Since Windows Vista will be coming out soon (I think September timeframe), does it make sense to buy a laptop now, with Windows XP?
Would it be better to wait for the first Vista laptops, since they will take longer to become obsolete?
XP is an established and stable operating system. If it does what you need at this moment. It will not stop working the day that a new OS released. The number of XP users is vast and it will literally take years for most users to convert over. Rolling out a new OS in a corporate setting is hugely expensive and takes a long time.
A new OS has nothing to do with you at this point. Buy what you want and need. The rule in technology is to ignore what is right around the corner because there is always something big right around the corner.
Besides, an OS isn’t the whole laptop, There will be an upgrade path if it is that compelling. It also takes a long time for the kinks to get worked out of new software. Most cautious users will wait for a while to see what happens.
You can always wait. What Shagnasty said is 100% correct. However, if you want to be able to play HD DVDs then you would most definitely be well advised to wait. See http://blog.scifi.com/tech/archives/early_hdtv_adopters_screwed_by_hddisc_rules.html#more and www.theinquirer.net
Besides, there’s an unwriten rule to never get the first version of any new OS, especially Windows. Actually, this pertains to almost any program, but Win’s first releases are always so full of bugs and security holes, it’s wise to avoid them until all the patches come out.
MS seems to believe that their new releases can best be tested by customers. Why waste time on a beta?
You’re not seriously implying that Windows doesn’t have a beta cycle, are you?
It is a common complaint and I don’t think it is that great a complaint either but I work in software and information systems. I can see it from both sides. Consumers are used to buying things and not having an almost guaranteed “recall” every year or so to fix major flaws.
OTOH, they are building some of the most complex things ever assembled in the history of the world (literally) and cannot know what is going to happen when millions of users try things they never dreamed of and it gets exposed and hacked up by many third-party applications and drivers that are complex in their own right.
I don’t really criticize Microsoft for it. Building an almost perfectly stable OS from the beginning would require many additional years of testing and untold billions.
The user beta test is a real thing but it is unavoidable as well.
According to this story, Vista won’t even be routinely used as the OS for “the mainstream” until 2008. So, no need to delay your purchase worrying that XP is already obsolete or near-obsolete.
I might upgrade to Vista when it comes out because I’ve got the computer power to handle it (assuming new drivers for a few key–but several years old–cards I have are released) but if I were to need a laptop, I’d go ahead and buy one now. As is mentioned, Vista isn’t going to obsolete XP anytime soon and I’m not sure a 64-bit processor is really a good idea in a laptop anyway, because I’m imagining huge power needs. Does Intel even provide a 64-bit laptop designed CPU now or are builders using the Mobile AMD Athlon 64 chip?
I see. Yeah, that could probably handle Vista. I’m not really in the market for a laptop (I’ve never liked them and right now I definitely don’t need one) so I didn’t know Dell had come out with that. $1200 isn’t bad for a laptop with a dual-core processor but I’m not sure I see the need to be Vista ready this early, especially with a laptop. (I can justify my desktop a bit more since it’s both homebuilt and easily upgraded since it is a desktop.)
I’ve never actually owned an XP machine, so I ask this genuinely out of ignorance, not out of an agenda (though I do arguably have one, being a Mac user now). It is my understanding that one of the copy-protection mechanisms in XP involves constructing a hardware profile of the machine it’s installed on, and that if one significantly modifies the hardware (upgrading it, or replacing a broken part), the operating system needs to be re-validated by Microsoft. Is this correct? I further understand that if Microsoft does not perform this re-validation, the operating system (and hence the computer) ceases to function. Is this also correct?
Now, assuming both of the above understandings are correct, a follow-on question: Is it known how long Microsoft plans to continue support of XP re-validation? That is to say: If I have an XP machine, and five years from now, I replace the motherboard and add a couple more hard drives, will I still be able to validate it?
Correct. You have 30 days in which to validate your copy. The significant change thing is 3 components in 30 days, IIRC. If you’re a major corporation, you can buy copies of XP which don’t require validation.
That’s a good question. However, your example is not good: MS now treat a new motherboard as an exuse for requiring a new license (see www.theinquirer.net )
I’ve never had to get on the phone with MS even with all the changes I’ve made to my computer over the years. That said, I believe I read that MS has said that they will disable the need to activate XP when they obsolete it and stop supporting it.
Quartz, could you tell us where on that site the information you mentioned is posted?
Thanks,
-FrL-
There’s nothing in the current XP license that says I have to use the license number that I legally own in order to install XP. So I just use a pirated XP Corporate license, and there’s no registration silliness. And in case the Microsoft Nazi’s come beating my door down, I have several valid, legally owned by me XP Pro licenses, so I’m okay legally. The end result: screw activation.
I capitulated for Office 2003, though, and activate it. I didn’t have the patience to get a pirated serial number and corportate version.
For the mods, I’m not condoning illegal activity. There’s NOTHING I’ve done that’s illegal, and as far as I can tell in license, nothing against the MS license, either.
Of course, my “real” computer is a Mac, so there’s nothing to activate – even Office:X doesn’t require activation of any sort!
The issue there is that XP now requires an update applet be installed if you want apply online security and OS patches an updates . The applet will recognize your cracked corporate iXP nstall as bogus and lock out the update function.
Prove it. :rolleyes: They’ve pushed back the release date about four times now. It was supposed to come out about a year and a half ago, initially.
Additionally, headlines within the last year have suggested that third-party resource providers are less than impressed with Vista. Many predict it will get 30% market saturation at the most.
If you want a laptop, go ahead and get one.
Since I have heard that faster-than-light travel may soon be possible? I don’t want to be stuck with one of those slow gasoline-powered cars.
Actually, no. Auto-update still works fine. It’s manually updating that can present a problem. However the Microsoft Update website has an super-easy workaround it that I won’t go into here, because that actually does encourage piracy (big difference between doing something myself for honest reasons and actively helping people do things for less honorable reasons). Funny thing is, Microsoft could fix that workaround with virtually no effort.
I know, I know – what’s easier? Finding workarounds or just activating? Well, it’s the principle that counts. And I’ve already sacrificed them for Office '03. ::sigh::