Remaining Thoughts - Xp & Vista
A Brief but Defining Microsoft History
Remember Windows 98? It wasn't that long ago when MS came out with a superior OS to the then-vaunted Windows 95. I didn't buy '98 because I heard and seen the horror stories and 'blue screens of death'. I held out, knowing that MS had the OS world by the tail and it would be their role to make right what they did wrong. Or die.
Soon enough, Windows 98 Second Edition came about and - only then - did I take the plunge. I really liked 98 SE, mostly because MS had proved themselves and the possibility of a major crash and loss of data was less likely. Hard drives for backups were a pretty pricey item, and CD/RW were not quite available - or were initially so costly that they were almost as expensive as a whole new system would cost. Today, one can buy a DVD/RW for the paltry sum of $35. External hard drives are also much larger capacity and can be had for twice the price as a CD/RW. Data backup ensures any OS failure from doom. That is quite an important turning point when considering the fallibility of OS's.
You're not Taking my Windows 98SE!!
I really thought that Win98SE would last a decade, and endure the onslaught of hardware mfrs need for greed. Not to be the case - of course. The advancement of USB tech, video cards, RAM, and CPU's continued to exploit the world market by/thru a series of planned obsolescence. The OS was to be no different - either.
Enter Xp. I don't hate change, I just don't like the idea that someone is trying to pull the wool over my eyes and try to pull the rug from beneath me! Xp was sooo different and held many a hope for PC enthusiasts, but failed MISERABLY in that delivery. There were even a few choice jokes about it that escape me now. If I was going to make a move to Xp - I severely doubted it - unless a major overhaul was in store for that joke of an OS.
Then came service Pack 1. It was still a joke (in effect) and had many problems. But there was enough backup hardware that many began to jump ship to Xp. Not me; why leave an OS that glitched less than the new guy? They had better do better than that; I wasn't exactly born yesterday.
Then came Service Pack 2. Now, I felt -considering the history of MS and their OS history - was the time to make the move. So I did. You couldn't drag me away from it with wild horses.
The VISTA view from here isn't what it should be...
Xp now has Service Pack 3; while Vista has barely released Service Pack 1. Xp appears to operate so flawlessly and fast - while Vista still flounders about. I am sure that the next service pack will straighten it out - when one considers the history of MS. But as it is now - when one considers this same history - Xp is bullet-proof while Vista is easily permeable to a nearsighted asthmatic kid with a bean shooter. I want to use this operating system - but it hasn't made the second grade yet. When it does, I will take out one of the Vista discs that I have tucked away in my file cabinet; then format and install the OS. Then, I will immediately go to Windows Update and install SP2.
I just hope that the history of MS is consistent enough to ensure that this next upgrade is as solid as their past SP2 upgrades. But as of now, I still believe that Vista is in no-man's land. Sure I back up my data, and maybe I should put it on my machines. But I like the consistency and speed that Xp now affords me.
I hope that when MS comes out with a new operating system, that they practice truth in advertising and name it appropriately. But you won't see me holding my breath - either.
It is my belief - based upon MS's history with OS's - that it should be called "Nutz".
Just out of respect for all of us - who had to put up with it!
I've got a laptop that could be used for chasing, but it's a five year old Dell that runs so HOT I don't dare use it without the cooling pad plugged in. And heavy too...hook a chain to this thing and let a battleship use it as an anchor. 
