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Windows Vista marketing 'deceived' consumers
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Comments (21)
1 earlier comment in the full thread.
My wife saw the Bill Gates presentation and was, indeed, disappointed that her new Vista OS did none of what he said it would. The salesperson tried to sell a $900 machine instead that had all the features of Vista.
That's borderline dishonest, but I can understand the point made in the article. They were sold a lot of features and told their machines could run Vista, but weren't told that it was a different version of Vista from the one advertised. I expected a lawsuit. I also know that the upgrade to Vista was not sold as the difficult process that it is. I expect to hear some noise about that in the coming months.
By the way, her Vista laptop can't use our printer, but all of my Linux boxes do. They didn't say anything about that, either. I have heard from someone that if you upgrade to Vista, there's no (obvious path to) downgrade to XP, so if your hardware is not supported you are out of luck.
That's borderline dishonest, but I can understand the point made in the article. They were sold a lot of features and told their machines could run Vista, but weren't told that it was a different version of Vista from the one advertised. I expected a lawsuit. I also know that the upgrade to Vista was not sold as the difficult process that it is. I expect to hear some noise about that in the coming months.
By the way, her Vista laptop can't use our printer, but all of my Linux boxes do. They didn't say anything about that, either. I have heard from someone that if you upgrade to Vista, there's no (obvious path to) downgrade to XP, so if your hardware is not supported you are out of luck.
Form what I understand if you upgrade from one version of Vista to another and for some reason have to reinstall it, you cannot reinstall the version you had. You have to go and get the disks for the version you upgraded too.
I am in the midst of setting up a Vista "Home Premium" machine to be a DVR host and, well, its making me like XP.
UGH!!
I am in the midst of setting up a Vista "Home Premium" machine to be a DVR host and, well, its making me like XP.
UGH!!
"I am in the midst of setting up a Vista "Home Premium" machine to be a DVR host"
Why? Why? Why? For Cromm's Sake WHY?
Why? Why? Why? For Cromm's Sake WHY?
Quoting:Why? Why? Why? For Cromm's Sake WHY?
I bet it's a customer's request. Behind every bad idea lies a customer.
For work,
One part of my job duties is to install, configure and service CCTV and camera surveillance systems and networks for home, business and government. We recently took a job of installing two license plate and one overview camera and a DVR unit at each of 4 entrances in a subdivision of upscale homes in north Phoenix.
12 cameras and 4 DVR's all being networked together and then controlled by a host computer, the Vista machine I spoke of.
We had to buy a new computer for and since there are no more new computers being sold with XP I got stuck trying to find a computer that would work. Luckily the DVR management software works on Vista..so far.
I get to look forward to servicing this account and training the Guards that will use it everyday. I have spent a fair amount of time just trying to configure it so that it is as not-confusing as possible.
One part of my job duties is to install, configure and service CCTV and camera surveillance systems and networks for home, business and government. We recently took a job of installing two license plate and one overview camera and a DVR unit at each of 4 entrances in a subdivision of upscale homes in north Phoenix.
12 cameras and 4 DVR's all being networked together and then controlled by a host computer, the Vista machine I spoke of.
We had to buy a new computer for and since there are no more new computers being sold with XP I got stuck trying to find a computer that would work. Luckily the DVR management software works on Vista..so far.
I get to look forward to servicing this account and training the Guards that will use it everyday. I have spent a fair amount of time just trying to configure it so that it is as not-confusing as possible.
> since there are no more new computers being sold with XP
Dell still sells XP computers.
Dell still sells XP computers.
Forgive me,
I was only allowed to buy one retail at a store, not online. No Dell's or Gateway's allowed. It had to be new from a local retailer as per the contract part of which is so I could get full warranties on the hardware and quickly replace it if need be.
I'm not saying it is the logical thing to do, just what I had to do. unfortunately I do not get to take part in drawing up the contracts with customers yet. That's two levels of management above me in the Hierarchy of this place.
Someday though, someday.
I was only allowed to buy one retail at a store, not online. No Dell's or Gateway's allowed. It had to be new from a local retailer as per the contract part of which is so I could get full warranties on the hardware and quickly replace it if need be.
I'm not saying it is the logical thing to do, just what I had to do. unfortunately I do not get to take part in drawing up the contracts with customers yet. That's two levels of management above me in the Hierarchy of this place.
Someday though, someday.
> I'm not saying it is the logical thing to do
Well, you already told us you were using Windows, so I knew it was not logical.
