# MS: There Might Be Some Flaws With Vista **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 30, 2008, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-there-might-be-some-flaws-with-vista/435571 "2008-01-30T11:39:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2008, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-there-might-be-some-flaws-with-vista/435571/1 "2008-01-30T11:39:12Z")
[Uh, maybe our current OS _is_ a bloated piece of crapware.](http://www.informationweek.com/news/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=202404710) > [@](#): > > Acknowledging criticisms that the Windows operating system is “bloated,” a senior company official said the software maker has adopted a new, modular approach to OS development that will yield more streamlined products beginning with Windows 7 – a successor to Windows Vista that’s expected to be available some time in 2010. > > “We’re starting on this path,” said Microsoft distinguished engineer Eric Traut, during a presentation at a college campus. > > “A lot of people think of Windows as this large, bloated operating system. That’s maybe a fair characterization,” said Traut, who was speaking last week at the University of Illinois. A video of his presentation appeared Friday on the blog [IstartedSomething.com](http://IstartedSomething.com). [Captain Renault] I’m shocked, shocked I say! [/CR] ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2008, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-there-might-be-some-flaws-with-vista/435571/2 "2008-01-30T13:47:40Z")
Here’s hoping they make this one at least a little bit secure. ---
**Author:** ![Mindfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mindfield/32/19759_2.png) [@Mindfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mindfield)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2008, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-there-might-be-some-flaws-with-vista/435571/3 "2008-01-30T14:20:58Z")
Wow. Microsoft just got smacked around a bit with a large Traut. I never upgraded to Vista – I had a laundry list of reasons, myself, and am still just fine with XP. I find it rather amusing that, after months of “Vista sales are doing great! The number of installed copies are huge! We’re going to surpass Windows XP installations RSN! There’s absolutely nothing wrong with Vista, and those complaints are just a few people writing lots and lots of bad things about us” someone is finally admitting, “Well I’ll be damned, would you look at that? There _is_ an elephant in the room!” Schadenfreude. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2008, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-there-might-be-some-flaws-with-vista/435571/4 "2008-01-30T16:55:14Z")
All software is efficient and streamlined 3 years before it’s released. (I can add, and I also know how good their schedules are.) I hope my laptop can last that long. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2008, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-there-might-be-some-flaws-with-vista/435571/5 "2008-01-30T17:11:02Z")
> [@Eric Traut](#): > > “You won’t see us productizing this…” Verbulizing weirdifies language. (I’m tearizing right now.) ---
**Author:** ![BlueKangaroo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3d9bf3/32.png) [@BlueKangaroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlueKangaroo)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2008, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-there-might-be-some-flaws-with-vista/435571/6 "2008-01-30T17:14:11Z")
[QUOTE=Voyager] All software is efficient and streamlined 3 years before it’s released. (I can add, and I also know how good their schedules are.) I hope my laptop can last that long. [/QUOTE] Mine won’t, most likely. It’s already close to four years old, and showing some signs of age. I have no desire to get Vista, but it looks like I’ll be locked into it. And, with my luck, probably buy a laptop with Vista six months before they release something nicer. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2008, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-there-might-be-some-flaws-with-vista/435571/7 "2008-01-30T17:38:18Z")
[QUOTE=BlueKangaroo] Mine won’t, most likely. It’s already close to four years old, and showing some signs of age. I have no desire to get Vista, but it looks like I’ll be locked into it. And, with my luck, probably buy a laptop with Vista six months before they release something nicer. [/QUOTE] Dell is offering laptops with Ubuntu installed, and it’s a pretty nice operating system. There’s a bit of a learning curve, but it might be worth looking into. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2008, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-there-might-be-some-flaws-with-vista/435571/8 "2008-01-30T17:46:40Z")
