Don't Want to Upgrade

from JoeUser Forums
So here we are, in the age of Vista, and of HD radio, and of many other gadgets people aren't willing to pay for, but will buy along with their new car, or their new computer, because it comes as a package.

Computers need operating systems. The problem is, you and I don't get to decide which operating system we get, unless we shell out serious money for it. The manufacturers, though, get volume discounts - software is all about volume discounting. Once you've sold enough, every dollar after that is almost all profit.

HD Radio will probably work the same way in the long run, but for a different reason - the people with HD Radio Stations and their advertisers want you to have an HD Radio. They are dying for you to put it in your car so you can tune to the new stations, and hear HD Advertisements.

I don't want Windows Vista, and I don't want HD Radio.

But it's getting to be time for a new computer, and a new car. Luckily, new cars don't all have HD Radio yet, so I'm not necessarily going to have to buy one. But with a new computer, it's getting more and more likely as time goes on that I will be paying for Vista instead of XP. That's not so bad, as the upgrade will be worth it at some point. But currently, I don't want to touch Vista with a 10 foot poll. I would rather stick with XP and have my computer run well than go to Vista and slow my computer down with features I don't need or want.

I'm a simple kind of guy. I just want to browse the internet, play on BSW, and get a little work done. I don't need an upgrade for that, and I'd much rather get a discount price.
8,913 views 15 replies
Reply #1 from JoeUser Forums Top
PAY for operating systems? You are a potential Linux convert.

Come on over to the dark side...we have cookies.

(incidentally, if anyone could render me a penguin wearing a darth vader helmet, that would be, like, really, really, uber cool.
Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Jythier, why not build your own system and install XP on it?  Uninstall XP on your current box and toss on a Linux distribution like Gideon suggested. (I support Ubuntu... great OS!)
Elemental: Reforged
Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top
incidentally, if anyone could render me a penguin wearing a darth vader helmet, that would be, like, really, really, uber cool.


Gladly... as soon as you come over for 3 months and get me up to speed on all aspects of Linux   
Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top
If you are buying a new computer, I really don't see what the problem is with upgrading to Vista.  It's really not as bad as some people try to make it. 
Reply #5 from JoeUser Forums Top

Gladly... as soon as you come over for 3 months and get me up to speed on all aspects of Linux


lol
Reply #6 from JoeUser Forums Top

It's really not as bad as some people try to make it.

Unless it is your job to support it.

Reply #7 from WinCustomize Forums Top
well new cars have obd2,antilock brakes and some even use wires(electronics)for throttle control and much more,why get a new car? really I have to agree if you are going to get a new computer take the plunge and get Vista it ain't that bad. linux is ok especially ubuntu but I don't want to take the time to learn all the command line stuff to use it properly.
Reply #8 from JoeUser Forums Top
linux is ok especially ubuntu but I don't want to take the time to learn all the command line stuff to use it properly.


And that, in a nutshell is why the answer to the question "what is the best OS?" will always be, What is the best OS for YOU!
Reply #9 from WinCustomize Forums Top
linux is ok especially ubuntu but I don't want to take the time to learn all the command line stuff to use it properly.


And that, in a nutshell is why the answer to the question "what is the best OS?" will always be, What is the best OS for YOU!


Linux of course! I love the command line! (except when looking for a file).
Reply #10 from JoeUser Forums Top
I'm actually a amateur programmer in VB, so I think if I wanted to I could handle Linux, but I couldn't handle teaching my wife how to use it... Because she wouldn't remember how, even after 20 times...
Reply #11 from JoeUser Forums Top
but I couldn't handle teaching my wife how to use it...


You really, REALLY need to check out Ubuntu 7.04 before you make ANY assumptions about Linux and user friendliness. You might have to spend some time in command line, but there's no reason your wife should.
Reply #12 from WinCustomize Forums Top
if you are going to scrap or sell your old PC . take the os off and install it to the new PC. I do every time I build a new PC. strip the old PC and transfer it to the new one.
Reply #13 from JoeUser Forums Top
if you are going to scrap or sell your old PC . take the os off and install it to the new PC.


Assuming it's not an OEM key, of course.
Reply #14 from JoeUser Forums Top

Seconded on that Vista isn't that bad, and the learning curve isn't that high/hard to get over.  There are some annoyances (like the UAC) but otherwise it's not that different if you want to stay in the Windows world.

If you are going to learn something new though, just about anyone could pick up a Ubuntu or Fedora based system and start working with it right away.  If you were going to be starting from scratch and setting up such a system there are some very easy to answer questions regarding the configuration of the system (things such as what is the hostname/computer name, would you like the network to be automatically configured -- for most people the answer is yes, and what password would you like to use).  If you feel adventuresome you can change the default disk drive configuration and make custom selections regarding what applications and tools you want install on the system, but for the most part it is very easy to choose 'Workstation' or 'Development system' or whatever the categories are (not the real names there by the way).

Once you have Ubuntu up and running, or same with Fedora and most other nice Linux builds, you find that you can work from the GUI pretty much all the time and never need to touch a command line.  There are things that are easier from the command line for most people, but there are pretty much always some GUI tools you can use to do the same work with now making Linux at least as friendly as any modern Windows build, if not even friendlier.

The only negatives I would immediately chalk up against Linux would be if you are trying to run Windows based games and/or use some specific applications like iTunes.  Outside of that sort of thing, Linux is again at least as usable as Windows is, if not much more so.

Finally, even though Microsoft hates it (which is actually reason enough to do it! hehheh) you can still get Windows XP on many vendor's systems as they've been forced -- by the market -- to keep allowing/supporting sales of Windows XP until the market is really ready for the transition.

 

On HD radio - if it's free in the vehicle sure, fine, whatever.  Pay extra to get it -- no thanks.  I already pay for a Sirius subscription and commercial free (for the most part) radio via satellite blows away the over-commercialized local radio around me.

HD radio seems to be slow to catch on though, and typically costs as an option, so I wouldn't expect to find it in a vehicle too soon.  At least not in the average person's vehicle.

Reply #15 from JoeUser Forums Top
The only negatives I would immediately chalk up against Linux would be if you are trying to run Windows based games and/or use some specific applications like iTunes. Outside of that sort of thing, Linux is again at least as usable as Windows is, if not much more so.


solution? Keep your old XP key, load up free VMWare software and run XP on a virtual machine for Windows apps.