jwcolby
jwcolby at colbyconsulting.com
Mon Dec 3 13:07:57 CST 2007
I ran Windows 2000 on all of my systems until XP came along. And yes, XP is just 2K with a slightly modified user interface and... CONTINUED SUPPORT. However 2K was never targeted towards the desktop though it could be run as such. XP was targeted at the desktop specifically and I would rate it at least a 5 because of the fact that Windows targeted it at the Windows 98 / ME market and it was therefore "as opposed to 98" that we have to consider it. Sure it is a 3 compared to 2K but it is not really fair to compare it to that, it needs to be compared to 98. 2003 needs to be compared to 2000 and I have to agree it is an incremental improvement on 2K. With Vista we are back to a comparison with XP (not 2003) and unfortunately Microsoft has done a horrendous job in marketing whatever improvements Vista may bring to the table. My sense is that the OS underpinnings have been improved, the "core" or ring zero stuff. My understanding is that drivers have been moved into Ring 0 as opposed to being designed to run outside of Ring 0 and call into Ring 0 code. As such the drivers have to be "signed off" by Microsoft because Ring 0 is absolutely trusted "you can do whatever you want" code. It is this very fact that is wreaking such havoc on the driver situation with Vista, every little thing has to be signed off by MS (or so I understand). So I think that Vista probably deserves a bigger number as well but MS is not making the actual changes public so how do we tell. And then they have the unmitigated gall to play fast and loose with what versions of Vista gets what security stuff which is CRIMINAL given the state of security out there right now. ALL versions of VISTA should have ALL security enhancements available to the user where possible, as well as an easy to configure enterprise level firewall. As for the eye candy, well... I could care less, and THAT is what MS markets because that is what Joe Six-pack (as someone called him) can see and can understand. John W. Colby Colby Consulting www.ColbyConsulting.com -----Original Message----- From: accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com [mailto:accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of Drew Wutka Sent: Monday, December 03, 2007 12:24 PM To: Access Developers discussion and problem solving Subject: Re: [AccessD] Interesting Laptop / Vista commentary Microsoft needs to do a paradigm shift. If we were to rate their OSes on a scale from 1 to 10 as far as improvements on previous OSes, here would be my list: Windows 95 - 8 Windows NT 4.0 - 9 Windows 98 - 3 Windows Me - -1 (yes, negative one) Windows 2000 - 10 Windows XP - 3 Windows 2003 - 3 Windows Vista - 2 95 was a tremendous paradigm shift in how we use a computer. It's interface is still in use in Windows Vista. Though it's much snazzier... but the core functionality of how a window works is there. NT 4, get's a 9, because it brought stability... 98....let's face it, the only real improvement was FAT32.... though there were a few more OS features (like sfc) Me... 98 with less features.... 2000, Microsoft's best product...EVER. (Tied with Microsoft Access 97, in my book). Rock solid, feature packed, user friendly, dynamic disks, Active Directory, the list goes on. XP, in my opinion, XP has two redeeming qualities. One, it takes the stability of 2000, and makes it look more consumer friendly like Windows 9x. Two, from a technical standpoint, the only feature I found handy in XP is than in Computer Management, you can select multiple file connections and close them at the same time... 2003, some nice new features, but still just building on the solid 2000 core. Vista.....what XP was to 2000, Vista is to XP...unimpressive. Drew -----Original Message----- From: accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com [mailto:accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of Jim Lawrence Sent: Saturday, December 01, 2007 7:14 PM To: 'Access Developers discussion and problem solving' Subject: Re: [AccessD] Interesting Laptop / Vista commentary Yes John: That article is sad but the true... My current lap top, that does have 2GB of RAM on it is my only Desktop (top of the line Toshiba as of last spring) that could run Vista and the graphics is still second tier. During the last 6 months I have been installing OSs on a variety of systems, for a variety of continental wide chains and banking groups. Without exception they are all using Windows2000 and sometimes Linux. The company's senior IT people do not even trust XP and merely laugh when Vista is brought up and suggest it is no more than a pretty but unstable desk-top toy. I hope MS gets their business together before they find themselves competing one on one with various flavours of Linux. I use to be able to make a fair bit selling MS network installs but no more. Jim The information contained in this transmission is intended only for the person or entity to which it is addressed and may contain II-VI Proprietary and/or II-VI BusinessSensitve material. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender immediately and destroy the material in its entirety, whether electronic or hard copy. You are notified that any review, retransmission, copying, disclosure, dissemination, or other use of, or taking of any action in reliance upon this information by persons or entities other than the intended recipient is prohibited. -- AccessD mailing list AccessD at databaseadvisors.com http://databaseadvisors.com/mailman/listinfo/accessd Website: http://www.databaseadvisors.com