Windows Vista
I recently got a new Dell Inspiron e1705 which came with Windows Vista. After my last Dell (Inspiron 6000d) I swore that I wouldn't buy a Dell next time (the 6000 wasn't bad, it just didn't live up to expectations). After reading some reviews on the 1705 and seeing the options available and a $400 coupon, I changed my mind.
I have to say that this time I was right. The 1705 is a wonderful machine. Too bad Windows Vista was the only option.
After XP came out, I stuck with Windows 2000 for a long time. It's a good thing I did too, because by the time I got my first copy of XP (SP2), it was a pretty good operating system. I should have done the same when it came to Vista... I would have but XP wasn't an option from Dell.
Don't get me wrong, Vista has a lot of potential. I see a wonderful operating system in Vista's future- at about Service Pack 12 or 13. Vista has been a constant daily struggle to get my computer to do what I want. Usually the reason behind the problems has something to do with either security from viruses/spyware, or anti-piracy (usually music and video).
I could go on and on about all the problems that I have had so far, but I'll stick to just a few.
First, and the one that probably got me the most upset- MP3 file transfers are not allowed. Both my brother and I write, record, and edit our own music- in today's age it's the only way to legally use music for absolutely anything (including just listening to it is most cases). Windows Vista however, decides that MP3's transferred over MSN are "potentially unsafe." And it doesn't tell you this before the transfer, it waits until you have waited for the transfer to complete. Then when you try to open the file, not only does it not let you, but it DELETES THE FILE. Yes, you heard me right, it decides that your data MIGHT be unsafe, so it DELETES IT. Windows completely automatically deleted MY DATA, INTENTIONALLY. Absolutely unbelievable. Even my virus scanner verifies with me whether or not it should delete a file that it has determined IS infected. Windows didn't even detect a virus. The file name just ended in ".MP3". Somehow I get the feeling that the RIAA was involved in keeping me safe from MP3's...
Second, a couple days ago I was trying to figure out why a buddy of mine was unable to connect with my Neverwinter Nights server. Just a few days before, everyone was playing on the server. So I figured the issue was on his end. We messed with it for hours and finally gave up. Then earlier today I tried to start a LAN game. No luck. I rebooted computers, tried different computers, tried an Internet game, no luck. But it worked before, and I didn't change anything! Why isn't it working? I finally began to just shut down and flopped down on my bed. Laying there, I began to get a sense of clarity - VISTA WAS PROTECTING ME AGAIN. There was no other reason for all this. So I opened the firewall settings and sure enough, Windows had un-checked Neverwinter Nights Server from the "allowed" list. Thanks Windows.
Third. Remember how I said I write music? I have several thousand dollars invested in equipment to make music. It's incompatible with Vista because the driver structure has changed. Thankfully Tascam is writing new drivers that will be out in May. In the mean time, I was just going to use my internal sound card. But Windows had other plans... No, you can't record from your Stereo Mix. Why? Because it's an analog loop-back and Windows can't monitor the volume level, so the volume meter won't work. This is "too confusing" for the "common user" so MS in their wisdom simply disabled it. Somehow I get a feeling the RIAA offered their opinion on this one too, as this also apparently makes recording streaming audio much more difficult. IT ALSO MAKES MY EDITING MORE DIFFICULT. Thanks for watching out for music writers and copyright holders. Now I can't even hold my own copyrights because I can't edit my own music any more- at least without investing the rest of my wallet in new equipment.
UN-BEE-LEEV-AH-BUL.
I have to say that this time I was right. The 1705 is a wonderful machine. Too bad Windows Vista was the only option.
After XP came out, I stuck with Windows 2000 for a long time. It's a good thing I did too, because by the time I got my first copy of XP (SP2), it was a pretty good operating system. I should have done the same when it came to Vista... I would have but XP wasn't an option from Dell.
Don't get me wrong, Vista has a lot of potential. I see a wonderful operating system in Vista's future- at about Service Pack 12 or 13. Vista has been a constant daily struggle to get my computer to do what I want. Usually the reason behind the problems has something to do with either security from viruses/spyware, or anti-piracy (usually music and video).
I could go on and on about all the problems that I have had so far, but I'll stick to just a few.
First, and the one that probably got me the most upset- MP3 file transfers are not allowed. Both my brother and I write, record, and edit our own music- in today's age it's the only way to legally use music for absolutely anything (including just listening to it is most cases). Windows Vista however, decides that MP3's transferred over MSN are "potentially unsafe." And it doesn't tell you this before the transfer, it waits until you have waited for the transfer to complete. Then when you try to open the file, not only does it not let you, but it DELETES THE FILE. Yes, you heard me right, it decides that your data MIGHT be unsafe, so it DELETES IT. Windows completely automatically deleted MY DATA, INTENTIONALLY. Absolutely unbelievable. Even my virus scanner verifies with me whether or not it should delete a file that it has determined IS infected. Windows didn't even detect a virus. The file name just ended in ".MP3". Somehow I get the feeling that the RIAA was involved in keeping me safe from MP3's...
Second, a couple days ago I was trying to figure out why a buddy of mine was unable to connect with my Neverwinter Nights server. Just a few days before, everyone was playing on the server. So I figured the issue was on his end. We messed with it for hours and finally gave up. Then earlier today I tried to start a LAN game. No luck. I rebooted computers, tried different computers, tried an Internet game, no luck. But it worked before, and I didn't change anything! Why isn't it working? I finally began to just shut down and flopped down on my bed. Laying there, I began to get a sense of clarity - VISTA WAS PROTECTING ME AGAIN. There was no other reason for all this. So I opened the firewall settings and sure enough, Windows had un-checked Neverwinter Nights Server from the "allowed" list. Thanks Windows.
Third. Remember how I said I write music? I have several thousand dollars invested in equipment to make music. It's incompatible with Vista because the driver structure has changed. Thankfully Tascam is writing new drivers that will be out in May. In the mean time, I was just going to use my internal sound card. But Windows had other plans... No, you can't record from your Stereo Mix. Why? Because it's an analog loop-back and Windows can't monitor the volume level, so the volume meter won't work. This is "too confusing" for the "common user" so MS in their wisdom simply disabled it. Somehow I get a feeling the RIAA offered their opinion on this one too, as this also apparently makes recording streaming audio much more difficult. IT ALSO MAKES MY EDITING MORE DIFFICULT. Thanks for watching out for music writers and copyright holders. Now I can't even hold my own copyrights because I can't edit my own music any more- at least without investing the rest of my wallet in new equipment.
UN-BEE-LEEV-AH-BUL.
posted by Calan at 23:00
1 Comments:
Thanks Gaynell. Interesting thing is that Linux is able to run my audio equipment just fine- it doesn't even need drivers past what comes with it. It did however require a little bit of web browsing to learn the commands needed to get Linux to actually use the hardware.
As I continue to use Vista and Linux side by side my opinion of Vista continues to get worse as my opinion of Linux gets better. Ubuntu has its fair share of issues that are honestly on the same scale of failure at times as Windows, but the difference is that they are mistakes that get fixed rather than just pure stupidity that is added in intentionally.
I find that I am almost exclusively booted into Ubuntu Linux rather than my Vista partition. The only reason I have been in Windows at all lately is because Microsoft screwed up Hotmail and it doesn't work with anything but Internet Explorer. I hope they get that fixed soon so I can stop using their OS again.
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