No Going Back for Basics

I heard I could downgrade Vista to XP, and started hunting around. Sadly, my edition of Vista is Vista Basic, which contains no downgrade rights.

I'm downloading Kubuntu right now.

"...You WANT a Hard Drive?"

For some reason, Vista thought I might want to remove my hard drive and my DVD drive.


Okay. Um, thanks, Vista. And thanks for cluttering my screen with an extra icon in case I wanted to yank either of those out while my computer is running. I can't imagine any possible scenarios in which I would remove internal devices while my computer was running, but you know way more than I do. You're Vista, after all.

In case you can't tell, Vista, I'm being sarcastic. Or do you need a patch to detect that?

Vista sucks, even when it's trying to be helpful,
Randy

Putting the Pressure on Bill

Microsoft is feeling the pressure.

They've extended the availability of XP an extra 5 months. I'm strongly considering buying as many copies as I can find come May or so, and hawking them at scalper-blush prices when folks realize they're stuck with Vista otherwise.

From the article:

Microsoft, for its part, sought to downplay the impact of the move, disagreeing with the notion that there is still strong demand for XP.

"We wouldn't term it strong," said Kevin Kutz, a director in Microsoft's Windows Client unit. "We would describe this as accommodating a certain element who needs more time."

That's your spin? You get paid to paint pretty pictures of ugly situations, and that's the best you can do? Way to go, Kevin.

Dell also said it support's Microsoft's decision.

"We believe the additional time will help some customers to prepare for the transition from XP to Vista," the company said in a statement.

"Prepare"? How are people going to "prepare" for the transition? Go get a book on how to use your new easy-to-use OS? What you mean is help some customers get used to the idea that they're stuck with Vista. But of course you can't say that, because you're sleeping with the enemy.

If I were a linux flavor, I'd be going after some serious funding to do a marketing blitz to bill yourself as the new alternative to Windows. You come free with Open Office, you have a better history of security, etc.

Not that I personally would be swayed -- not until the game makers start porting their stuff over to Linux. But, you know, the consumers who only need routine stuff out of their computer. Them folks. Grab a chunk of their marketshare.

Vista sucks, but Linux still doesn't have any good games,
Randy

Vista vs. VD

Q. What's the difference between Vista and Gonorrhea?
A. Penicillin.

Posting this from Kubuntu,

Chalain

False Hope, and Can I Please Just Restart?

A chat I had earlier today with my friend Chalain as I was whining about Vista:

Chalain: OH MAN
Chalain: About Vista!
Chalain: There's a whole set of settings that actually make it act SANE.
Chalain: It's like having an infected thorn pulled out of my brain.
Randy Tayler: Indeed??
Chalain: No.

He'd been deliberately pulling my leg. He made Vista livable, as he puts it, by installing Kubuntu.

I went to restart the computer earlier today -- to make the Vista changes take affect, I should remind you -- and it started to restart. I walked away -- I needed to get away from my computer for a while. When I came back, I saw that it hadn't restarted, because instead of a quick DING! pop-up, it had hemmed and hawed and waited 'til I was gone before giving this notice:


My jaw hurts from clenching it so much today.

Vista sucks, and refuses to just restart when you ask it to,
Randy

Gnashing My Teeth, And Using Rich, Luscious Profanity

And, after installing the "Fix" for Vista, and restarting my machine....


Windows Vista, you are a beartrap on the crotch of my soul.

Vista sucks,
Randy

On the Brink of Punching My Monitor...

Another screenshot for you to enjoy:


The problem was caused by Vista? SRSLY?

Well, at least you were honest.

Vista sucks, but is honest about it,
Randy