Well, you already told us you were using Windows, so I knew it was not logical.
bigg wrote:
"By the way, her Vista laptop can't use our printer, but all of my Linux boxes do. They didn't say anything about that, either. I have heard from someone that if you upgrade to Vista, there's no (obvious path to) downgrade to XP, so if your hardware is not supported you are out of luck."
You must've confused some terms. Surely you mean DOWNgrading to Vista and UPgrading to XP?
You must've confused some terms. Surely you mean DOWNgrading to Vista and UPgrading to XP?
> Surely you mean DOWNgrading to Vista and UPgrading to XP?
Actually, it is downgrading from Linux to Vista or XP. I'm not sure about the Vista/XP relationship.
Actually, it is downgrading from Linux to Vista or XP. I'm not sure about the Vista/XP relationship.
I bet it's a customer's request. Behind every bad idea lies a customer.
You are SO WAY plagerized, LOL
h
You are SO WAY plagerized, LOL
h
Quoting:I have heard from someone that if you upgrade to Vista, there's no (obvious path to) downgrade to XP, so if your hardware is not supported you are out of luck.
IIRC your product ID stays the same, it's just being tied to a different product. If you upgrade XP to Vista then that key can no longer be used to activate XP but only for Vista. So, if you upgrade to Vista and hate it, you have to buy a new copy of XP.
Now that's according to the EULA. Using your XP-upgraded-to-Vista key to activae XP means running an illegal XP. I don't know how MS has implemented it technically (if at all). Perhaps it simply won't activate. Perhaps it'll activate but WGA bites you. Perhaps it all works until the BSA pays you a visit.
"You are SO WAY plagerized, LOL"
A sentence devoid of English. :^)
A sentence devoid of English. :^)
>12 cameras and 4 DVR's all being networked together and then controlled by a host computer, the Vista machine I spoke of.
That is just so sad.
A friend of mine and a badly recorded second half of a 2-hour '24' have pushed me into evaluating MythTV for purely digital television broadcasts.
I must tell you...I am early in the process and have not evaluated the business potential, but I am blown away by a few things.
First and foremost, myth is built from the ground up for networking. TV inputs are collected and recorded on a back-end box (there can be more than one), then played back on a front-end.
Digital TV fits into this really well, because digital broadcasts come in as more or less standard MPEG streams...no encoding needed and -- lo and behold --- even cheap video cards these days have mpeg 2 decoding support. Routing all this video around becomes, more or less, a matter of flinging digital datastreams, something *ix was born to do.
What really wowed me (easily wowed) was receiving a hi-def broadcast on my backend box (just my desktop pressed into service), pulling up a frontend on the same box to display the sow, bringing up a notebook to display the same show (slightly delayed -- I was actually pulling up the recording of the who made as it was being watched) over 80211g wireless, and then, in the other room, pulling up a previously recorded Star Trek over the same wireless net on an old Dell notebook that lacked the video support to decode hi-def in real time. All worked beautifully.
I think this is a place where Linux solutions beat the absolute snot out of Microsoft.
That is just so sad.
A friend of mine and a badly recorded second half of a 2-hour '24' have pushed me into evaluating MythTV for purely digital television broadcasts.
I must tell you...I am early in the process and have not evaluated the business potential, but I am blown away by a few things.
First and foremost, myth is built from the ground up for networking. TV inputs are collected and recorded on a back-end box (there can be more than one), then played back on a front-end.
Digital TV fits into this really well, because digital broadcasts come in as more or less standard MPEG streams...no encoding needed and -- lo and behold --- even cheap video cards these days have mpeg 2 decoding support. Routing all this video around becomes, more or less, a matter of flinging digital datastreams, something *ix was born to do.
What really wowed me (easily wowed) was receiving a hi-def broadcast on my backend box (just my desktop pressed into service), pulling up a frontend on the same box to display the sow, bringing up a notebook to display the same show (slightly delayed -- I was actually pulling up the recording of the who made as it was being watched) over 80211g wireless, and then, in the other room, pulling up a previously recorded Star Trek over the same wireless net on an old Dell notebook that lacked the video support to decode hi-def in real time. All worked beautifully.
I think this is a place where Linux solutions beat the absolute snot out of Microsoft.
Vista is a very, very good thing.
"For work,
One part of my job duties is to install, configure and service CCTV and camera surveillance systems and networks for home, business and government. We recently took a job of installing two license plate and one overview camera and a DVR unit at each of 4 entrances in a subdivision of upscale homes in north Phoenix.
12 cameras and 4 DVR's all being networked together and then controlled by a host computer, the Vista machine I spoke of.