[QUOTE=BlueKangaroo] Mine won’t, most likely. It’s already close to four years old, and showing some signs of age. I have no desire to get Vista, but it looks like I’ll be locked into it. And, with my luck, probably buy a laptop with Vista six months before they release something nicer. [/QUOTE] You’ve already got XP- just install that on the new one. ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Woodhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@Miss\_Woodhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Woodhouse)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2008, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-there-might-be-some-flaws-with-vista/435571/9 "2008-01-30T18:27:17Z")
Dell also still offered XP on new computers last I checked. ---
**Author:** ![JSexton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@JSexton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JSexton)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2008, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-there-might-be-some-flaws-with-vista/435571/10 "2008-01-31T01:24:51Z")
[QUOTE=Miss Woodhouse] Dell also still offered XP on new computers last I checked. [/QUOTE] Only online, and only with limited options, I believe. It’s also more expensive, since it won’t qualify for any of their current deals. ---
**Author:** ![Brainiac4](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/brainiac4/32/3534_2.png) [@Brainiac4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brainiac4)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2008, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-there-might-be-some-flaws-with-vista/435571/11 "2008-01-31T01:30:57Z")
Yes, but as you already have a totally legit copy of XP, just install it on a new machine. Yeah, you’ll be tossing out whatever OS comes on it, but if what you want is XP instead of whatever, you can have that. Assuming you have the install discs, that is. Or you can buy a copy of XP straight-up: [Microsoft Windows XP Professional With SP2C for System Builders - Newegg.com](http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116400) Many are the options. Me, I have Vista, and yes, it’s bloated and slow. Sigh. ---
**Author:** ![Randy\_Seltzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ee7513/32.png) [@Randy\_Seltzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Randy_Seltzer)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2008, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-there-might-be-some-flaws-with-vista/435571/12 "2008-01-31T01:43:08Z")
[QUOTE=Larry Mudd] Verbulizing weirdifies language. (I’m tearizing right now.) [/QUOTE] Nitpick: [Verbing weirds language.](http://www.ourlocalstyle.com/images/uploadImages/2006/05/03/cnhVerbingWeirdsLanguage.gif) ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2008, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-there-might-be-some-flaws-with-vista/435571/13 "2008-01-31T02:44:45Z")
[QUOTE=Randy Seltzer] Nitpick: [Verbing weirds language.](http://www.ourlocalstyle.com/images/uploadImages/2006/05/03/cnhVerbingWeirdsLanguage.gif) [/QUOTE] Your nitpick is a bit misplaced - of course I know the original quote - but Calvin’s “verbing” simply uses an _unmodified_ noun or adjective as though it were a verb. This merely _weirds_ language. Appending filler syllables to perfectly good nouns or adjectives (making them into bizarre parodies of actual words) with the intention of creating an impressive-sounding new verb - this is a feat of pretensualizing properly called “verbulizing,” and this goes beyond the weirding way, way into _weirdifying._ It also demands a heavy stickulating. ---
**Author:** ![Apocalypso](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Apocalypso](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apocalypso)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2008, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-there-might-be-some-flaws-with-vista/435571/14 "2008-01-31T02:52:29Z")
[QUOTE=Really Not All That Bright] You’ve already got XP- just install that on the new one. [/QUOTE] Someone correct me if I’m wrong here: 1. When you go to activate Windows XP, it uses a combination of the windows product key and your computer’s hardware to generate a unique number that it activates your copy of windows with. Install Windoze on another comp, and this unique number will be different enough (due to the different hardware), that your activation won’t work. That’s my (admittedly limited) understanding of the Windoze activation process. I’ve also heard that if you make enough hardware changes to your current system, your copy of XP will no longer work on that system. Not sure on this though, a lot of stuff in my comp has been replaced at least once. New motherboard (same make and model board though), new power supply, 3 different graphics cards, 4 hard drives, and a new CPU fan. Same CPU, CD drive, and mem chips though. 2. If it was a Dell “restore” cd, would it work on a different comp? In any case, I’m planning on building another PC come my tax refund, and I’m definitely sticking with XP (even if I have to buy another copy). Too many Vista horror stories, and I really like XP. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2008, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-there-might-be-some-flaws-with-vista/435571/15 "2008-01-31T03:00:50Z")
