Microsoft Mojave Experiment

Darth Llama · August 10th, 2008, 03:41 AM

I don't think this has been posted here, but forgive me if it was and I missed it.

As everyone knows, Microsoft is trying to phase out the Windows XP Operating system in favor of Windows Vista. They are having some problems though due to the "bad rep" that Vista has received from various sources. Personally, I believe that this "rep" is no ones fault but Microsoft. They pushed Vista into the market before Vendors were ready, and because of that Vista had a rather shaky launch. The word got out that Vista was terrible, and now there are a lot of people that refuse to try it.

Microsoft however, feels that with the introduction of Service Pack 1, most if not all of the issues that people hated about Vista have been addressed. They conducted an experiment in San Francisco where they pulled aside various people that disliked Vista. They showed them a "new" Operating System called Windows Mojave. The "new" OS got rather high reviews and positive feedback. After letting the users play with the OS for a bit, they revealed that Mojave was in reality Windows Vista.

Just something I thought was kind of funny. I stayed far from Vista when it came out because of the horror stories, but now I am very happy with it. The only version I have used is Vista 64 Ultimate, but it's been great so far. Just a topic I thought might make an interesting discussion.

Is Vista really crap? Or is it just crap when people know it's Vista?

CardinalsFan11 · August 10th, 2008, 05:28 AM

I watched the mojave web commercials. It's funny to see just how much of an affect advertising has on people.

By that same token though, you have to wonder what aspects of Vista those test people were using. If you're just thumbing around with preloaded Vista programs, of course it's going to work well. The problems occur when you have to integrate old software with the new operating system, which I'm sure those people weren't doing.

Also, I use Vista and have had zero problems with it. But my computer usage is limited to Microsoft Office and the interwebs.

AZZenny · August 10th, 2008, 07:34 AM

Microsoft arrogantly screwed up and jumped the gun AGAIN. I am not amused by their attempts to now make consumers look like the fools.

When I found out I was going to have to replace nearly every program I like and much of the peripheral equipment I am very comfortable with -- including some foreign-language and other software that are unlikely to be available in Vista-compatible form any time soon -- that was enough for me to say no thanks.

There's too much planned obsolescence in the electronics/high tech field driven by greed and nerdy self-absorption. (Like my damn ipod 3rd Gen, which isn't compatible with the same accessory gear every other form of ipod ever made can use.)

Darth Llama · August 10th, 2008, 02:30 PM

I totally agree that Microsoft screwed up the Vista Launch badly. The hardware vendors told Microsoft that they did not have enough time to develop drivers and urged Microsoft to delay the launch, but you know Microsoft, they are the "big dog" and no one is going to tell them different.

I have been using Vista for a while now, and the funny thing is, it's not really even that much different then XP. While I like Vista, I don't fully understand why it was even necessary, it's really just like XP with a major service pack. The big problem for Microsoft is that their pre-mature release of a product that wasn't ready is the entire reason for this misconception to begin with. It's their fault entirely. Alot of those people are just like I was a couple weeks ago, they didn't use Vista because of all the problems they have heard about. Those problems were real, they were valid reasons not to switch. As much as I might like Vista, there is no way I would tell anyone that it's necissary to switch, I just wanted to check out the new OS.

Also true is the fact that those users are testing the OS on pre set up and bug free systems. The customer is shown the features of the OS and asked to judge based completely on that. The only real way to test an OS though is to use it on a day by day basis over an extended period of time. Anyone could make an OS look good when only giving a customer a 10 minute preview on a pre-determined system. Let them take the OS home and see if they like it then, that's the real test.

Linderbee · August 11th, 2008, 10:39 AM

I didn't know much of anything about Vista, but recently got a laptop with it. I generally am the type that likes having the latest & greatest (especially when I'm not paying for it, as was the case with the laptop) and I hated Vista. The laptop is going back to my previous employer, and I couldn't be happier with not having to screw with Vista anymore.

Is it so damn hard to have the normal freakin' toolbar at the top of standard programs (Word, Excel, etc) like I'm used to? That frustrated the hell out of me more than anything. Trying to work with Office was a nightmare for me. I'm NOT particularly computer-savvy, and found that it wasn't user-friendly at all.

Darth Llama · August 12th, 2008, 04:47 AM

Well, the changes in Office have nothing to do with Vista. I know exactly what you mean though, Office 2007 has a very anti user friendly feel to it. They also removed the standard tool bar at the top of Internet Explorer which is another reason I don't use that. I just got used to the new Office, but I don't really like it. I don't really get why they re-did office like that but eventually get used to it.

Some stuff in Vista is different, but if you don't like it, most of it can be set to the XP style interface.

Makes me wonder why they even bothered though. Overall, it just seems like XP with some skins over it.

