Why Microsoft must abandon Vista to save itself
The Microsoft albatross
(Credit: Microsoft)While Vista was originally touted by Microsoft as the operating system savior we've all been waiting for, it has turned out to be one of the biggest blunders in technology. With a host of issues that are inexcusable and features that are taken from the Mac OS X and Linux playbook, Microsoft has once again lost sight of what we really want.
As we're more than aware, Vista Ultimate comes at a premium. For an additional $160 over the Premium SKU price, Ultimate gives you a complete backup and restore option, BitLocker Drive encryption, the ever so popular Windows Fax & Scan, and the "Ultimate Extras." But what started with a promise of "Extras" by summer, quickly turned into an apology from Microsoft and the eventual release of DreamScene and Windows Hold 'Em (among others) today. And while each of the "Extras" runs just fine, Microsoft's "Extras" blunder is just another reason why the company must abandon Vista before it's too late.
The first indication that Microsoft should abandon Vista is its poor sales figures. According to a recent report titled "Windows Vista Still Underperforming in U.S. Retail" from NPD, Vista sales are significantly behind XP sales during its early days. Even worse for Redmond, some are reverting to XP, citing issues with compatibility and overall design. And if that wasn't enough, Macs continue to surge and with the impending release of Leopard, Microsoft may be in for a rough holiday season.
With each passing day, it's becoming blatantly clear that Microsoft released Vista too early and the company's continual mistakes and promises that can't be kept are further annoying the Windows faithful.
Much talk has been given to Service Pack 1 and how this update should address many of the issues users have with Vista, but I simply don't agree. Will SP1 eliminate the ridiculous Microsoft licensing schemes? Will SP1 drop the price on the higher-end versions? Will SP1 eliminate the need for users to buy a new computer just to use the faulty OS?
SP1 will do nothing but fix the holes and issues we currently know about and create even more. As we all know from the days of Windows ME and even XP, Microsoft is not the best company at finding and addressing security issues, and chances are, Vista will be no different.
One significant problem that I have with Vista is its inclusion of new DRM, specifically the company's decision to install Protected Video Path. To prevent a person from copying (or in most cases, backing up) a movie, the operating system provides process isolation and if an unverified component is in use, the operating system shuts down DRM content. For the first time on any operating system, we're not even allowed to backup our favorite movies? Come on.
I also find it interesting that Microsoft decided to take the user access control concept from Mac OS X and make it much worse. Can someone please explain to me why I need to be asked if I wanted to do something entirely innocuous like open a third-party app from a well-known software company?
Never before have I seen such an abysmal start to an operating system release. For almost a year, people have been adopting Vista and becoming incensed by how poorly it operates. Not only does it cost too much, it requires more to run than XP, there is still poor driver support, and that draconian licensing scheme is a by-product of Microsoft picking on the wrong people.
The road ahead looks dangerous for Vista and Microsoft must realize that. With Mac OS X hot on its tail, Vista is simply not capable of competing at an OS level with some of the best software around. If Microsoft continues down this path, it will be Vista that will bring the software giant to its knees--not Bill Gates' departure.
Of course, categorically dumping an operating system is quite difficult and with millions already using the OS, chances are Microsoft won't find a good enough reason to do it. And while I can understand that argument, there's no reason the company can't continue to support Vista and go back to the drawing board for its next OS. Even better, go back to XP--it's not nearly as bad as Vista.
As a daily user of Mac OS X, Ubuntu and Vista, I'm keenly aware of what works and what doesn't. Mac and Linux work.
The time is up. Microsoft must abandon Vista and move on. It's the company's only chance at redemption.
Don Reisinger is a technology columnist who has written about everything from HDTVs to computers to Flowbee Haircut Systems. Don is a member of the CNET Blog Network, and posts at The Digital Home. He is not an employee of CNET. Disclosure.
MAC OS and Linux are still years away from competing with Microsoft's dominance, and both have serious flaws when it comes to third party apps and device drivers as well.
Leopard will probably run great because apple controls the hardware it is run on. People need to realize they are not going to be able to run vista on anything less than 1GB of memory and a good graphics card. Apple can simply stop selling computers with these specs, while Microsoft has to fight the industry to get the hardware companies and computer retailers to drop prices.
