This article makes some good points. Windows 7 may be leaner/faster and more stable than Vista-definitely valid concerns. But it won't use a different security and driver model, as far as I know; applications and drivers that don't work correctly with Vista aren't going to magically work correctly with Windows 7. The only difference is that Windows 7 apparently will have a smarter application compatibility tool to help users troubleshoot why apps have problems.
I've been running Vista since it went gold. What was that, two years ago? I run it at work on a Dell tower that came with it preinstalled. I run it on a laptop that came with Vista. I run it on a home-built desktop that originally had XP (I built it long before Vista was released). My wife runs it on her Dell desktop that came with it preinstalled. Oh, and we also have it installed on several hundred machines here. And I can say with confidence that contrary to the FUD circulating out there, VISTA WORKS. We've had no more trouble integrating Vista into our environment than we did when we integrated XP back in the day. Some apps and drivers don't work. Most do. The OS is stable; I experience no more crashes with it than I did with XP, and on the rare occasions I do experience crashes they don't pull down the whole system the way XP's crashes often did. And there are quite a few tasks I can accomplish more quickly with Vista than I could with XP. Obviously, everyone's mileage may vary. But in our environment, there's no benefit for us to skip Vista and wait another year for Windows 7. John Hornbuckle MIS Department Taylor County School District 318 North Clark Street Perry, FL 32347 www.taylor.k12.fl.us<http://www.taylor.k12.fl.us> From: Sam Cayze [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Thursday, October 30, 2008 12:26 PM To: NT System Admin Issues Subject: RE: Going back to XP? Oh, and add this to my fanboy rant:) http://www.infoworld.com/archives/emailPrint.jsp?R=printThis&A=/article/08/10/23/Five_reasons_why_skipping_Windows_Vista_could_backfire_1.html Article: Is Windows Vista<http://www.cio.com/article/455911/subject/Microsoft+Windows+Vista> really skippable? As organizations weigh what to do with Windows XP<http://www.cio.com/article/455911/subject/Microsoft+Windows+XP> OS upgrades, the thought of leapfrogging the much-maligned Vista often comes to mind. But be warned, says a recent report from research firm Gartner<http://mediaproducts.gartner.com/reprints/microsoft/vol4/article4/article4.html>: Bypassing Vista and migrating directly from XP to the next release, Windows 7, could be a dicey proposition. The report, written by Gartner analyst<http://www.cio.com/article/455911/subject/Gartner+Inc.> Michael Silver<http://www.cio.com/article/455911/subject/Michael+Silver>, states that most organizations should not skip Windows Vista entirely and should install Vista on new PCs as they are deployed, with the main reason being that ISVs don't support old versions of Windows long enough, or new versions of Windows soon enough. Also, Silver suggests in the report, Windows 7 is not likely not to arrive on time. "What many enterprises don't realize from their initial analyses is that the next version of Windows may be delivered later than Microsoft<http://www.cio.com/article/455911/subject/Microsoft+Corporation> says, and be just as unsuitable for immediate deployment," writes Silver. For example, organizations that skipped Windows 98, Windows 2000 and Windows XP often had ISV support issues, as well as difficult and rushed migrations. "Organizations that try to skip Windows Vista are likely to have the same problems," Silver added, in an interview. In general, skipping a version of Windows means deploying the next version very early in its lifecycle. You become an early adopter of an unproven OS, which carries the risk of waiting 12 to 18 months for ISV support, testing applications, building images, and piloting before the new OS can actually be deployed, Silver says. The only companies that may be able to skip Vista entirely are ones doing forklift migrations (updating hardware and OS all at once) and that also don't plan to deploy Windows 7 until mid-2011, Silver says. This would be 18 months after Microsoft's stated Windows 7 ship date<http://www.networkworld.com/news/2008/062408-microsoft-windows7-ship-date.html?hpg1=bn>, the estimated time that Windows 7 will be mature and stable enough to deploy, in Gartner's view. But even those companies are somewhat vulnerable to skipping Vista, Silver says, because, "Windows 7 is an unknown entity with unknown features and an uncertain time frame<http://blogs.zdnet.com/microsoft/?p=1417&tag=rbxccnbzd1>. Skipping Windows Vista doesn't mean that the work necessary to remediate applications for Windows Vista will be eliminated; much of the same work will be needed to prepare for Windows 7." With that said, here are five issues that Gartner suggests organizations thinking of skipping Vista should mull over: 1. Software vendors don't support old OSes long enough Although Windows XP will be supported with security fixes into 2014, many ISVs won't support their products on Windows XP for that long, and Microsoft and the ISVs often won't support new versions of their software on older operating systems, Gartner advises. 2. OEMs will deliver fewer PC models with old OSes each year Gartner predicts that in the near future, before Windows 7 can be deployed Windows XP drivers may not be available on the PC models you want to buy, forcing you to buy other models that may have different features or price points than you want. 3. ISVs don't support new OSes soon enough Historically, according to Gartner, most vendors need a year or more before they support a new OS. When Windows 2000 shipped, it took some software vendors nearly three years before they supported it. 4. Microsoft's OS delivery schedule is unpredictable Microsoft has said it will deliver Windows 7 about three years after Vista shipped (that is, the fourth quarter of 2006), but the company's track record for shipping new versions of Windows on time is not good, Gartner notes. 