than any computer to me right now. If and when I do get a new system I think I'll build it from scratch so i know it's done the right way, my current system, I had built by a near by repair shop looked and ran like it was put together by a group of drunk monkeys (no offense intended to any drunken monkeys )

The new Dreamscene content for ultimate is the absolute best. A MPEG used as the back ground. The stream one is stunning.