You wouldn't run XP on a P2 200mhz with 64mb of RAM, why do people think they can run Vista on a celeron 2ghz with 512mb of RAM?
Better yet, why do PC mfg's sell systems with horrible specs bundled with vista????
If anything Microsoft's only failure is to have proper hardware for their software, and their refusal to let PC mfg's still sell XP for budget [read: crappy] PC's.
Vista works great on my PC, because I have the right specs. Aero is great!
It has a new interface, some features are more intuitive and some are less intuitive. Take your pick.
Make no mistake, Windows XP had it's share of issues and Service Packs. I remember freezing an image of my XP machine just so I could restore it when it started to get slow and sluggish again.
To all who have reservations about Vista, I would say this. Wait till SP1. If SP1 doesnt clean out the cobwebs and make it better, stick with what works for you.
Free country.
Having said that, it is frustrating that we have to go through this cycle again with Microsoft.
Cheers
Ammalgam
www.Windows-Vista-Update.com
I came into the Vista world begrudgingly, but am happy that I made the jump. There are many improvements in Vista that I would be hard-pressed to be without at this point, and some frustrating quirks here and there. Jumping into the Windows XP world wasn't exactly pain-free either. It never is, as new features get figured out, drivers get updated, etc.. I do wholeheartedly believe that Microsoft is pointed in the right direction, though.
What I find aggravating, though, is articles like this that seem to shoot in the dark. System hog? I'm running Vista on a 2.4ghz P4 (single core, GASP!) w/ 1 gig of RAM. You know what? It works just fine. Stability? Vista is every bit as stable as XP was for me -- which is quite stable, mind you. Interface? I find the Vista/Aero interface *much* nicer to use than the default XP interface. That's personal preference, of course.
If you want to *actually* be helpful, then point out the flaws (and back them up) rather than slinging mud at nothing. Ultimately, you are the only one who is going to get dirty.
Unless Mi¢ro$oft rolls back the control schemes, I guess I'll have to look to the Mac or Linux to meet my extended needs.
systems. I built my own custom PC and have installed Vista home premium. I
have been using it since its lanch and it has worked better than my Apple
macbook over that time.The only crashed is a few I had with firefox just
needing to quit. But that happens all the time with my macbook. I have been
using Avast(a free antivirus), spybot search and destroy(free) and AVG anti
spyware(free), ccleaner(free), winpatrol(free). I have not had any blue screens
or viruses. When ever I go back and use my xp machine I get so mad because
of all of the times a program has to quit because of an error. I hooked my
vista pc to my 360 through a network and it works great. The photo section
of vista is just as good as my mac. Of all the computers(linux, mac, pc) I have
I love my Vista computer the best. Everything works well for me. Just don't
visit any porn sites. Then you might get a virus.
Now may be the best time to consider a Mac.
- No virus/spyware hassles
- Clean, simple, intuitive user interface
- Easy to learn and use
- Fluid software integration
- Solid OS/hardware integration
- Elegant, quality hardware design
- Option to run Windows XP, Vista and/or Linux
- Simple-to-use video/audio/text chat
- Feature-rich iLife suite (photos, video, music, web, dvd)
- iWork office suite that's more intuitive than MS Office ($79)
- Tight integration with online services via .Mac (subscription required)
- Built-in video cameras on every model
- Plug-and-play peripheral support (cameras, scanners, printers, etc.)
- Free OS and application courses at Apple Stores
- Better web standards support via Safari browser
- Comparable in price to PCs when you consider features
- May be big savings when you consider the value of your time and ROI
OR... you could wait another 6 years for the next Microsoft OS.
2. Try running XP Luna theme on a 600mhz Pentium 3 without SP1 and then talk and cry.
3. Overall this article doesn't consider that Microsoft has explained that the full features of vista require a more powerful system, if you want to run Aero on your radeon 9600 on your Amd Barton 3000+ and expect close to XP performance, you are an idiot. Let alone the effects are far more complex. Vista has gotten rid of ALL my spyware problems with windows defender, IE7 and UAC. I can't say the same about XP. Compatability has been better for me on Vista RC2 w/ my 2.6 P4, than XP on my 800mhz athlon after 6 months. It took me a year and a half on XP to get my computer to run most all my hardware. Look at Mac, has all software migrated to Intel Core? Nope. In addition, going back to migration, did you know that often XP drivers will install with little to no issue with no stability problems if you just try manually? No you didn't...
