Enterprise Version of Microsoft Windows Vista

[Imperion1]

Look what I happened to run across.

http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,122568,tk,cx091605a,00.asp
To sum it up. If you want to run the Enterprise version of Windows Vista, you will have to sign up for Software Assurance licensing program. And then pay an annual fee just to use Vista Enterprise and get upgrades.

[Strawbs]

I don't think it's a wise move by Mr. Gates & Co.! It's likely to force the developement & uptake of an alternative OS by those that refuse to pay an annual subscription for "vapourware". It crytalises the idea that we're currently paying for software we don't actually own - this takes that one step further & ppl might begin to wonder why they should continue contributing.

The next thing we're likely to hear is that it's only available as a download. :rolleyes:

I wonder how many of those that had already decided they would buy Vista on its release, will now change their minds! for me - it just pushes it even further into the "not in a million years" bracket. I can't see big business accepting the fact that they will be beholden to Microsoft for the forseeable future.

The repercussions could be earth shattering. :eek:

[chubtub]

Now if only Linux could run my games I would be set. I might have to migrate in a couple years if Bill tries this.

[Kandar]

I'm sticking with Win 2K & Linux. As for games, I'll consider buying a PS3. I hope the world gives Micro$haft the old two fingered salute. :mad: :mad:

[chubtub]

Looking worse. According to an artical in Toms hardware you will not be able to use DX10 unless you are using the new OS.

[Strawbs]

As usual, acceptance will be the decision of IT Dept. Heads! If they refuse to fall for the MS tactical manouvre - which I believe they should for the sake of their businesses & their sanity - The strategy might be stopped in its tracks!

But if they accept - I'm sure it won't be long before new versions\service packs bring it out to the mainstream & we all end up leasing our Microsoft OS.

[herosrest]

M$'s is built on those brand new pc's every body buys.
That's what the product is actually for, and it works.

[beast16t]

I think that there'll be very few people buying this as an upgrade from XP.
Most of the sales will probably be from new PCs bought in high street shops.
I'm already cringing at the pending marketing campaign attempting to brainwash the not-so-tech-savvy into thinking that their lives aren't complete unless they have Windows Vista.

I manage a total of about 70 PCs for IT training, majority running XP Pro, by far the most requests we get for training is on Office 2000. If people are still two releases behind on that then why are they gonna upgrade the OS too?
Vista probably won't run anything less than Office 2003 so are people really going to upgrade the OS and Office? I think not. I'm not that's for sure.
As and when we buy new PCs for ourselves or customers I'm sticking to Win XP for as long as I can.

If it gets to the 'point of no return' then it would be nice to think that Linux would be viable alternative for the majority of tasks.
Are games still made to run on OpenGL? I guess they must be otherwise the MacOSX wouldn't be able to run them.

[BadDriver]

Looking worse. According to an artical in Toms hardware you will not be able to use DX10 unless you are using the new OS.

That will put a hurting on the already suffering PC gaming industry. Bill Gates and co. can shove it. I'll not use vista or buy an xbox. I'll play the games I have now and buy a playstation for anything newer.

Cram it where the sun don't shine M$. :mad:

[Strawbs]

I think I've reached the point of software utopia! I have all the apps I need already and I'm happy with my lot! I've no real reason to upgrade for some time to come.

If one of the Linux breed doesn't sparkle anytime soon I may be tempted to get Vista in a couple of years - by which time it will have been disected & "fixed" by the next generation of enthusiasts! I can wait 'til then I think. :cool:

[beast16t]

Strawbs: too right! The only MS$ 'app' I couldn't do without is WinXP and I hope that will change over the next year or two to none!

Let other people sort out the kinks and bugs in new software and hardware; that's what I say! I don't mind testing on pre-production stuff but if Vista is as revolutionary as M$ are making out then it ain't gonna work. :D
I didn't take XP seriously for quite some time because 2KPro was enough, still is enough for most stuff. I remember saying that XP was too 'fluffy' when we got our preview release.

We should start a poll now to see how long people think it'll be before M$ start slowing down the support for XP like they are with 2K now.
I give it 1 year post Vista release. (or is that being optomistic? ;) )

:t

[crossedup]

I have slowly been migrating to Linux over the last year and by the time this comes around I think I will be ready to switch for good. I dont play many games so that does help but there are some 'nix games I have been playing and enjoying.

