Comments on: Vista Views: Shadow of another delay

Readers respond to Bill Gates' comment regarding a 20 percent chance of another Vista delay.
Microsoft: EU decision won't hit Vista launch

[pauldickinson62]

Vista delayed - who will care?

Anyone who wanted to use a modern operating system would
have switched to Mac OS X years ago. Most people who are stuck
on Windows do so out of fear of the unknown - they are quite
happy sitting in their Win9*/ME/NT/2000/XP virus ridden,
malware infected world, thinking this is the way computers have
to be. Most Windows users are not in a great rush to move over
to Vista if it means having to upgrade their hardware. However,
when buying new hardware I'm sure that most will want to stick
with Microsoft, beacause it's what they are familiar with. The
ironic thing is that they think they'll be making a leap into the
future when in reality they're moving to a level of computing
that Mac users have been used to for over half a decade.

[rcrusoe]

That a fairly bigoted point of view

But I have to admit, IMO you are 100% correct. ;)

[miketkrw]

I switched last year

And I could not be happier. Everyone who sees my iMac or
Powerbook with OSX says their next PC will be a MAC. iLife alone
makes it worth every penny. Businesses can afford full time tech
staffs to keep their bug ridden Windows working, home users
cannot. It is a no brainer at this point. Want a home PC, get a Mac!

[rapier1]

tool

I use a Mac powerbook. I have for around 2 years and I'm writing
this message on one. I also use a Windows box and have for at
least 15 years. I also use various unix boxe and have for around
20 years. What I find remarkable is that none of these operating
systems have made me sexier, smarter, more virile, or even
taller! I mean, if an operating system can generate such idiotic
vitriol as we've seen the in Mac v. PC world then you'd think
they'd have to do something really special! But no, my
computers just sit there and do what I tell them to do.

I recently did some research and it turns out that computers are
really just tools! Think of that! Each one is best suited for a
different set of tasks and each has its strengths and weaknesses
with no one tool being superior to all others in all cases. In fact,
it seems that the usefulness of the tool is more an indication of
the person *using* the tool rather than the tool itself. Which
makes me wonder about the kind of person so wrapped up in
their tool that they treat it like a religion.

[rapier1]

Tool

I use a Mac powerbook. I have for around 2 years and I'm writing
this message on one. I also use a Windows box and have for at
least 15 years. I also use various unix boxe and have for around
20 years. What I find remarkable is that none of these operating
systems have made me sexier, smarter, more virile, or even
taller! I mean, if an operating system can generate such idiotic
vitriol as we've seen the in Mac v. PC world then you'd think
they'd have to do something really special! But no, my
computers just sit there and do what I tell them to do.

I recently did some research and it turns out that computers are
really just tools! Think of that! Each one is best suited for a
different set of tasks and each has its strengths and weaknesses
with no one tool being superior to all others in all cases. In fact,
it seems that the usefulness of the tool is more an indication of
the person *using* the tool rather than the tool itself. Which
makes me wonder about the kind of person so wrapped up in
their tool that they treat it like a religion.

[john55440]

Mac Virus Propaganda

I have been using Intel computers since the pre-Windows days of DOS, and have never had a successfull virus attack against me. Not one. My "big secret" is that I use antivirus and firewall software, and don't allow the subscriptions to lapse. I have never had any spyware problems either.

[eriksmalley]

modern os?

mac os X? so you are saying that is the modern OS that apple built? is that why it's kernal is based on Linux? so now i guess linux was developed by apple, sorry linus torvald guess you lost out on this one.

[pauldickinson62]

Vista delayed - who will care?

Anyone who wanted to use a modern operating system would
have switched to Mac OS X years ago. Most people who are stuck
on Windows do so out of fear of the unknown - they are quite
happy sitting in their Win9*/ME/NT/2000/XP virus ridden,
malware infected world, thinking this is the way computers have
to be. Most Windows users are not in a great rush to move over
to Vista if it means having to upgrade their hardware. However,
when buying new hardware I'm sure that most will want to stick
with Microsoft, beacause it's what they are familiar with. The
ironic thing is that they think they'll be making a leap into the
future when in reality they're moving to a level of computing
that Mac users have been used to for over half a decade.

