On Sat, 06 Jan 2007 12:28:08 +0000, Roy Schestowitz wrote:


Linux hasn't been able to compete with 5 year old Windows XP.

What chance does it have against Vista?

> Linux hasn't been able to compete with 5 year old Windows XP.
>
> What chance does it have against Vista?
>

Somewhat more, I would have thought. For the simple reason that whilst XP
is a logical progression from NT/2000, Vista is different in a lot of
fundamental aspects. But perhaps the greatest difference is that this time
there will be no grace-period for buyers of new computers. If your new
computer comes with Vista, you MUST use Vista. Because of Product Activation,
this time around it will not be possible to re-use your old copy of XP if
Vista gives insurmountable problems.

I'm not a great Linux fan either, all of the GUI interfaces are seriously
clunky, but when faced with the choice of an untried, untested platform and
one based on an ancient and venerable technology, I think I'd go for the
latter. Especially if my business depended on it.

Thinking back, when XP first came out it gave a fair amount of trouble,
especially disappearing CD drives. Most businesses stuck to 98 or 2000 until
the major bugs had been fixed. In fact, many new PCs of that era had XP
removed as the first step in commissioning them.

I wonder what wil happen with Vista in that respect? Initial testing
indicates that there WILL be software compatibility issues, and plenty of
them. But... this time around, the option to revert to XP won't be there.
Win2000 will still be an option, but I wonder how many people will want that
on their shiny new box, after having XP on their previous computer?

So, when forced to accept the new and largely untested platform from day one
of the OEM rollout, will they simply pay-out for the associated
support-costs, or will they decide that if they're going to have to make a
substantial investment -and a lot of changes- anyway, then this is the
logical time to look at the alternatives in a bit more detail?

I'm not sure of the answer to that.. wait and see is all I can say.

flatfish+++ wrote:

> On Sat, 06 Jan 2007 12:28:08 +0000, Roy Schestowitz wrote:
>
>
> Linux hasn't been able to compete with 5 year old Windows XP.
>
> What chance does it have against Vista?

Lots.

Wait till your new vista won't let you watch dvd's or play your favorite
music cd's. Then try and copy music back and forth from your ipod... iTunes
on Zune? Zune on vista? Yeah... never happen.


--

Jerry McBride

flatfish+++ wrote:

> On Sat, 06 Jan 2007 12:28:08 +0000, Roy Schestowitz wrote:
>
>
> Linux hasn't been able to compete with 5 year old Windows XP.

More like Windows has been unable to retain it's foothold against unix.
Linux is just another unix flavor, and UNIX, the OS that started that
genre, has been around since 1968.

> What chance does it have against Vista?

A very good one. KDE is more usable and flexible than Windows Explorer in
Vista, KOffice and OpenOffice is going to be more familiar to users than
the new MS Office, and companies are now forced to look for a Windows exit
strategy as Microsoft will be leaving the OS business in just over five
years now. Vista is the best and last OS Microsoft produces.