A new look

Isn't that what vista means?
the same ole stuff
made to look different?
ok so here we go.
Yes I think Windows new operating system has some redeeming features,
but not really worth much unless you get the right version.
(home basic is being called xp version 3)

So in a slight change of pace I thought I would share some of the glowing comments,
Microsoft has been getting.
(BTW Vista comes out Today)
(no I'm not really writing this today)

Compared with Mac OS X 10.4, Windows Vista feels clunky and not very intuitive, almost as though it's still based on DOS
cnet.com

Nearly all of the major, visible new features in Vista are already available in
Apple's operating system, called Mac OS X, which came out in 2001
and received its last major upgrade in 2005. And Apple is about to leap ahead again
with a new version of OS X, called Leopard, due this spring.

There are some big downsides to this new version of Windows.
To get the full benefits of Vista, especially the new look and user interface,
which is called Aero, you will need a hefty new computer
WSJ.com Walt Mossberg

Hidden behind all of this hoopla, however, is the fact that as much of an improvement Vista is over XP, its main competitor, Mac OS X, still stacks up really well -- and even tops Vista in several important areas.

In a nutshell, Vista vs. Mac OS X is Revolution vs. Evolution. It's about a massive, long-delayed upgrade that has to account for almost 6 years of progress by its competitors, versus a well-executed strategy of regular updates. While updating an operating system is never something that can be called easy, Apple's strategy has been the better one for keeping their OS on top of things,
http://www.crn.com/sections/breakingnews/dailyarchives.jhtml?articleId=196801862

The moment Windows Vista starts, some of its biggest changes are in plain view: It is distinctive and eye-catching. Colors are subtler and the overall look less cartoonish than Windows XP's.

Dare I say it's Mac-like? In fact, it is. Microsoft has always stolen from the best. Key to a lot of what's new in Windows Vista is the much-anticipated Aero interface--but to use it, you'll need adequate hardware and one of the pricier versions of the OS. (For details on these editions, see "How Much Will Your Windows Vista Upgrade Cost?" )

Five Things We Love

1. AERO: Transparent windows, tasteful animation, elegant design: Sure, it looks like a Mac, but why not steal from the best?
1. SEARCH: Fast, smart, and you can create virtual search folders to revisit your searches with a single click.
2. NETWORK MAP: Finally, Microsoft gets networking right; it's a great way to get an overview of your network and its devices.
3. WIRELESS NETWORKING: Connecting to multiple wireless networks and hotspots is a simple affair.
4. SECURITY: You get a firewall with outbound filtering, a better browser, and a lot under the hood offering better protection.

Five Things We Hate

1. USER ACCOUNT CONTROL: Who needs a virtual nagging nanny?
2. BACKUP: How could Microsoft have built such a brain-dead application?
3. WINDOWS MEETING SPACE: With worthless chat and no telephony, this isn't a virtual meeting I'd want to attend.
4. HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS: Be prepared to spend a bundle for hardware upgrades--or a new computer.
5. PRICE: $399 new, or $299 for the upgrade to Windows Ultimate? No operating system should cost that much. And the cheapest version, Basic ($199 full, $100 upgrade), isn't worth the trouble.

(this was on MSN (yes that microsoft) but it was written by PC world).

There's never been a better time to switch to the Mac.

pcpro.co.uk

Ironically, playing around with Vista for more than a month has done what years of experience and exhortations from Mac-loving friends could not: it has converted me into a Mac fan.

But many of Vista's "new" features seemed terribly familiar to me--as they will to any user of Apple's OS X Tiger operating system. Live thumbnails that display petite versions of minimized windows, search boxes integrated into every Explorer window, and especially the Sidebar--which contains "Gadgets" such as a weather updater and a headline reader--all mimic OS X features introduced in 2005. The Windows versions are outstanding--they're just not really innovative.

Playing with OS X Tiger in order to make accurate comparisons for this review, I had a personal epiphany: Windows is complicated. Macs are simple.

The difference is that Apple doesn't offer any lower-end processors, so its cheapest computers cost quite a bit more than the least-expensive PCs. As Vista penetrates the market, however, the slower processors are likely to become obsolete--minimizing any cost differences between PCs and Macs.

technologyreview.com

Review: Mac OS X Shines In Comparison With Windows Vista
Amid the hype surrounding the release of Windows Vista, Mac users are taking solace from the fact that OS X is still a champ on many fronts. Here are some reasons our reviewer John C. Welch opts for Apple.

http://www.informationweek.com/news/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=196800670

Vista's pretty, but it's a shameless Mac OS X imitator
JULIO OJEDA-ZAPATA

It's a fine Windows upgrade, but it's also a shameless rip-off (and not quite the equal) of another major operating system, Apple Computer's Mac OS X.

You likely wouldn't regret a Vista-PC purchase, but I'm betting you'll enjoy a Mac much more.

http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/living/16555680.htm

We would have preferred fewer features executed extremely well rather than an uneven mix of this and that, a one-size-fits-all operating system. And we disagree with Microsoft's seemingly arbitrary division of features within individual editions

frankenreview (found on gizmodo or engadget, I don't remember

So what am I saying?
well it's simple really.
Vista will likely be the best windows system yet,
but it's not the best OS on the market,
in fact it still seems to have some fun little flaws.

I actually thought of this blog when I saw an article that said
Windows vista is beautiful, in fact it looks more like a mac than anything we've seen yet.
but I couldn't find that review, so you get the nice things ( and other things) that everyone else had to say.

Would I upgrade. No!
I would not upgrade.
Vista, as nice as it is, still has it's flaws.
and some of that will probably get fixed with time,
but right now it's not worth it.

and what's with microsoft giving you 5 choices (ok most people only have 4 but still).
with Macs, everyone gets the premium system,
sure that $129 premium ystem might be more than some people need, but
$129 won't buy much vista.
Here's what I like,
when you buy Vista, you get the whole code,
if you decide you are a monkey's uncle, and should have bought a better version,
you just pay a few more bucks,
and voila, the system "magically unlocks"

But let me warn you as most tech savvy people would,
Vista Basic, is basically XP.
not sweet!
Home premium is much better,
but Ultimate is the only one I would buy.
(but not at that price... do I look that dumb?)

Point number two I wouldn't upgrade.
It will probably slow you down.
but if you get a new PC and for some reason you fail to get the "right" kind,
you'll get vista, and it will definately be better in a lot of ways,
(but it really needs power, the type of power that only I would buy)

But props to bill on security...
At least vista has some.
it's not Unix, in fact it's not even rebuilt,
but for an add on, I hear they're making progress.

So here's the summary,
wait if you can, or buy new but don't expect anything too special
oh did I mention it's kind of pretty,
oh and a little confusing, but I think you'd get used to it,
and I do like some things.
ttfn
WARNSER