[rcrusoe]

That a fairly bigoted point of view

But I have to admit, IMO you are 100% correct. ;)

[miketkrw]

I switched last year

And I could not be happier. Everyone who sees my iMac or
Powerbook with OSX says their next PC will be a MAC. iLife alone
makes it worth every penny. Businesses can afford full time tech
staffs to keep their bug ridden Windows working, home users
cannot. It is a no brainer at this point. Want a home PC, get a Mac!

[rapier1]

tool

I use a Mac powerbook. I have for around 2 years and I'm writing
this message on one. I also use a Windows box and have for at
least 15 years. I also use various unix boxe and have for around
20 years. What I find remarkable is that none of these operating
systems have made me sexier, smarter, more virile, or even
taller! I mean, if an operating system can generate such idiotic
vitriol as we've seen the in Mac v. PC world then you'd think
they'd have to do something really special! But no, my
computers just sit there and do what I tell them to do.

I recently did some research and it turns out that computers are
really just tools! Think of that! Each one is best suited for a
different set of tasks and each has its strengths and weaknesses
with no one tool being superior to all others in all cases. In fact,
it seems that the usefulness of the tool is more an indication of
the person *using* the tool rather than the tool itself. Which
makes me wonder about the kind of person so wrapped up in
their tool that they treat it like a religion.

[rapier1]

Tool

I use a Mac powerbook. I have for around 2 years and I'm writing
this message on one. I also use a Windows box and have for at
least 15 years. I also use various unix boxe and have for around
20 years. What I find remarkable is that none of these operating
systems have made me sexier, smarter, more virile, or even
taller! I mean, if an operating system can generate such idiotic
vitriol as we've seen the in Mac v. PC world then you'd think
they'd have to do something really special! But no, my
computers just sit there and do what I tell them to do.

I recently did some research and it turns out that computers are
really just tools! Think of that! Each one is best suited for a
different set of tasks and each has its strengths and weaknesses
with no one tool being superior to all others in all cases. In fact,
it seems that the usefulness of the tool is more an indication of
the person *using* the tool rather than the tool itself. Which
makes me wonder about the kind of person so wrapped up in
their tool that they treat it like a religion.

[john55440]

Mac Virus Propaganda

I have been using Intel computers since the pre-Windows days of DOS, and have never had a successfull virus attack against me. Not one. My "big secret" is that I use antivirus and firewall software, and don't allow the subscriptions to lapse. I have never had any spyware problems either.

[eriksmalley]

modern os?

mac os X? so you are saying that is the modern OS that apple built? is that why it's kernal is based on Linux? so now i guess linux was developed by apple, sorry linus torvald guess you lost out on this one.

[smithjones]

4 out of 8

I find it interesting that the 8 people they interviewed in this story,
that 4 of them mentioned the mac specifically in their comments.
While the delay may not concern them much, it does seem that the
Mac OS is on the back of their minds in relationship to getting a
new OS for windows. If they feel that way, it kind of makes you
wonder what the pressure level in Redmond is.

[rbannon]

Not a random sample!

The author of the article carefully chose those comments, and in no
way should be taken as being representative of what people think
in general. I'm a Mac OS X fan, but most computer users out there
have no idea what an OS is, and frankly don't care. In many ways
we're lucky . . . I certainly prefer that the Windows minions stay
put, and that the growth in Mac OS X comes from new computer
users.

[edgedesign]

Agreed....Mac on the mind

I agree. So many people who comment on Vista usually mention
Mac in some form or another. Apple has been pumping out
updates while Redmond has been floundering. OS X is stable,
virus-free, user-friendly, elegant and available now! A new Intel
Mac can even run Windows with Apple's free Boot Camp (which will
probably be rolled into the next OS update - which will, of course,
be out BEFORE Vista).

Redmond... we have a problem.

