Engineering...Beyond the Classroom

People are slowly migrating to OS like Ubuntu because of a realization that you don't need to be a programmer to work with these systems. Windows has failed once too often and finally the people are showing their distaste. The fact that the business version of Vista now includes a XP rollback is proof that even Microshaft can't trust their own product quality testing. Now if Ford sold an Explorer with three wheels with the service pack including the fourth wheel showing up after a month and then we realize it's the wrong wheel, would we stand for it? I didn't think so.

Personally, I am going to sit back and see how bloody everyone else gets first.

Any Windows operating system is up to service pack 2 before the industrial programming software (PLC, HMI...) is certified for it.

One would hope that Microshaft learned their lesson with Vista; but I wouldn't bet my plant (or home computers) on it.

The majority of computers these days come pre-loaded with Vista. When one comes pre-loaded with Win7 I'll boot that OS too.

Out the door.

Format C:

Microsoft has announced that migration to Windows 7 will require starting with Vista.

One more reason why I will not use W7...

Un learn Computers and be happy and content with Pencil and paper

crm

Nice try. In case you haven't already noticed, you're using the Internet.

Hi Mr. Gates,

How about Linux or eComStation?

To be serious:

- computer =/= PC

- operating system =/= Windows

Sit back.....

scowl, cry, smile, laugh.

Stand up......

and rrrrrrrrun!

In Germany a leading magazine here has stated categorically (about 12 months ago) that XP will still easily be viable through to 2014 and maybe longer. This was before W7 was mentioned by the way....

If the way to W7 is via Vista, then microsoft has lost me, Linux would appear to be the next best step in 2014, it should be better than today I am sure.....

I am not dumping all my expensive XP software just to upgrade with BG & MS......it will be just the same going to Linux and buying new software!!!

To conclude, I will stay with XP Pro as long as its viable and then switch to Linux.....

So far all software that I really need can be run under some form of Linux (the converse is not true, however). Of course, much of the software that is designed for Windows requires a bastardised from of Linux (with hooks that compromise its robustness an OS), but I can at least turn these undesired exposures off when they are not needed. The only issue is that much of the software that is optimised for Windows runs appreciably slower under Linux - so the systems that need Windows to run fast have dual boot (but still to XP, we won't touch Vista even when the PC comes with Vista preloaded).

New Misrosoft products are always full of bugs and they always differ greatly from previous versions, which makes transition rather painful. I am using the considerably reliable Windows XP and I have no intention to switch to Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8 or else.

Also, I am still using the best bug-free version of Word -- the old Word 6.0. I have written a lot of macros in it; however, later Word versions do now allow to use these macros and have a different code language. So I had a problem: how many new macro programming languages should I learn with each next Word version? My solution was: my worktable will remain Word 6.0 and I will use a later version of Word for file conversion only.

I will ignore W7 just like ignoring vista. At least until service pack 3 or 4, when they finally have most of the bugs out. Why waste money on a super capacity hard drive needed to run an OS that comes compressed on a set of DVDs? I agree that that company has a proven track record of rushing to market products with way to many bugs. And besides all of that, besides fixing bugs, what features could it possibly have that anybody would really WANT? After all, just because it is possible to create a feature does not mean: 1. that it is useful, 2. that is easy to use, nor 3., that it is a feature that any human would EVER choose to use. ms is always attempting to have features that are at best a waste of memory and more likely a hole for hackers.

Dual-Boot it from xp and use it.

actually ive already done that with beta
its really fast but not stable

cant wate 4 full version
ill buy pro

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/

and the windows blog: a closer look at w7 skus

and it will be avaliable as an upgrade for xp.
and itll be an upgrade not a downgrade like vista

microsoft has a long track record of trying (blatantly) to manipulate customers and the market

for private use, piracy seems to offset the unacceptably high costs, but that only leaves us with pirated inefficient OSs (such as vista) and a lot of black boxes (how many have control over their computer under any microsoft OS?). the average user should not have to decide between microsoft and pirated microsoft. therefore, switching to linux and open source (free or cheap) would be a no-brainer...

however, the best (by far) office suite comes from microsoft and the office suite is mainly what users need computers for (together with high-end games... CAD/ scientific apps are nowhere near the top of the list of course)

linux, being robust, reliable and open-source, which makes it generally immune to vendors' manipulative tactics, has one big problem that doesn't allow it to catch on:

it lacks the high-end office suite that will out-compete MS office. no, open-office and the rest of the options out there are not good enough. open source office suites sadly don't seem to catch up to MS office, much less overtake it in terms of functionality and possibilities

linux is already good enough, and will likely get better, but that is not the problem. I propose that if linux ever gets an office suite on par or better than MS office (using open standards no less), it will move past being the '2nd boot option' and into mainstream use.

as long as I don't have a serious office alternative (I have tried all options), I therefore have to stick with windows, XP of course (which answers the question what I'll do with win7). sadly.

Basically what you say is true (sadly!), but here are few comments to your post.

Firstly MS is not alone in this area of manipulation, intel is actually worse, far worse to my mind. They have allegedly "paid money/made substantial price cuts" to companies to NOT sell AMD products. There is a court case still waiting on this score (as far as I am aware it has not happened up to now, even though its 3 or 4 years ago).

Also iintel has been known, to cut off the legs of chips to try and stop people using two of them together on a mainboard for more speed (in 1999).....luckily intel did not do its homework well and the mainboard companies were able to "simulate" the missing pins and the effort of intels was lost, save to show the world what a diabolical and tricky company they really are......since then, I only buy an occasional laptop with intel hardware when AMD has nothing close power wise, all the rest is AMD.....my customers never need Laptops from me, so they all get AMD and no nasty surprises....

I personally find MS Office has dozens of features that I and many others will never use, so for some years now, I have only used Star Office (Previously Open Office) from Sun on my laptops and MS Office on my server (I bought a copy of Office XP some years ago cheap, but new, because it was Multi language and Germans want German ONLY here, German is also in the package, so don't ask me why I was the only one interested on German ebay in it!!....)

Star office is also available in a Linux version as well (it looks identical on the screen, but I have not actually used it under Linux, that comes later this year!)and as far as I can tell, has more than enough features for most users....and as a download it is free. It can open also most MS Office data types and has its own data types as well, that one can get a small add-on for MSO that allows it to open Star Office files......

So I can swap back and forth with basically no problems....you should at least try it out....though I can believe if you have some really complicated needs, that it may not be completely compatible in all areas....but Sun will try and fix any incompatible areas, if you let them know, also for free.....

Best wishes and good luck.

I plan to spend my time and energy on Linux. Xp did offer some useful stability and improvements in drivers once enough time elapsed for them to be written.

Vista offered friends of mine nothing but gewgaws and problems.

I will eschew obfuscation and learn what I need to adopt Linux.

The irritation that I have is that MS makes no concession for those still using XP. After the horror stories of Vista I decided to keep XP and wait for W7 - now I will need to purchast Vista B4 W7 . Maybe now is the time to consider a change of OS...

Why not do it 5 minutes before installing W7 at sp3 level. Thats what I am planning!!

HACKINTOSH :p BEST OF BOTH WORLDS