I bought a Mac. I run Windows XP on it (mostly for work); it actually beats the pants off my old PC in Windows. I got an OEM version of XP at tigerdirect.ca for $150.- and had no problem installing it. ---
**Author:** ![Number](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/number/32/242_2.png) [@Number](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Number)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2008, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-there-might-be-some-flaws-with-vista/435571/16 "2008-01-31T03:39:50Z")
[QUOTE=JSexton] Only online, and only with limited options, I believe. It’s also more expensive, since it won’t qualify for any of their current deals. [/QUOTE] No, their current deals still include XP. I just picked up a Vostro 200 with XP for a very sweet price and I didn’t notice any unusual limits on the customization options. ---
**Author:** ![Jayn\_Newell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Jayn\_Newell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jayn_Newell)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2008, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-there-might-be-some-flaws-with-vista/435571/17 "2008-01-31T03:45:29Z")
[QUOTE=Apocalypso] Someone correct me if I’m wrong here: 1. When you go to activate Windows XP, it uses a combination of the windows product key and your computer’s hardware to generate a unique number that it activates your copy of windows with. [/QUOTE] Yeah, I think it’s the motherboard/CPU (not sure which, but people rarely change one and not the other), since that is the heart of the machine. You can still buy XP though, and these days it doesn’t take long to install it on a clean drive. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2008, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-there-might-be-some-flaws-with-vista/435571/18 "2008-01-31T03:51:56Z")
[QUOTE=Apocalypso] Someone correct me if I’m wrong here: 1. When you go to activate Windows XP, it uses a combination of the windows product key and your computer’s hardware to generate a unique number that it activates your copy of windows with. Install Windoze on another comp, and this unique number will be different enough (due to the different hardware), that your activation won’t work. That’s my (admittedly limited) understanding of the Windoze activation process. I’ve also heard that if you make enough hardware changes to your current system, your copy of XP will no longer work on that system. Not sure on this though, a lot of stuff in my comp has been replaced at least once. New motherboard (same make and model board though), new power supply, 3 different graphics cards, 4 hard drives, and a new CPU fan. Same CPU, CD drive, and mem chips though. 2. If it was a Dell “restore” cd, would it work on a different comp? In any case, I’m planning on building another PC come my tax refund, and I’m definitely sticking with XP (even if I have to buy another copy). Too many Vista horror stories, and I really like XP. [/QUOTE] I’d heard that too, but my system got fragged by lightning and I had to put in a new board, HD and graphics card (same processor, but overclocked now) and reinstalled the same copy with no problems. ---
**Author:** ![OttoDaFe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ottodafe/32/356_2.png) [@OttoDaFe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OttoDaFe)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2008, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-there-might-be-some-flaws-with-vista/435571/19 "2008-01-31T04:28:34Z")
Last time I looked, XP allowed a certain number of “do-overs” (3?) before it started getting suspicious. Even then, a brief call to a friendly, helpful MS customer service representative could reset the doomsday clock if one’s explanation passed muster. I think the frequency of the do-overs is/was also a factor. The object of the exercise was to identify pirates (including people who buy a single copy and install it on every one of their friends’ computers) rather than the technogeeks who change their hardware more frequently than their underware. That said, I must confess that I’m composing this on a computer running Windows 2000 because I loathe XP’s validation scheme even more than the Fisher-Price™ interface. ---
**Author:** ![Randy\_Seltzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ee7513/32.png) [@Randy\_Seltzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Randy_Seltzer)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2008, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-there-might-be-some-flaws-with-vista/435571/20 "2008-01-31T04:36:29Z")
[QUOTE=Larry Mudd] Your nitpick is a bit misplaced […] [/QUOTE] Nitpick rescissionated. Apologimations. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-there-might-be-some-flaws-with-vista/435571.md?page=2)