[smithjones]

4 out of 8

I find it interesting that the 8 people they interviewed in this story,
that 4 of them mentioned the mac specifically in their comments.
While the delay may not concern them much, it does seem that the
Mac OS is on the back of their minds in relationship to getting a
new OS for windows. If they feel that way, it kind of makes you
wonder what the pressure level in Redmond is.

[rbannon]

Not a random sample!

The author of the article carefully chose those comments, and in no
way should be taken as being representative of what people think
in general. I'm a Mac OS X fan, but most computer users out there
have no idea what an OS is, and frankly don't care. In many ways
we're lucky . . . I certainly prefer that the Windows minions stay
put, and that the growth in Mac OS X comes from new computer
users.

[edgedesign]

Agreed....Mac on the mind

I agree. So many people who comment on Vista usually mention
Mac in some form or another. Apple has been pumping out
updates while Redmond has been floundering. OS X is stable,
virus-free, user-friendly, elegant and available now! A new Intel
Mac can even run Windows with Apple's free Boot Camp (which will
probably be rolled into the next OS update - which will, of course,
be out BEFORE Vista).

Redmond... we have a problem.

[ucsdirect]

Only the Media Cares about a ship date

I don't hear ANYONE on the street discussing Vista ship dates or delays. It's only the media that make a sensation of ship (or missed) ship dates. Whenever Gates, or anyone else mentions that the ship date may experience changes or delays, the headlines are blaring "ANOTHER MISSED SHIP DATE" etc. Businesses are only going to implement new software after careful consideration (and watching other companies dealing with the headaches), so a month or year is not going to put them out of business. Find something NEWSWORTHY to report.

[ucsdirect]

Only the Media Cares about a ship date

I don't hear ANYONE on the street discussing Vista ship dates or delays. It's only the media that make a sensation of ship (or missed) ship dates. Whenever Gates, or anyone else mentions that the ship date may experience changes or delays, the headlines are blaring "ANOTHER MISSED SHIP DATE" etc. Businesses are only going to implement new software after careful consideration (and watching other companies dealing with the headaches), so a month or year is not going to put them out of business. Find something NEWSWORTHY to report.

Does Lemmings run on Vista, it appears to.....

The page of quotes from die-hard Windows users shows that
sub-par design, delays, weakenesses, shoddy security, slow
system performance and their simple satisfaction with a "cloak"
of wallpaper tossed over windows XP is something Micorsoft has
known for years that these customers will tolerate.

I wish my Consulting clients were as undemanding as Microsoft's
customers, who cant even "say SH*T, with a mouthful".

You would think that after waiting years for an XP update, and
tolerating random bug fixes coming out weekly and monthly for
5 years, that some of these people would say "enough" but it is a
testament to the lowering of our country's intelligence, and of
society at large, thanks to MSFT, MTV, TV, and the inability for
people to see and avoid when something is bad for them that
amazes me.

I got vista running on my Athlon 64 PC at home and it is far
from being revolutionary in any way, but is instead a nuisance
with the warning popups and hesitation, 5X those of XP. This is
a white elephant OS. If seeing and using Vista doesnt push you
to buy a Macintosh with OSX, then you are destined to jump over
the cliff with the rest of the lemmings.

A waste case if there ever was one. So much hoopla, for a Zero %
Improvement in Windows design.

How to spend $8-9 billion and still seem to be clueless, MSFT
and its customers get the 1st Place booby prize.

[hhs2112]

Thanks!

For another completely unbiased Windows review from a Mac user; these are so helpful!

BTW, you forgot to blame Microsoft for global warming, the Iraq war, increases in the price of tea in China, and France's loss in the World Cup...

[eriksmalley]

vista release

maybe if those warning annoy you you should turn them off. look into the OS deeper and see how easy it is to disable all the warnings that are on by default. you need to remember that the average computer user will click everything without reading or understanding what they are clicking and then after the system crashed do they wonder what they have done. although i do get good money to fix these systems for them it is sometimes annoying to see click-happy people messing up stuff because there is no security in place. vista is actually a improvment over XP. you say that you are running it on a amd-64 yet you dont say if you have the specs to run all the features in it. the media center is nice and works great, i can play older games and apps on it. the network is faster with less overhead and it is more secure and seems more visually appealing. you probably said the same thing about XP at first when it was beta and didnt like to deal with change from legacy OS's.