OSX is great, don't get me wrong! But it isn't the overhaul which Vista is and which I would think would be more welcome to modernize it. Also, consider OSX is built for Macs, built by Apple. In the PC market, we have IBM servers (that will not adopt Windows Server within month 2) to chinese built clones with no name hardware. Tell MS to
meticiously regulate where there OS is being installed or change to Mac's philosophy that its a Mac.
Enough said.
On the other hand it was obvious that the author of this article was a Mac user after the first paragraph. Great, good for him for liking Mac. I like it too but I use Microsoft. It was my impression that he just wanted to stir up Mac support.
To quote you:
"Never before have I seen such an abysmal start to an operating system release"
I would say this shows you have been in computing what, a year? Seriously how about the mess that was called ME or lets go back to the release of Windows 95 with the HUGE numbers of headaches it delat with early on. Even further back to DOS 6.0 which was the most useless update ever done.
quote:
"As a daily user of Mac OS X, Ubuntu and Vista, I'm keenly aware of what works and what doesn't."
Yes I am sure your vast 1 or 2 years computing experience makes you an expert. Sorry bub but if I want to actually USE my computer I still find Windows the better solution at providing me the options and choices I desire.
MOST Vista issues come down to crap software or drivers. Vista itself is stable and solid and I have had ZERO issues with anything I want it to do.
I would say a better artilce is CNN needs to abandon bloggers with no clue of the reaility of computer usage.
the cost of my OS and all software is $0.
Just use Ubuntu it work.
If it doesn't work for you it might be because you are stupid.
It's no wonder your president is sending your young to there death for his own economic gain..
haha
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid
Look at the compiled list of vulnerabilities on this website for both ubuntu and vista. Ubuntu has a compiled list of 20+ pages of vulnerabilities, while vista ultimate only shows two pages (Most of these apply to XP as well)
And the complaints about UAC? Why complain about a feature that is intended to protect the end user, and could be optionally disabled in less than a minute?
Every time MS releases on O/S it is always a little bumpy, of course there were CNET articles about how horrible xp was when it was initially released as well.
Sorry Don Reisinger, you're dead wrong here.
For me, the problem is not with Vista itself, but with the compulsion by Microsoft to constantly operate in an obsolete traditional capitalist fashion. (i.e. Last years sales must be exceeded.) The market is seeded with new products before their predecessors have fully propagated and stabilized. I am also a network administrator, and have felt this effect with things like SQL. My request to Microsoft is this: Slow down: The IT world needs stability, not "This years model".
I share other writers frustration with the incessant warnings each time an application is installed. These warnings are presented under the guise of protecting the consumer, when in fact, all they mean is that a vendor has not yet contributed to the needy hands of Microsoft. Microsoft certification is a money grab, not an assurance of safety.
I would also like to address the Mac world mantras "Mac has no viruses...Macs just work". I have been in the IT industry for over 20 years, worked with all the popular systems, including Mac, and can tell you that the whole virus concept started on Apple machines. One company I worked with received software driver disks for some Apple peripherals that where infected in production. Mac users have historically not noticed intrusions or immediate viral effects because so much of the system has been hidden from them early on in the evolution of their operating systems. I agree with the statement "If you are happy with your Mac, then go use it". They are fine machines, despite the extortionate costs, so get back to work and quit picking fights.
- OS X IS NOT A CHOICE!!!
- by hswear3 September 28, 2007 12:53 AM PDT
- You know I am sick and tried of reading articles like this!
- Reply to this comment
-
Showing 1 of 4 pages (75 Comments)There are really only two operating system choices available to PC users: Windows and Linux. (A MAC is not a PC by Apple's definition or mine.)
So until Steve Jobs decides to offer OS X versions that run on hardware not made by Apple--hardware that I can purchase and have serviced locally, it simply is not part of this discussion.
'Nuff Said!