Six reasons not to buy Vista

35 Comments

• At the price of Vista. And the performance LOSS while playing games. And now this?!?
  
  I'll stick to my "already over bloated" copy of XP.
  

• Don't find the reason why i am reading your one liner blog with a link to smebody else blog
  
  and also i don't see why that 6 points become the six reasons for not buying the vista
  

• I guess if you're really "someone@microsoft.com" then you're part of the problem, eh?
  

• what an idiotic article, referenced by an idiot!
  

• Well thought out, intellectual comment.
  

• Dont really see a reason in both the article and the comments
  

• So everyone is OK with these licensing agreements? Phoning home, can't transfer to a new machine, revocable media licenses, etc.? No wonder they can get away with such ridiculous terms.
  

• BREAKING NEW ALERT!!
  HOLD THE PRESSES!!!
  
  RECEIVING TRANSMISSION:
  CAPTION: Company living up to it's responsability to shareholders.
  
  Confirmed reports on the internet have uncovered a campaign of terror by one of the largest companies in the WORLD. The acceptable license agreement which'll accompany Micro$oft's fortcoming operating system, Vista, will be...well, evil. Micro$oft, which is well known for it's use of rabbit blood throughout all campus printers, is said to have hired the best legal minds to finally quash all rebellion and assert itself as supreme leader.
  
  This legal team is said to include: the Emperor, Mr Burns, Dr Evil, a ghola of Napoleon, two Formics and The Joker.
  
  Specifically, the license agreement will help protect copyright laws and intellectual properties. This outrageous decision puts Micro$oft in a unique position: doing exactly what companies have been doing for countless of years.
  
  

• You're clueless. When companies sell product that doesn't serve the customer's needs, they fail. The only reason Microsoft can continue to get away with it is that they have a monopoly. Fortunately it's slipping in the OS department, but clearly they're still not interested in listening to their customers. Again, it's sad that one part of the company can get it while others don't.
  
  If I pay a few hundred bucks for a software product, I think it's a reasonable expectation that the company is not going to keep bugging me about it or restrict what I can do with it. If I want to keep putting it on new machines, provided it's only one machine at a time, I should be able to do so because I paid for it.
  
  So if someone can come up with something better than a lame attempt at humor or a one-liner, with a point-by-point rebuttal as to why the terms outlined in the linked article are OK, knock yourself out.
  

• I totally agree that when I pay (a fairly steep amount) for a Vista license (I won't for a while, that's for sure), I would like to be able to transfer it from machine to machine, and to be able to upgrade my hardware without any hassle or having to phone up Microsoft support to get the copy reactivated.
  
  It's all about trusting your customers. Let's leave it there.
  

• In Reply To Jon Acord:
  
  1) UAC is not designed for people who install software regularly, modify files and so forth. Its desing intent it to protect uninformed users from themselves. While this is feature is presented in an annoying way, its function is actually quite admirable.
  
  2) First of all, that is no longer the case with 90% of the programs available right now, and won't even be a factor in a year from now. Not all 3rd party apps support Aero, so it defaults out of it when those programs are opened.
  
  3) That's simply not true at all.
  
  4) Okay, you got me there.
  
  5) That also is not true.
  
  6) On this, I am in total agreement with you.
  
  7) Exactly.
  
  8) This whole deal regarding the EULA is a distortion of the truth. MS hasn't changed the EULA, they've simply clarified it, and while I don't agree with it in the first place, to say that they're changing it now is untrue. Sure, the agreement is crappy, but its nothing new - you can still upgrade your PC as you always have, only now you will have to place a call to MS a couple times a year or so.
  

• Vista is a waste of Time and Money. Linux is the way to go now and every day it gets easier to use thanks to tons of development. I was behind Microsoft for XP and it is a great OS baring the security issues, but for Vista I'm really thinking of switching to another OS. I am a big techie and having to call someone to upgrade my pc reminds me of my childhood where I had to call my mommy when I wanted to stay out later then 9pm. I've grown up and I think it is time for Microsoft to grow up too and stop treating customers like children.
  

• Hey here's a crazy idea to work around all those licencing issues: buy the damn thing for a change and support the millions of man-hours put into developing it.
  

• Or I could keep using OS X and my old XP license in a Parallels window. :)
  

• JUST GO BUY IT! Use it and come to terms with its issues by explaining their advantages and downfalls. If you still dislike it, then go home and stfu!
  

• Well tbh Vista is new and there are alot of issues to iron out UAP being one of them. UAP is such a bad feature lol but can be disabled so its not a major issue. Aero is nice to look at but it is no Beryl like i got on my *nix, its about time microsoft could trust the customer. All this grief over software piracy and just for it to get hacked and released anyway. You will be hacked everytime so why bother? looks at mac os no keys protection or anything just trust!!
  
  But hey how can Microsoft trust anyone with the things they have done in the past...
  

• There are already hacked version of vista on bit torrent. I actually disagree with software piracy but in this M$ monopoly position, just who is the pirate. In the UK, we even get to pay 70% more than everywhere else because microsoft seem to think 1M$ = 1M£ (its a lot closer to 2:1).
  
  I don't intend to move to vista anytime soon but as usual, support will dry up for the old M$ stuff and I will be forced to buy new kit. If I can use a pirated copy of vista and get away with it, I will. I think you should all do the same
  

• No-one has yet mentioned the DRM lock-in...
  