[tresselrules]

Second that!!

I cannot comprehend why anyone who is not a lemming would not switch to Mac OSX? I AM a Mac fan and have no problem with lemmings..er Windows users. But seriously folks, Microsoft is way behind the curve...

Does Lemmings run on Vista, it appears to.....

The page of quotes from die-hard Windows users shows that
sub-par design, delays, weakenesses, shoddy security, slow
system performance and their simple satisfaction with a "cloak"
of wallpaper tossed over windows XP is something Micorsoft has
known for years that these customers will tolerate.

I wish my Consulting clients were as undemanding as Microsoft's
customers, who cant even "say SH*T, with a mouthful".

You would think that after waiting years for an XP update, and
tolerating random bug fixes coming out weekly and monthly for
5 years, that some of these people would say "enough" but it is a
testament to the lowering of our country's intelligence, and of
society at large, thanks to MSFT, MTV, TV, and the inability for
people to see and avoid when something is bad for them that
amazes me.

I got vista running on my Athlon 64 PC at home and it is far
from being revolutionary in any way, but is instead a nuisance
with the warning popups and hesitation, 5X those of XP. This is
a white elephant OS. If seeing and using Vista doesnt push you
to buy a Macintosh with OSX, then you are destined to jump over
the cliff with the rest of the lemmings.

A waste case if there ever was one. So much hoopla, for a Zero %
Improvement in Windows design.

How to spend $8-9 billion and still seem to be clueless, MSFT
and its customers get the 1st Place booby prize.

[hhs2112]

Thanks!

For another completely unbiased Windows review from a Mac user; these are so helpful!

BTW, you forgot to blame Microsoft for global warming, the Iraq war, increases in the price of tea in China, and France's loss in the World Cup...

[eriksmalley]

vista release

maybe if those warning annoy you you should turn them off. look into the OS deeper and see how easy it is to disable all the warnings that are on by default. you need to remember that the average computer user will click everything without reading or understanding what they are clicking and then after the system crashed do they wonder what they have done. although i do get good money to fix these systems for them it is sometimes annoying to see click-happy people messing up stuff because there is no security in place. vista is actually a improvment over XP. you say that you are running it on a amd-64 yet you dont say if you have the specs to run all the features in it. the media center is nice and works great, i can play older games and apps on it. the network is faster with less overhead and it is more secure and seems more visually appealing. you probably said the same thing about XP at first when it was beta and didnt like to deal with change from legacy OS's.

[tresselrules]

Second that!!

I cannot comprehend why anyone who is not a lemming would not switch to Mac OSX? I AM a Mac fan and have no problem with lemmings..er Windows users. But seriously folks, Microsoft is way behind the curve...

[CESSNA150SKYPILOT]

Vista release date

The person who said the Internet is a big echo chamber got it right. If I lived my computer life taking seriously the opinions of a few nabobs of negativism, I would be dazed and confused every minute of every day. I am testing Vista Beta 2 at home. I am not an IT professional, but I am serious about computers and new technologies. I want MS to get it right and I take the time to give feedback on every bug I discover. MS is listening and I am glad. The more I use it, the more convinced I am that Vista is truly different from its predecessors. Not everything works right . . . yet. But when it does, it will be an OS of elegance and beauty. And much more secure. I am willing to wait. It will be worth it.

[CESSNA150SKYPILOT]

Vista release date

The person who said the Internet is a big echo chamber got it right. If I lived my computer life taking seriously the opinions of a few nabobs of negativism, I would be dazed and confused every minute of every day. I am testing Vista Beta 2 at home. I am not an IT professional, but I am serious about computers and new technologies. I want MS to get it right and I take the time to give feedback on every bug I discover. MS is listening and I am glad. The more I use it, the more convinced I am that Vista is truly different from its predecessors. Not everything works right . . . yet. But when it does, it will be an OS of elegance and beauty. And much more secure. I am willing to wait. It will be worth it.

