Diary of a Vista user - Part One

[Nick]

Oooh now don't you go trying to beat me with the pedantic stick...

All I said was that I've demonstrated I'm not resistant to change by the very act of changing my OS, therefore it's not exactly accurate to say that all my moans can be put down to being a 'stick in the mud'...

Not that you said that anyways but there you go.

I was, however, pointing out the slight dichotomy in your defense of Vista (which is fine, I'm not actually knocking it anyway (your defense OR Vista, take yer pick on that bad grammar from me)), just I found it odd that although you like it as an OS you don't like it enough to use at home?

[dave87]

Can I just ask, how was War & Peace?

[shaithis]

Isn't being administrator (because you want the power to quickly install etc) a bit like leaving your house and car unlocked, to give you fast access?

Nope.

Being administrator is like entering your key at the front door and then not having to unlock every item in your house before you can use it.

"Are you sure you want to lift the toilet seat?"

[directhex]

Nope.

Being administrator is like entering your key at the front door and then not having to unlock every item in your house before you can use it.

"Are you sure you want to lift the toilet seat?"

being an administrator is carrying a skeleton key - not leaving everything unlocked

the latter option is just lame security

[dangel]

Oooh now don't you go trying to beat me with the pedantic stick...

All I said was that I've demonstrated I'm not resistant to change by the very act of changing my OS, therefore it's not exactly accurate to say that all my moans can be put down to being a 'stick in the mud'...

Not that you said that anyways but there you go.

I was, however, pointing out the slight dichotomy in your defense of Vista (which is fine, I'm not actually knocking it anyway (your defense OR Vista, take yer pick on that bad grammar from me)), just I found it odd that although you like it as an OS you don't like it enough to use at home?

Lol Well really it comes down to this - I spend many, many long hours a week working with computers so the last thing I really want to do when I get home is to do anything productive with one I only game at the weekends (when i'm not elsewhere) too.

At the moment, for gaming, XP is pretty much the place to be - and I'm waiting for the drivers to mature before wasting a few precious weekend hours on reinstalling my system with Vista. I have, paradoxically, stuck it on my laptop at home just to see what it's like (not to bad either) but no, I don't intend to switch at home just yet.

Would i swap back to XP for doing my work? No way!
The only thing I really miss? Directory Opus - it just doesn't work that well under Vista right now (although I have been offered a place on their beta program), and, as much as I like the improvements to explorer it's just nowhere near as flexible.

[alexsim2005]

A very interesting read - I experienced similar problems whilst trying out RC1 - I know how annoying it is when it asks your confirmation on absolutely everything, i wouldnt be surpised if it asked your confirmation to turn the pc on!

[directhex]

A very interesting read - I experienced similar problems whilst trying out RC1 - I know how annoying it is when it asks your confirmation on absolutely everything, i wouldnt be surpised if it asked your confirmation to turn the pc on!

the fact that people find security such a shock & such a chore terrifies me

[charleski]

Many security programs for XP (like ZoneAlarm) have an 'OS firewall' module that provides similar (though not identical) protection to UAC. That means I've grown thoroughly used to clicking on security prompts. Several setup programs throw up multiple ZA security prompts which need to be reviewed, but I'd have a really hard time turning it off, it's alerted me to a couple of undesirable program behaviours.

I just have to wonder - if you don't like UAC, does that mean you've been running XP without 3rd-party security?

[ajbrun]

Strange how people wanted MORE security with XP, but now want LESS with vista...

[Splash]

You have no idea how glad I am that at least a few people see the point to UAC. It will be switched on on any Vista PCs I run, and I fully believe I know what I'm doing, however as has been pointed out in the past that doesn't stop stealth installs of crapware etc.

[Nick]

the fact that people find security such a shock & such a chore terrifies me

Does it?

[MSIC]

the fact that people find security such a shock & such a chore terrifies me

But remember that security, if visible, is never desirable in itself.

The purpose of it is desirable, but I can't think of a single security thing (be it physical in the outside world or in PC terms) that is desirable in and of itself. So they need to be relatively unobtrusive enough not to puss us off.

[redlight]

But remember that security, if visible, is never desirable in itself.

The purpose of it is desirable, but I can't think of a single security thing (be it physical in the outside world or in PC terms) that is desirable in and of itself. So they need to be relatively unobtrusive enough not to puss us off.

Yes get it right and it will be used,get it wrong it will ignored or removed. Back to car analogies I suppose. In the old days of car alarms you had to fit it yourself punch in a code or turn a key soon you get fed up with extra time taken and dont bother using it or worse dont fit one. Move on a few years pre-fit it and give the customer a keyfob that makes the indicators flash and emit a reassuring beep and guess what car security is a satisfying experience and everybody uses it. UAC is not a satisfying experience.

[dangel]

the fact that people find security such a shock & such a chore terrifies me

But not surprised, right? Windows users have spent years doing whatever they want whenever they want (and so has every program running on their system). MS has bred the no-compromise ethos in everything they've done before - and now it's a huge shock to people as a result.

[Eddy396]

Still staying away from Vista for a long time as I did with xp from win98. Then when I did move it was trouble free and I actually appreciated the new OS. Until then I'll let everyone else beta test the retail version. When its ready and maybe the prices are more realistic i'll buy it.

[dangel]

It's ready now - but the pricing is ridiculous..