  The licence situation hasn't been clarified - its been tightened - taking away your right to choose which computer to test vista on and taking away your right to choose to upgrade without paying for the same software again.
  With previous versions OEM licenced software was tied to a "single major component" and wasn't transferable to a new machine, a full licence however entitled the user to install a single copy of the software - this could be used on any machine you like as long as it is only on 1 at a time.
  
  To the comment about company living up to share-holders: do you believe a company should be able to abuse a monopoly and act how it likes to increase profits and reduce competition and justify it with some random comment about living up to shareholders?
  Does living up to shareholders exceed the need to act morally?
  Are you a shareholer btw?
  

• I really hate vista. Everything I run on it is incompatible and my hardware gets my BSOD's. Whats the point in it! Ive just wasted my money.
  I think everyone should switch to linux (ubuntu 7)!
  
  Check out my website at http://www.ihatevista.co.uk/ and share your vista experience.
  

• Ubuntu?
  Gentoo, please.
  
  I don't see how Microsoft has a monopoly when there's also Mac. I'm on a Mac right now.
  
  I think I'm going to ditch my XP when they're done letting it shrivel and wither away, and stick with some kind of platform on Linux like WineX, or Cedega, if I must pay. Linux has so much more power!!!!!
  

• Power for what? Windows may suck, but it doesn't prevent anyone from doing the normal things they need to do.
  

• i went to the link and read their EULA and i figure that they may as well say "We at Microsoft Corporation, through the sale of Windows Vista to you, our beloved customer are hereby, irrevocably screwing you over"
  

• Fair comments, but at the end of the day Vista requires a lot more RAM and CPU power than XP, and the majority of people do not have systems which are highly specced enough to run it, as they did with XP.
  
  In a year or so (providing Vista doesnt go the same was as ME) things should start to improve as people upgrade their machines and we can then start to complain about the next new MS OS.
  
  AS for the price, no wonder people are downloading dodgy copies when its so expensive. MS should do something about this.
  

• 6 reasons can basically be broken down into one.
  
  This being its TOO EXPENSIVE!!
  

• I keep hearing that Vista is the new WindowsME. It seems the analogy is coming true.
  

• I recently bought an HP machine with Vista on it, and
  I had if for 4 days, and that was enough. The combination of these two is pure garbage. The -mail- program did not import the pictures, I suppose all programs must be Vista based, Wonder why Microsoft would do that, I also have XP Pro, and it is much more friendlier that Vista. I also have, and use it maily, ME, It is the most user
  friendly of all, even though everyone else dislikes it
  I think it is great. and almost all programs run on it. As stated before, VISTA is total garbage.
  

• Vista sux donkey ****
  

• If vista was any good than why are oganizations (too many to list) not allowing vista as an OP. Windblows should work with Windblows souldn't it?
  

• It will be interesting to see if the big corporations take on Windows server 2008. For all those you havnt played around with this, its very very Vista'ry.
  
  Re vista, i think only time will tell once SP1 is released and the tyrade of major security updates are released again and again to patch up the filth thats spewed from microshaft. It would well be that people stick with XP for the time being, as it works, and is one of those most stable OS's in Microwanks line of cock ups.
  
  In short - hang on a bit, and see if your mates lose all their data when they install Vista and SP1, then decide to stick with XP! :-)
  

• I dont like Vista, i use Colgate most of the time.
  

• Now that Vista SP1 is out, i am eevn more shocked at how bad this OS is. I will be sticking with XP for the time being, and plan to advise everyone to do the same.
  
  Bodger, dont be so childish. Go back to your rubber room.
  

• I have the feeling to go backwards in technology.
  
  After buying a Sony VAIO TZ with Vista Business in (obligatory), I cannot sync my PDA other than through Outlook 2007, that I don't want to use. Built-in Vista's calendar and mail do not synchronise to the PDA. I cannot connect my Nokia N70 because poor Nokia software development and drivers incompatibility. And some other major incompatibilities with development software.
  
  So, I was expecting a better, seamless connectivity and I am getting just the opposite!! Were's the progress??
  
  Just paranoid.
  Cheers
  David
  

• Yes, vista sort of works. That's what you buy when you buy an operating system. But it is full of trash. Fry's told me I had to buy it. It was lie like all their merchandising ploys, and lies.
  
  An opperating system is required for a PC, and it must be universal. That's what the internet is, a universal protocal. As such, like the internet, a fundamental operating system should be provided free, weather we pay for it with taxes or however it is done for the web, it should be free.
  
  Microsoft and others could make and sell improvements. That's it.
  
  Thus, trash such as vista could be avoided, but still any improvements such as protection from self could be purchased. Like Linux. Why don't I use Linux? I don't want to get techy touchie, and I must use standard protocal, like everyone else, but I should have a choice. Vista trash is not a choice.
  

• I have bitten the bullet and bought Vista. I know, i know - im a bad man. but thought id give it a go following SP1. Only reason why I am buying it to be honest it because of DX10, and GTA 4 coming out for the PC which will require it. Any other reasons would not be good enough! :-)
  

• Following on from my last message, i have installed Vista this weekend.
  
  The only problems i had were trying to find the HD audio codec for my integrated sound card on my ASUS board - Driverguide.com toolkit enabled me to find what driver i was looking for.
  
  Also, there is a surprisingly low amount of Wireless cards that actualy support Vista - after having issues with my Netgear card, i tracked down a Belkin card which was not compatible, but was suposed to work. IT did, and systems are now all go.
  
  Vista as an OS is OK, thats the best grade i can give it. DX10 and the amazing graphics on games it gives is what i am liking!