Need help with computer software, please

[Giulietta]

I have had for a week now a notebook with windows Vista.

I am not used to the new configuration to start with, and most of the software I used was for XP, so I need to spend sometime and download a whole bunch of crap just to reagain my life back.

Anyway..I have the opportunity to get another notebook and give this one to Fred, and use Fred's on the boat.

what shall I do?? I am really computer iliiterate..shall I buy it with Vista, get used and download what I need or buy a new one with XP?

Thank you.

Alex

should I make a poll??

[Robby Barlow]

Alex,
for the boat Fred's will probably do fine. Give him the new one and in a week he'll be able to teach you all about Vista, download the programs you want etc.
Sooner or later you're gonna have to get to grips with Vista as XP is gonna die.

[Cruisingdad]

I have both. I am typing on Vista now. Once you get used to it, it is nice. The MS Word is nice and it has some neat features. But it seems to this illiterate that it is a bigger jump from XP than say, win 95 or something might have been.

FYI, on what I have learned:

Many programs do NOT install on Vista like they do on XP. You need to make sure you follow the Vista directions. Many programs want to plug and play, and this does not work on Vista. You have to turn off/on adminstration or something. Been a couple of months since I have done it... just make sure you do not try and run-install like the old XP. Follow the new directions, and if it is not Vista compatible... well... better check their web site to determine if it will work.

- CD

PS Took me a while, but I like it now.

[sailingdog]

I'd second giving the new machine to Fred and having you stick with XP, since you're familiar with it, not as able to adapt to new OS's as readily as Fred, and since Vista is still basically beta software.

Use Fred's old machine and then play with Vista on his new machine when you're not doing something that is time critical. This will let you get used to Vista at your own pace, until you have to switch over to Vista.

[Cruisingdad]

That's crazy talk.

Albeit I will admit SD that you probably know VASTLY more about computers and OS than I do (it is your business, right??), but why would you tell him to trash a brand new operating system? Everything will go Vista... Bill will see to that.

Just stick to it and learn it. Consider it one of life's little frustrations.

Just my thoughts...

- CD

[sailingdog]

CD-

There were so many consumer complaints about Vista that Dell and several other major computer manufacturers were given permission by MS to downgrade them to XP.

I was actually advocating he take Fred's XP-based machine and then give Fred the new Vista-based one... since Fred has far more patience for learning a new OS and doesn't have as immediate a need to be productive...

[Valiente]

I just bought a new power user laptop, a Dell Precision M6300. I refuse to have Vista on it until they get it right. Stick with what you know, Alex. It will be some time before you require Vista. Also, Vista is a complete resource pig...it needs ridiculous amounts of RAM just to get going.

[teshannon]

When my last laptop died I got a new HP with Vista and kind of like it. As CD said, installing programs can be a challenge some times.

[ccam]

I also vote staying with XP, Dell did send out a retrogrades to some of their Vista users.
But! if you really want to be **** hot, get yourself a macbook pro with the intel core duo, 4G Ram and Fusion.
Then you can run XP, Vista, Leopard and 2003 server at the same time. They are smooth. Even run all your Office programs

[xort]

Just bought an HP with XP off e-bay. An 'old' machine that is new/unused. An overstock from Costco. The e-bay seller had something like 15,000 responses and a 99% rating. Got a 1 year warantee from HP. It's pretty well loaded with 17" screen, 2Ghz of ram, etc and I paid about $850.