We had to buy a new computer for and since there are no more new computers being sold with XP I got stuck trying to find a computer that would work. Luckily the DVR management software works on Vista..so far.
I get to look forward to servicing this account and training the Guards that will use it everyday. I have spent a fair amount of time just trying to configure it so that it is as not-confusing as possible."
you could always try motion - runs on linux and is pretty simple to set up.
http://www.lavrsen.dk/twiki/bin/view/Motion/WebHome
I have used it with normal usb cameras and peecees and it works wonderfully.
the docs say it works with network cameras too - so you may want to check that out. bet ya it would be a lot easier to setup than that vista machine.
One part of my job duties is to install, configure and service CCTV and camera surveillance systems and networks for home, business and government. We recently took a job of installing two license plate and one overview camera and a DVR unit at each of 4 entrances in a subdivision of upscale homes in north Phoenix.
12 cameras and 4 DVR's all being networked together and then controlled by a host computer, the Vista machine I spoke of.
We had to buy a new computer for and since there are no more new computers being sold with XP I got stuck trying to find a computer that would work. Luckily the DVR management software works on Vista..so far.
I get to look forward to servicing this account and training the Guards that will use it everyday. I have spent a fair amount of time just trying to configure it so that it is as not-confusing as possible."
you could always try motion - runs on linux and is pretty simple to set up.
http://www.lavrsen.dk/twiki/bin/view/Motion/WebHome
I have used it with normal usb cameras and peecees and it works wonderfully.
the docs say it works with network cameras too - so you may want to check that out. bet ya it would be a lot easier to setup than that vista machine.
Thanks for all the info guys! I am taking this all in, honest.
Here's the thing,
I am still "the new guy" but I am being groomed to replace my Boss so that hopefully in the next year or so I will take over as "Director of Technology" instead of being the assistant too him. Cool huh?
I am learning not only the specific skills required to install and service Automatic gates, Parking Revenue Control Systems and Camera Surveillance Equipment and Networks, but the personalities of the people I work with and for. I am learning how and when to approach them about stuff.
I am very quietly (as much as I can be quiet) keeping my eyes and ears open so that I will know as much I as I can about how to successfully affect the changes I want to make. Like introducing Open Source solutions for many of the things we do.
The business I work for has been around for twenty years and they have grown to be one of the best in the business just fine without me around. I want to pick my battles and the timing thereof very carefully so I don't alienate myself or others by charging in and not thinking things through. I want to keep this job for a long time if I can because this is my chance to really make my mark and do something really good for Open Source in general.
Wisdom is stupid. :-)
Here's the thing,
I am still "the new guy" but I am being groomed to replace my Boss so that hopefully in the next year or so I will take over as "Director of Technology" instead of being the assistant too him. Cool huh?
I am learning not only the specific skills required to install and service Automatic gates, Parking Revenue Control Systems and Camera Surveillance Equipment and Networks, but the personalities of the people I work with and for. I am learning how and when to approach them about stuff.
I am very quietly (as much as I can be quiet) keeping my eyes and ears open so that I will know as much I as I can about how to successfully affect the changes I want to make. Like introducing Open Source solutions for many of the things we do.
The business I work for has been around for twenty years and they have grown to be one of the best in the business just fine without me around. I want to pick my battles and the timing thereof very carefully so I don't alienate myself or others by charging in and not thinking things through. I want to keep this job for a long time if I can because this is my chance to really make my mark and do something really good for Open Source in general.
Wisdom is stupid. :-)
Scott, be sure to take into account the attitudes of employees in your assessments/observations. Looks like you are already doing that, but remember that helios encountered physical confrontation in his migration process.
Bob_Robertson: forgive my slowness, but...
No, their marketing deception was that they were selling an OS.
Couldn't resist.
Bob_Robertson: forgive my slowness, but...
Quoting:I thought Microsoft's marketing deception was that Windows was stable, reliable and safe.
No, their marketing deception was that they were selling an OS.
Couldn't resist.
Quoting:Scott, be sure to take into account the attitudes of employees in your assessments/observations. Looks like you are already doing that, but remember that helios encountered physical confrontation in his migration process.
It is exactly Helios's experience that rings in my head, and yes I am most definitely observing and learning the attitudes of the employees.
I think (and I hope) that by the time that I am in the position to do more than just offer my opinions or suggestions and have the power to make decisions and implement them that I will not meet that kind of resistance. Plus I will have the advantage of having already worked with these people for almost two years, a luxury that Helios unfortunately did not have.
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Bow Wow experience.
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