To All: This is a bit off topic but I've been contemplating a new computer and wonder about which PC OS to get. Many of my friends tell me to steer clear of Vista and stick with XP Pro - a proven stable platform. What has been the experience out there. I really would like some honest opinions before making my decision. Any suggestions on specific computers and options would be appreciated too. Thanks. Watson

I've had Vista since April & I hate it. None of my video or still camera software will work with it. The Vista Home Basic doesn't come with a fax program. I haven't found anything that Vista will do that XP won't do. It is like a having a Mac as far as compatable software availibility is concerned but is less user friendly than Mac.
:To All: This is a bit off topic but I've been contemplating a new computer and wonder about which PC OS to get. Many of my friends tell me to steer clear of Vista and stick with XP Pro - a proven stable platform. What has been the experience out there. I really would like some honest opinions before making my decision. Any suggestions on specific computers and options would be appreciated too. Thanks. Watson

Tex,

I have had VERY little experience with Vista so far except to set up a friends network and email. I believe Vista has a compatability mode you could try to run your programs in. May work (or may not).

Radiodoc
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:I've had Vista since April & I hate it. None of my video or still camera software will work with it. The Vista Home Basic doesn't come with a fax program. I haven't found anything that Vista will do that XP won't do. It is like a having a Mac as far as compatable software availibility is concerned but is less user friendly than Mac.
::To All: This is a bit off topic but I've been contemplating a new computer and wonder about which PC OS to get. Many of my friends tell me to steer clear of Vista and stick with XP Pro - a proven stable platform. What has been the experience out there. I really would like some honest opinions before making my decision. Any suggestions on specific computers and options would be appreciated too. Thanks. Watson

Thanks Tex: I'm hearing quite a bit of bad and not much good about Vista. Anyone else have an experience or suggestions? Watson
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:I've had Vista since April & I hate it. None of my video or still camera software will work with it. The Vista Home Basic doesn't come with a fax program. I haven't found anything that Vista will do that XP won't do. It is like a having a Mac as far as compatable software availibility is concerned but is less user friendly than Mac.
::To All: This is a bit off topic but I've been contemplating a new computer and wonder about which PC OS to get. Many of my friends tell me to steer clear of Vista and stick with XP Pro - a proven stable platform. What has been the experience out there. I really would like some honest opinions before making my decision. Any suggestions on specific computers and options would be appreciated too. Thanks. Watson

I intend to wait until Service Pack #1 for Vista comes out before upgrading to a new PC. Supposedly, SP1 will come out during the first part of 2008?
Doug

I personally prefer XP over Vista and when I order computers for projects at work, I always opt for XP. Read last night that Vista is being compared to the ill fated Windows ME, not a lot of new features, more overhead, incompatibility with some programs/hardware etc. I'm sticking with XP for as long as I can.

:Thanks Tex: I'm hearing quite a bit of bad and not much good about Vista. Anyone else have an experience or suggestions? Watson
:__________
::I've had Vista since April & I hate it. None of my video or still camera software will work with it. The Vista Home Basic doesn't come with a fax program. I haven't found anything that Vista will do that XP won't do. It is like a having a Mac as far as compatable software availibility is concerned but is less user friendly than Mac.
:::To All: This is a bit off topic but I've been contemplating a new computer and wonder about which PC OS to get. Many of my friends tell me to steer clear of Vista and stick with XP Pro - a proven stable platform. What has been the experience out there. I really would like some honest opinions before making my decision. Any suggestions on specific computers and options would be appreciated too. Thanks. Watson

Stick with XP-Pro as long as you can. There's a lot more proven software compatible with XP than Vista. Dell still has a lot of offerings with XP if you look under the business computers. Their "small business" Vostro line has XP operating systems still available. This is because existing business platforms using XP want avoid a mixed OS environment as much as possible and need compatibility with existing software. Avoid the home version of XP as MS will end support for it much sooner than the Pro version. Vista is more geared to end-user entertainment crap than serious applications for now.
Nuff said.
Steve - W9DX
Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE).

:Stick with XP-Pro as long as you can. There's a lot more proven software compatible with XP than Vista. Dell still has a lot of offerings with XP if you look under the business computers. Their "small business" Vostro line has XP operating systems still available. This is because existing business platforms using XP want avoid a mixed OS environment as much as possible and need compatibility with existing software. Avoid the home version of XP as MS will end support for it much sooner than the Pro version. Vista is more geared to end-user entertainment crap than serious applications for now.
:Nuff said.
:Steve - W9DX
:Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE).

Thanks Steve: A friend of mine told me you can order any computer from Dell and specify that you want XP over Vista - in fact, he ordered one for his wife a month ago. That may be the route I take. Watson
:

Yes you can, but sometimes you have to pay an upcharge to get it. It's still worth it if the pc can run all the applications you really need. The real hidden cost of a new pc is all the new software if you have to replace everything. I also run a website where I have a hit counter. It monitors the OS of visitors and monitor resolution settings, etc. Not one visitor in the last month was running Vista. Get the picture?
Steve

I just checked the visitor platform stats on my website too... www.pbpix.com and only 5% were Vista-users and 70% were XP-users.