Easiest disro yet IMO is Xandros, you can pay ~$50 and get the program in it that will let you run windows apps. I havent as I dont need to but it would be worth looking into.

All I will need to know about Vista is enough to fix it when it breaks so I will have to run one box with it unfortunately. Besides that I will continue my migration to 'nix.

Already have 6 'nix boxes in the house, 5 or so to go.

Let M$ shoot themselves in the foot, thier day is almost over.

[computer_kid1]

If I can get games running on linux easy, i too will move over.

[beast16t]

Think there's a good opening there somewhere for a company/group to make some really s/w to run games (DirectX) under Linux. I'm sure it would be possible to let you have a cut down install/load of the system so the games could have even more resources to use.
I'd buy it for about the price of Windows if it came with a Linux OS, if only for the fact that you wouldn't have to activate your copy and sell your soul to the devil/M$. :r

[crossedup]

http://www.codeweavers.com

That is a step in the right direction if you have to use the windows apps, i havent tried it myself, its an additional cost.

The Xandros o/s is excellent though, im on it right now. You can get the free version ( open circulation ) through a bitorrent download.

[btowntkd]

what about the program called Cedega? Doesnt that play directX games on a linux system? I dont know how well it works, but if it does pretty well, then microsoft will have something to worry about if the news gets out!

[CrazyCrusher]

Ill still get it only so I can get use to it, I'll normally install it onto a temp machine that I use for testing, because Im sure my customers and your customer are going to have it. the only OS I didnt install and test was Windows ME, but regardless of the cost Ill still have to buy it.

[docusk]

You will think me a silly old f...t (justifiably in some respects) :D but what is
M$ Vista? Whilst I've been getting my head down doing newsletters and databases for not-for-profits all over the place, has a revolution started?

docusk

:confused:

[beast16t]

What is M$ Vista?

Microsoft's next little baby that is going to be the most resource hungry and enthusiast restricting OS ever.
Search google news or something and you'll see what the fuss is about.

[docusk]

Well, if it's my money W G is after, he's plain out of luck. I'll stick with XP quite happily till I get measured for my box.

docusk

:t

[tantone]

Licensing issues aside, I believe this same conversation was happening when XP was in the same stages as Vista. Now look at it.

While Vista is going to be the most resource hungry OS MS has launched, using that as a negative is pretty silly. Just about every application upgrade is more resource-intensive than the last iteration. Why should MS play by different rules?

Computers are faster than ever now, and applications and OS's are coming out that utilize that extra capacity.

[CrazyCrusher]

couldnt say it better, look at Norton, that program is hungry like hell. people like to point out the bad in MS allways have allways will.

[docusk]

So, shall we all need 4 or 5 terabyte HD s in a year or two with all that brings with it?

Gates help us all!

docusk

:r

[tantone]

The only reason people have MASSIVE hard drives now compared to about 5 years ago is because we're all collecting GB's upon GB's of multimedia (muisic, movies, videos, etc.) and playing games that are so detailed that they're coming on DVD's now.

Of course, you can all blame MS for these trends, but you'd be wrong.

[docusk]

I realise that and it's very .... not worrying, but all a bit bewildering. I can remember someone showing me, with absolute ecstasy, a "Winchester Drive" which hels 100 Mb of data! Early 1980 s.
That was when I was running a state-of-the-art Sirius and a couple of Apricots with MSDOS 1.25!!!
Compsoft's Delta 3, Db 2 and - was it Visicalc?
Oh heady days. I don't lay the blame at M$'s door, well not all of it. All developers are responding to a) what consumers want and - just as likely - b) what they think we ought to want. Not necessarily the same thing.
Philisophy & nostalgia session closed for the next 48 hours.

docusk

[bushmaster]

Tantone beat me to it. I too seem to remember the same rattlings about when XP was on the horizon and a good lot of us started chanting "linux, linux, linux"
In my line of work I see 40 or more PC's a week and I've only run into a few in the last year that were running any Linux distro's, and a couple of those people were completly clueless as to how to even get online with them. They only were running it because it was "free".