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November 17, 2006

Windows Vista Frenzy - What Ticks Me Off

As an avid tech enthusiast, beta tester, application developer, and general all around geek, I constantly read the latest tech news. With the release of Windows Vista RTM, there has been no shortage of reading material, but more often than not, I end up shaking my head at the many misconceptions, and even blithering idiocy of some reports. While everyone is certainly entitled to their own opinions, I have to wonder sometimes what exactly some people have been putting in their morning coffee. Sensationalist headlines have hit the web over the past week, many of them completely out of context, and others not even relating to the real stories being presented.

I keep hearing that Windows Vista is too expensive - yes, everything is too expensive, but lets take a look at comparisons. Most new Video games run $60 USD a pop, independent software titles from companies like Adobe often run $300, $400, even $500 for one single program. Antivirus companies are charging $30-$40 a year for their software. And yet people are complaining about $299 for Windows Vista, a software 'package' that is what gives us the platform to run the programs we choose to run. Of course most people will never spend the $299, as it is a much better deal to get it pre-installed on a new computer, and especially now with the Vista Upgrade coupons, it makes sense to upgrade hardware and software from those Windows 98 machines that people seem to be hanging onto.

Then of course there is the 'I can't afford a thousand dollar computer to run Windows Vista' - utter nonsense! I have installed Vista RTM on a $350 desktop, and a $400 laptop, and have full capabilities of all the Vista has to offer, including Aero Glass. Are these gaming machines - of course not, but they both are better than the desktops and laptops that many people are still running. So why upgrade if your current hardware and software does everything you want to? Don't, just wait until the hardware or software crashes, and then come pay me to fix it, or pay me to recover your data. Of course you could always pay Geek Squad, or Firedog a heck of a lot more, and they will probably end up charging you money to tell you they can't fix it, then end up selling you an overpriced new system so full of overbloated software that it will be slower than your old system .

Lastly, but certainly not least, we have those people who don't seem to understand that the future requires change in order to grow. Windows Vista is the next step - it is not an express elevator to the top, it is a step towards better programs, more productivity, more security, and a richer computer experience. It is a fact that most people use Windows on PC's - why? Because it is easier to use than most linux flavors, it offers more support for polished third party software, and it does not require a branded hardware platform to run - and oh yeah, it has by far the best games!

Posted by jrfree1 at November 17, 2006 07:05 PM