Due to a Microsoft technology professional promotion, I have a full copy of Windows Vista Business edition. I have heard a lot of things about Vista, but I want to try it for myself. I would like to hold judgment until I have a chance to see how it does on my hardware and how my software runs on it.
I would like to comment on Microsoft’s new upgrade policy. Windows Vista will be the first M$ OS that will not allow you to perform a clean install from an upgrade license. If you had Windows 98 and upgraded to Windows XP, you could buy an upgrade and do a clean install from that disk. It would ask you to put in your Windows 98 CD at the appropriate time and then install it to a cleanly formatted HD. Not so with Vista. An upgrade will only be able to be installed on top of an existing qualifying OS installation. I don’t like this. I like to have the flexibility to install fresh. Also, when I have to re-install my OS, I don’t want to have to install the old one first and then install my upgrade. That’s just too much work.
This also seems to be another step closer to M$’s goal of selling Windows licensed to a machine, not to a person. Apple does this, but they are selling it as a bundle, you get the hardware and the software all in one package. M$ is only selling the software and they are trying to tell you that you only have the right to install it on one computer. When you get a new computer or make enough “significant hardware changes” to your system, you will need to re-buy Windows. I think this is horrible. Just tell me to only install it on one system at a time. When I build a new system, I want to be able to move my OS, I don’t want to re-buy it! We are only one small step away from that now.
So, off I go into the new world of Windows Vista. We’ll see what happens.
2 comments:
NOOOO!!! RESIST BILL!!!!!
Seriously, the registarion thing irks me too! Last year when I got a new MOBO and video card, I had to re-install XP (which is retarded to begin with) and in order to register it I had to talk to some Indian woman. Then a month ago I got a new MOBO, video card, and HD. No problem installing and registering the same copy of XP!! Go figure. I hate M$. What are they going to do if some piece of hardware breaks? Make you buy another "licence"?
It doesn't stop there! look at this post from Gizmo...
Microsoft has set a lot of restrictions on Vista, but if this latest one holds true, it could mean the difference between upgrading or not for some people. Apparently if you buy an upgrade version of Windows Vista for your XP machine, Windows Vista will invalidate your XP key (so you won't be able to set up a dual-boot option nor will you be able to use that version of XP on another machine). Not only that, but if you ever uninstall Vista, you won't be able to fall back on your copy of XP anymore. Nice way to entice the upgraders, MS.
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