[thedreaming]

doesn't matter

It doesn't matter if vista is delayed or not. A Business isn't going to auto adopt it when it does come out. They will wait and see how it performs or more likely upgrade only when they purchase a new system.

Home users that are happy with what they have won't upgrade either, but those users that buy a new machine will.

In the end, the user still has the choice. Don't listen to the media or microsoft or apple. Make up your own mind as to what computer and OS you want to use and ignore the hype from all fronts.

[thedreaming]

doesn't matter

It doesn't matter if vista is delayed or not. A Business isn't going to auto adopt it when it does come out. They will wait and see how it performs or more likely upgrade only when they purchase a new system.

Home users that are happy with what they have won't upgrade either, but those users that buy a new machine will.

In the end, the user still has the choice. Don't listen to the media or microsoft or apple. Make up your own mind as to what computer and OS you want to use and ignore the hype from all fronts.

[ss_Whiplash]

Vista: Keep it

Personally, I haven't seen anything in Vista that makes me want to upgrade. If anything the new "features" just get in my way. In the past, there has always been compelling reasons to upgrade... stability, advanced features, etc. But with Vista... what's in it that I need? I hate to even hear myself say that being the bleeding edge type that I am, but I just don't see anything worth having in it.

[ss_Whiplash]

Vista: Keep it

Personally, I haven't seen anything in Vista that makes me want to upgrade. If anything the new "features" just get in my way. In the past, there has always been compelling reasons to upgrade... stability, advanced features, etc. But with Vista... what's in it that I need? I hate to even hear myself say that being the bleeding edge type that I am, but I just don't see anything worth having in it.

[chintoo2006]

I think Bill gates should have been fired

in 2006 rather that wait till 2008 along with that ******* Balmer

[chintoo2006]

I think Bill gates should have been fired

in 2006 rather that wait till 2008 along with that ******* Balmer

[eriksmalley]

vista release

i dont see a delay as a problem. i see it as a plus. i am testing vista beta 2 on 2 systems and dont seem to have a issue. i even play games on it to check how it runs older programs. the people that complain about it's delay will also be the people that will complain when it blue-screens on them or doesnt work the way it should. i would rather wait untill it is refined and more stable than get it sooner and it is buggy. i guess people forgot about windows ME and how that was. people still run windows 98 on systems so i dont think the world is hurting without vista right now. i think the only people that are complaining are the " gotta have it now cause i need to be the first on my block". do we really need to push something and spend all of our time patching and securing it afterwards?

[eriksmalley]

vista release

i dont see a delay as a problem. i see it as a plus. i am testing vista beta 2 on 2 systems and dont seem to have a issue. i even play games on it to check how it runs older programs. the people that complain about it's delay will also be the people that will complain when it blue-screens on them or doesnt work the way it should. i would rather wait untill it is refined and more stable than get it sooner and it is buggy. i guess people forgot about windows ME and how that was. people still run windows 98 on systems so i dont think the world is hurting without vista right now. i think the only people that are complaining are the " gotta have it now cause i need to be the first on my block". do we really need to push something and spend all of our time patching and securing it afterwards?

[Thomas, David]

How about some respectable views?!

Look at the ages, the faces, of the of people sharing their opinions.
Age, and experience DO matter, so hearing from barely pubescent
readers is a little unfair ... no matter how intelligent they are.

I would love to hear from people who have lived, worked, and
breathed in this industry for at least 15 years. Not 2, or 0.

[Thomas, David]

How about some respectable views?!

Look at the ages, the faces, of the of people sharing their opinions.
Age, and experience DO matter, so hearing from barely pubescent
readers is a little unfair ... no matter how intelligent they are.

I would love to hear from people who have lived, worked, and
breathed in this industry for at least 15 years. Not 2, or 0.