[pianotech] Windows Vista- your comments?

[Nick Gravagne]

This has been a very enlightening thread. Computers are an integral part
of our lives. Isn't there another angle to the MS vs. Other OS?

Except for my old friend and colleague Don Mannino, whose computer
skills and interest level are extraordinary, how many of us are thrilled
when a new MS OS requires a learning curve that may take weeks
(sometimes frustrating weeks) to learn; and this at maybe an elementary
level. Not to mention the plethora of potential hardware and software
conflicts? Then after having attained a comfort level, bang!, your OS is
being put out to pasture. 

My current computers, laptop and desktop, are Dells simply because I was
able to get them with XP Pro. 

I recently went through Windows viral infections (and these attacked,
disabled and then bypassed the McAfee protections). Once the bugs
entered the system the Windows internal protocols were no match.

Then there was OS instability issues, and constant IE7 high-jacking and
crashing, slow startups, you name it. I managed to get it all cleaned
out and "fixed" on my own, but only after hours of research, reinstalls,
new drivers, and on and on... I have better things to do.

(For those of you about to suggest I should have taken it to a
professional, we did this with Peg's computer recently and it was a
disaster. We ended up undoing almost everything they did. Nothing
against the Computer pros; just that we didn't click here in northern
AZ.)

My next computer will not be Windows based, if even only a part of what
I have heard RE Mac and Linux type systems is true. I need to jump off
the Windows merry-go-round.

Nick G.

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Wow, I'm so glad someone else has voiced their good opinion about Linux
and open source software - besides me ;-)

As I've said before in emails, I've been on it at home now for about 10
years - and - won't go back to windows (except for Cybertuner and tax
softwares).

YES - 10 years - and NO viruses, worms, etc :-)

I do - everything - for my business on Linux (opensuse 11.1)

BTW, If I wasn't already on Linux and loving it - I would be switching
to Mac (which dumped their proprietary software and is running a
customized version of Linux/Unix - so - no virus worries here either)

Duaine