5. Remember, you may need to pay Microsoft for upgrades Businesses without SA (software assurance) must budget to buy software license upgrades. How much to budget depends on what downgrade rights Microsoft provides with Windows 7. Gartner predicts that Windows 7 will include downgrade rights to Windows Vista only. If this is the case, Windows XP PCs purchased in 2010, 2011, and 2012 will be bought with Windows Vista licenses so that XP can run until a Windows 7 deployment. As a result, organizations won't have Windows 7 licenses when it is time to deploy, and will have to buy upgrades. -----Original Message----- From: Sam Cayze [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Thursday, October 30, 2008 11:23 AM To: NT System Admin Issues Subject: RE: Going back to XP? Most all negative rants I have heard about Vista are about the default Vista options, and people failing to understand that you can disable/tweak everything. UAC is one (Although it has its place. UAC=Good. Prompts=Bad) I love UAC. Running as a limited user account has never been easier. When I deploy it to my users, all prompts will be off anyway - since they are not allowed to elevate, install, change settings, etc. Don't like the GUI? Well then switch to Classic. Don't like the Start Menu? Then switch it to Classic. Don't like Aero? Then turn it OFF and don't complain about it. Turn off Defender, Index, AutoDefrag, etc... I LOVE XP, don't get me wrong. I will always have one machine on it. (I have 3 PCs I use daily). I just got Vista Ultimate free from a TechNet event, and just installed it on my Home PC. Wow, it bread new life into it!!!!! And the XP install wasn't even that old. 5 months old, tops. I have had Vista on my laptop for since SP1. It's lightning fast and very STABLE, boot's in under 40s. Never feels like it needs a rebuild or defrag. I'm so impressed and confident with the boot speed, I even have Outlook, my rss newsreader, and firefox in my STARTUP group. Something I wouldn't DARE do on any other OS. Those 3 applications start flawlessly and fast every time. Saves 3 clicks every morning! -----Original Message----- From: Martin Blackstone [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Thursday, October 30, 2008 10:53 AM To: NT System Admin Issues Subject: RE: Going back to XP? As long as you don't need to boot and once you disable UAC, it's not bad. -----Original Message----- From: Micheal Espinola Jr [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Thursday, October 30, 2008 7:49 AM To: NT System Admin Issues Subject: Re: Going back to XP? I like Vista, it has some very nice perks, but it also has some serious usability flaws until you start disabling security features. >From a security perspective, I'd still keep it and recommend it over XP. -- ME2 On Thu, Oct 30, 2008 at 10:16 AM, Eric Wittersheim <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > I have the same question. Vista is starting to grow on me at home. I still > use XP Pro at work. But at home I run multiple Vista Utlimate and one Vista > Home Premimum (as well as XP Pro and Media Center 2005) and the interface is > starting to grow on me, especially Media Center. > > On Thu, Oct 30, 2008 at 8:09 AM, Stefan Jafs <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >> >> Out of curiosity why would you "obviously" want to go back to XP? >> >> >> >> ___________________________________ >> >> Stefan Jafs >> >> >> >> From: Sean Rector [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] >> Sent: Thursday, October 30, 2008 8:58 AM >> To: NT System Admin Issues >> Subject: RE: Going back to XP? >> >> >> >> I've been buying my systems this year like this - you have to specify >> Vista Business with the XP Downgrade option. If you don't, you can't >> downgrade. >> >> >> >> Sean Rector, MCSE >> >> >> >> From: Phil Thompson [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] >> Sent: Thursday, October 30, 2008 8:51 AM >> To: NT System Admin Issues >> Subject: RE: Going back to XP? >> >> >> >> Was this purchased through a business? Dell is still selling XP as a >> downgrade if you ask for it. >> >> >> >> I believe you have to have Vista Business or higher to downgrade and it >> has to be valid XP software, meaning it can't be one you got with another >> computer. >> >> >> >> >> >> Phil >> >> From: Evan Brastow [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] >> Sent: Thursday, October 30, 2008 8:47 AM >> To: NT System Admin Issues >> Subject: Going back to XP? >> >> >> >> Because I don't feel anyone on this list has anything better to do than to >> answer my silly questions. J >> >> >> >> Just took delivery of my first Dell in years (I've been using HP >> Workstations for about 6 years but wanted to give Dell a try again.) >> >> >> >> It's one of their gaming systems, actually, but it will do well for my >> graphics work. 3GHz Core2 Extreme processor overclocked to 3.67GHz, 4GB of >> RAM, dual 750GB hard drives, dual 1024MB ATI Radeon graphics cards, etc. >> etc. >> >> >> >> Sounds nice, right? >> >> >> >> Also comes with Windows Vista (there was, of course, no other option when >> ordering.) >> >> >> >> Great, so I feel like I bought a new Cadillac and the nav system is a >> Lite-Brite with dysfunctional pegs. >> >> >> >> So, what I'd like to do, obviously, is go back to XP. But I'm wondering if >> there is any legal way to do so? I know I can't transfer an XP license from >> my old system that had XP on it, and I don't think I can buy XP at stores >> anymore. >> >> >> >> Does Microsoft still allow you to "downgrade" (as if going from a Lite >> Brite with dysfunctional pegs to a working Etch-A-Sketch is a downgrade) >> from Vista to XP if you call them? >> >> >> >> Thanks, >> >> >> >> Evan >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> Information Technology Manager >> Virginia Opera Association >> >> E-Mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> Phone: (757) 213-4548 (direct line) >> {*} >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> This email and any attached files are confidential and intended solely for >> the intended recipient(s). If you are not the named recipient you should not >> read, distribute, copy or alter this email. Any views or opinions expressed >> in this email are those of the author and do not represent those of >> the Amico Corporation. Warning: Although precautions have been taken to make >> sure no viruses are present in this email, the company cannot accept >> responsibility for any loss or damage that arise from the use of this email >> or attachments. >> >> >> >> > > > > ~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~ ~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/> ~ ~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~ ~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/> ~ ~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~ ~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/> ~ ~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~ ~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/> ~