Linderbee · August 12th, 2008, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Darth Llama

Well, the changes in Office have nothing to do with Vista. I know exactly what you mean though, Office 2007 has a very anti user friendly feel to it. They also removed the standard tool bar at the top of Internet Explorer which is another reason I don't use that. I just got used to the new Office, but I don't really like it. I don't really get why they re-did office like that but eventually get used to it.

Some stuff in Vista is different, but if you don't like it, most of it can be set to the XP style interface.

Makes me wonder why they even bothered though. Overall, it just seems like XP with some skins over it.

If it could be set up to the XP style interface, I'd probably be cool with it, but that is something I would NEVER figure out on my own...therefore making Vista a suck-fest.

I guess I've never seen Office 2007 outside of my laptop, then. I figured it was a Vista thing. If that's the case, then my rage is/was misdirected. I'd bet I'm not the only one that didn't realize it wasn't a Vista thing.

AZZenny · August 12th, 2008, 05:43 PM

Oh, I think enough people have complaints about the unfriendliness of Vistas that you can keep directing much of your rage.

I recently read about an Israeli company that somehow lets you establish your own portable toolbar to take with you everywhere you go (or something like that) regardless of OS, software, etc. I thought, 'and exactly who would need that?' but maybe it's not such a bad idea.

coyoteshockeyfan · August 12th, 2008, 09:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Linderbee

If it could be set up to the XP style interface, I'd probably be cool with it, but that is something I would NEVER figure out on my own...therefore making Vista a suck-fest.

I guess I've never seen Office 2007 outside of my laptop, then. I figured it was a Vista thing. If that's the case, then my rage is/was misdirected. I'd bet I'm not the only one that didn't realize it wasn't a Vista thing.

The Office 2007 "ribbon" interface is the same on XP as Vista. I see where it can be beneficial, especially on Word, but I can't say I'm a fan of it on Excel.

Linderbee · August 13th, 2008, 12:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by coyoteshockeyfan

The Office 2007 "ribbon" interface is the same on XP as Vista. I see where it can be beneficial, especially on Word, but I can't say I'm a fan of it on Excel.

Yeah, I haven't had to use Office 2007 anywhere but on my laptop (Vista). I hate the ribbon crap. HATE it.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Ugh.

The other thing that used to bug me all the time was the CONSTANT asking me "are you sure you want to do this" every time I went to do anything. YES!! I want to do what I just told you I want to do.

Darth Llama · August 13th, 2008, 09:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Linderbee

Yeah, I haven't had to use Office 2007 anywhere but on my laptop (Vista). I hate the ribbon crap. HATE it.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Ugh.

The other thing that used to bug me all the time was the CONSTANT asking me "are you sure you want to do this" every time I went to do anything. YES!! I want to do what I just told you I want to do.

Yes, that would be UAC (User Access Controls.) Probably the single worst part of Vista, but it's put in for people that don't know any better. As soon as I install Vista, the first thing I do is turn that off. I don't use that, the Windows Firewall, or Windows Defender. There are other programs that do a far better job and are far less intrusive (AVG, Webroot.) Probably the worst part about Vista is that you have to know what to disable right off the bat in order to make the OS stop hammering you with annoying questions every five seconds.

SteelDog · August 13th, 2008, 09:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by coyoteshockeyfan

The Office 2007 "ribbon" interface is the same on XP as Vista. I see where it can be beneficial, especially on Word, but I can't say I'm a fan of it on Excel.

I had to get used to the ribbon. Now I love it. You can add your own customized button above the ribbon if you want.

I use office extensively at work and just love the new features with office 07. I use Access, Excel and SharePoint a bunch. They integrated features between them all and makes it easier to publish reports etc.

I could never go back to the old office now. Not in a million years.

KloD · August 14th, 2008, 02:49 PM

I have Vista 64 on my main computer and Vista 32 on my laptop and HTPC. The only issues I've had is not all hardware has 64 bit drivers, but that has nothing to do w/ Vista.

My computers (minus the laptop) are in constant flux with new parts. I am always updating to the latest and greatest hardware. Maybe that's why I've had no problems?

My wife refuses to try Vista, but she also refuses to get a new laptop. I should be grateful I suppose, I'm not though.

Darth Llama · August 14th, 2008, 07:48 PM

I use Vista 64 Ultimate on my PC and my Laptop, and I dig it. I kept hearing how horrible it was, and how much it eats your RAM, etc. I decided to try it anyway, and I have found most of the reports to be false. The OS doesn't use that much more RAM then XP, and my CPU usage is almost exactly the same.

I know what you mean about 64 bit drivers though, that part can be a pain. I had to use about 10 different sites to find all the drivers for my Asus "Vista Ready" Laptop. I finally found them, but was a little pissed that Asus ships laptops with Vista 64, but only provides 32 bit drivers for download.

nidan · August 15th, 2008, 01:56 PM

Laptop drivers are frequently a challenge