Anybody here Beta testing the new Windows Vista?

[roscowgo]

Same thing, longhorn was just a code name, but anyway, it's alot more reliable then longhorn was. It's actually very stable for a beta (much more stable then ME), the only real problem with it is compatibility with some programs.

The only thing i can think of less stable than ME is a 25' pogo stick in a hurricaine. /shudders @ ME

[V4underme]

Same thing, longhorn was just a code name, but anyway, it's alot more reliable then longhorn was. It's actually very stable for a beta (much more stable then ME), the only real problem with it is compatibility with some programs.

The only thing i can think of less stable than ME is a 25' pogo stick in a hurricaine. /shudders @ ME

I must be in the minority because this ancient (purchased in 2000, I think?) Dell 733 mghtz machine running ME has never had an issue of any kind... until recently, and I think most of these problems are simply compatibility isues with new peripherals or software (like this comp's refusal to recognize my new camera, or a blank CD if I want to burn it). Which means it's now time for a new machine, especially since MS has abandoned all support for it. Even Zone Alarm isn't messing with it anymore.

Linux... only place I've ever seen it is on internet discussion boards, so even if it's the greatest thing in the world, the average user like myself has no idea how to get it even if I wanted it.

[bok]

Sarisha's parent's machine is running ME, and it works for what they need.

newbie friendly linux

download the live CD and try it out on that old machine, works great and fairly intuitive for a new person to setup and use. the Live CD basically has the OS installed on the disk and gives you a feel for it...if you like it, download the full install disk when you get a new machine and make that old one into a machine for email/surfing to prevent mal/adware

[camthepyro]

The good versions of linux (good meaning versatile) are completely useless for anybody but expert users. The easy to use versions (less versatile) don't give enough to make it any better then Windows. I agree Linux is a good OS, but only for advanced users, and even then, the only thing that makes it significant is the cheapness of it all. Basically, the way I see it, is that the only reason Linux users use linux, is so the can feel good about themselves for being able to use it, and so they can join the anti-windows band wagon.

[scan]

The good versions of linux (good meaning versatile) are completely useless for anybody but expert users. The easy to use versions (less versatile) don't give enough to make it any better then Windows. I agree Linux is a good OS, but only for advanced users, and even then, the only thing that makes it significant is the cheapness of it all. Basically, the way I see it, is that the only reason Linux users use linux, is so the can feel good about themselves for being able to use it, and so they can join the anti-windows band wagon.

+1

I hate Microsoft, but I'm not going to unseat MS as the master by making my life a pain in the butt. I play games on a PC. I use MS document programs and spreadsheets, as it is required for work and most people have compatible programs. I was forced by my job to get my MCSE. I've had it rammed down my throat, but it is still better than trying to use an Linux applications that is trying to be compatible with Windows. Running Wine to pretend it is being Windows. AND if you have any legacy hardware, good luck with the drivers.

Now on the other hand I don't know why anyone uses MS for server applications, other than compatibility with old stuff. Linux is great for FTP, mail serving, file serving, web-serving and monitoring.

Anyone who is technical should be able to see Linux is more work to support if you give it to a non-tech user. On the other hand, I don't like the Mac, but I think it is the best for uneducated users.

[dieziege]

I've run Linux since the mid 90s (a C++ instructor in '94 brought a handful of floppies to class saying "You can buy borland, there is a student discount... or you can copy these floppies and have a real system with emacs and GCC and everything else...your choice" -- I copied the floppies and installed them on my 386... then got a copy of yggdrasil linux... then slackware.... and so on...) and have been able to do quite a few things that simply wouldn't have been possible without the source code and GPL... at one time I was running a regional ISP's entire infrastructure on a stack of Linux boxes and we simply couldn't have operated with any other software, not just because of the $$$ but because NT simply wasn't keeping up with the threats and needs of our environment... later I worked for a company that embedded Linux into digital cameras to provide specialized image servers... again, much easier and better because of Linux because of the source code and GPL....

But when it comes to workstations I really don't see much advantage to Linux for most people. Especially not with Firefox, Openoffice, and other usefull apps working on Windows. My home theater PC runs Linux/MythTV, my photo archive RAID server runs Linux... I have a Linux workstation for people to check email on and the like... but the machine I'm typing on right now is Windows. It was Linux in the past but then I wanted photoshop so I switched it. At the office I use a Windows box... primarily to access various Linux boxen.... that's been pretty common for a long time.

As far as I'm concerned KDE is almost ready for prime time, and gnome is maybe 4-5 years from being ready... but that's been true for five years now. Until someone sits down and really makes a priority of integrating and slicking up the UI and user/admin scheme (ubuntu has perhaps done this, but honestly ubuntu drives me nuts... I had it installed for about six hours and that was all I could take...)... but the developer community can't drive that process because the developers end up being experts whether they want to be or not.

The interesting trend today is that MS is actively driving people to Linux in a major way right now... I have a few friends that dumped windows and tried to install and learn Linux in the past couple of months because they started getting pop ups saying their copy of windows "might be stolen". Faced with paying $100+ to MS they download Linux. That forceful push away from Windows hasn't happened before and it will be very interesting to see how it changes Linux in the months to come. I expect it to really help refine some of the Linux offerings.