Why Windows Vista (Longhorn) is horrible.

Jumping in real quick if I may....

For the workstation, I recommend VMWare Workstation.  Easy to use, good snapshot ability, good performance.

On the server end, it's Microsoft Virtual Server all the way if you have 2003 servers for hosts.  If you have 2008 servers for hosts, then it's Hyper-V all the way.  Use Hyper-V when possible - it rocks.

 JamesNT

I'm using the free Mokafive creator which internally uses the VMware player, and I have 6 VMs now installed on my laptop.  It works well.  All of the VMs are suspended so that I can restart them where I closed them down.

This of course includes the Synapse EMR Client Server vm appliance 

>> I have been interested in loading a Vista unit with various OS as a test of the product.<<

I have a Vista Business machine with 3.06 2 Core and 4 gigs of Ram. I have MS Virtual PC running Windows 2008, 32 bit. I'm accessing the 2008 virtual with my thin clients. If all goes well, I will take my licenses from 2003 over to 2008.

Chris, are you going to run Windows Server 2008 as a VM production?

>>Chris, are you going to run Windows Server 2008 as a VM production?<< 

Graham,

Not really sure. I setup my virtuals as workstations first to make sure they work with my critical applications hosted on proven and supported servers.
I also have Server 08 on a stand alone Dell 3.02 with a Gig of Ram. What I would ideally like to do, is buy a new computer to Run the 64 bit Edition of Server 2008, which is the only addition that can run Hyper-Virtuals. Windows Server 08 does not like a number of .ocx files that I use, (VB runtime errors) in both a virtual and non virtual environment. Overall, I really like the mobility of the virtuals and I don't notice any degradation in speed when accessing them over a network. I can certainly see why you have been advocating the VM environment for a long time.

digital-doc:

MS does a very good job of dealing with hairball software and hardware,

The Vista Crisis is communication crisis. Usually between an end user idiot and an operating system. All Operating Systems require a modicum of understanding before acceptance oblivion!

 

Microsoft announced today as part of their annual revenues announcement that it has sold over 180 million licenses of Windows Vista so far. Wow. What a failure.

I'm not surprised. I still have more XP computers but Vista is better. Just like going from 98 to XP, get a new computer, don't upgrade your oldie.

Oh but you haven't seen the best part yet.

The best part, despite the $60,000,000,000 in profit recorded by MS, is when Murdoch or someone else gets on here and says things like:

1.  Sold Vista licenses does not account for people who downgraded their computers to XP (of course, we should ignore the fact that even if you divide 180 million by two, you still have 90 million).

2.  Microsoft cannot continue this growth.  The whole company will be an ancient memory in a couple of years.

3.  THIS WILL BE THE YEAR OF LINUX (or Mac) ON THE DESKTOP!!!!!   <--- my personal favorite

JamesNT

Wow- I'm so glad that I didn't purchase Microsoft stock back in 2003; its stock performance has been flat.

It's still one of my favorite companies, though.

Al

Microsoft's stock remains an mystery to me, my accountant, my Edward Jones rep, and pretty much every one I know with a degree in Economics.  As the most profitable company in existence, one would think it's stock would be through the roof. 

Alas, those on Wall Street don't always follow logic.  They follow whoever the current rockstar is.

JamesNT

You would think so, I agree.  Windows Server and SQL 2008 are some of the absolute hottest items out there, unless we need some more tech knowledge wise folks on Wall Street.  That might have something to do with it, but just a guess on my part.

digital-doc:

Microsoft announced today as part of their annual revenues announcement that it has sold over 180 million licenses of Windows Vista so far. Wow. What a failure.

I'm not surprised. I still have more XP computers but Vista is better. Just like going from 98 to XP, get a new computer, don't upgrade your oldie.

Microsoft sells copies of Vista because people have no choice.

It's always good for sales when you are the only meaningful game in town.

Vista is very minor incremental improvement over XP.  All the good Vista features like search I have addon apps that do the same and usually better for my XP boxes.

I have one Vista box I haven't upgraded/migrated to XP yet.

There is no compelling need to switch to Vista.

But I have great news Windows 7 is going to be feature rich with major improvements .. it is going to be INCREDIBLE !!!

>>There is no compelling need to switch to Vista.<<

For the majority of people, security alone is a compelling and necessary reason to use Vista.

Jason, I'm glad to hear you confirm the superiority of Vista over XP, even if you consider it a "Very minor incremental improvement."
I've always suspected you were a, "Closet Vista User."

Ok, let's see what we have here.

Microsoft sells copies of Vista because people have no choice.

So Linux and Mac are not choices?  I have friends right now that use Mac as their one and only OS.  If you hate Microsoft so much, why aren't you running linux or Mac?

Vista is very minor incremental improvement over XP.  All the good Vista features like search I have addon apps that do the same and usually better for my XP boxes.

You have yet to justify this comment.  Have you really looked at the run-down of new Vista features?  And not just the security ones.  Here is a screenshot of what I consider to be a VERY important new feature that provides an ability that I could accomplish only with expensive third part addons before:

So finally, I can control removeable devices, such as USB sticks, that people can bring in to the office and remove data with.  Were you aware of this feature?

But I have great news Windows 7 is going to be feature rich with major improvements .. it is going to be INCREDIBLE !!!

That was mature.

JamesNT

Very good point on the USB devices, and I keep running across folks that forget to do that with Group Policy too!  That is becoming a big issue in more ways than one, and sometimes the physicians when they go to the hospitals don't understand why they are locked out when they try to bring Word documents in to add to a chart.  There's definitely other and better ways without the exposure! 

JamesNT:

Ok, let's see what we have here.

Microsoft sells copies of Vista because people have no choice.

So Linux and Mac are not choices?  I have friends right now that use Mac as their one and only OS.  If you hate Microsoft so much, why aren't you running linux or Mac?

I don't see NIX/Mac as anywhere near equivalent choices due to the lack of software.  I'd go full NIX in a heartbeat if all PC software was equivalent on NIX.

My mom's Ebay/email/google uses of a PC would be fine on NIX/MAC.  For me, there are no choices.  I have probably 30 apps that are PC only.

I stand by my comments of "no choice".