Windows Vista comes, hope you are not ready!

E-P
Posts: 14 Joined: 24-01-07
Submitted by E-P on 29 January, 2007 - 22:14.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/6309651.stm

While Microsoft puts on sale its' new expensive Windows Vista I'd like to remind you people that there is another alternative, Linux. Some months ago I got fed up with the slow, unstable and (it was) hell of expensive Windows XP. Friend of mine recomended me to try Linux so I tried operating system called Ubuntu. It is totally graphical and very user friendly. Using Ubuntu isn't really more difficult than using Windows. Things are only done differently so it might take some time to get used to it. I learnt all the stuff what normal (surfing, e-mail writing,essay writing etc.) user needs in a week and it is working better than I could had ever thought. I will never ever wanna have Windows on my computer again. If you are interested in having Ubuntu on your computer there is couple of links to get started:

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/GettingUbuntu – place where to download Ubuntu and get help for installation

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/ - General help for using Ubuntu

http://www.ubuntuforums.org/ - Place to ask help for problems you can't solve yourself. More advanced users are generally really helpful

ENJOY!

ps. Ubuntu (in basically any language you can ever imagine) and all the programs for it all totally free!

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catch "unpractical[sic] and blinkered"
Posts: 10024 Joined: 07-02-06 Location: London
29 January, 2007 - 23:09

Hi E-P, welcome to the boards.

Yeah I have a dual-boot XP/Ubuntu setup on my PC at home and XP will be the last MS operating system I ever use. I've had the misfortune to experience the absolute horror that is IE7 at work, and won't let Windows 'upgrade' it from the equally shit IE6 on my home box either - I can only imagine what an entire operating system full of "phishing filters" and other crap (Digital Rights Management!!!) will be like.

BBC wrote:
You could argue that XP isn't broken.."

But you'd be wrong...

rkn
Posts: 7651 Joined: 17-07-06 Location: London
29 January, 2007 - 23:11

I wrestled with Ubuntu last around 9 months ago and I nearly killed myself trying to get my WLAN card to work.

sphinx "People who dress up like animals and bang each other outnumber your movement on Ground Zero at the anniversary of 9/11."
Posts: 231 Joined: 25-12-05
29 January, 2007 - 23:19

Could anyone give a rundown on the various DRM bound to be included in Vista? Am I wrong that most of that will be counteracted by cracks? I know that if a program includes real-time encryption algorhythms which access the internet for constant updates, it can be nearly impossible to crack.

catch "unpractical[sic] and blinkered"
Posts: 10024 Joined: 07-02-06 Location: London
29 January, 2007 - 23:41
rkn wrote:
I wrestled with Ubuntu last around 9 months ago and I nearly killed myself trying to get my WLAN card to work.

Yeah I had some trouble with a wireless adapter and ubuntu, although it was on a very old pc and I got it working after a bit.

revol68 ""Identity is a dream pathetic in its absurdity. You dream of being yourself when you've nothing better to do""
Posts: 17788 Joined: 23-02-04 Location: Belfast
29 January, 2007 - 23:43

well lifestylers whilst youse fuck about with the million different versions of Linux i'll just download a copy of vista so I can play games.

catch "unpractical[sic] and blinkered"
Posts: 10024 Joined: 07-02-06 Location: London
29 January, 2007 - 23:46

Probably not pirated ones though going by the DRM stuff.

catch "unpractical[sic] and blinkered"
Posts: 10024 Joined: 07-02-06 Location: London
29 January, 2007 - 23:54

sphinx,

I don't know much about it, but a bit here on Vista DRM:

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/12/27/windows_drm_monstered/

Looks like the PC will almost shut down if you try to play HD DVD on it.

And this paper goes into it just on a resource basis:

Quote:
Providing this protection incurs considerable costs in terms of system performance, system stability, technical support overhead, and hardware and software cost. These issues affect not only users of Vista but the entire PC industry, since the effects of the protection measures extend to cover all hardware and software that will ever come into contact with Vista, even if it's not used directly with Vista (for example hardware in a Macintosh computer or on a Linux server). This document analyses the cost involved in Vista's content protection, and the collateral damage that this incurs throughout the computer industry.

Let us know how you get on revol.

E-P
Posts: 14 Joined: 24-01-07
30 January, 2007 - 01:24
revol68 wrote:
well lifestylers whilst youse fuck about with the million different versions of Linux i'll just download a copy of vista so I can play games.

My Linux will be working better anyway! Hahahaaaa. Yeah but that's true that almost any commercial game don't work under Linux systems...it's pitty. Hopefully in future although I don't really care 'cause I only play chess, sudoku, solitaires etc. games on my comp.

yuda "Elitist Twat"
Posts: 297 Joined: 04-12-04 Location: Otautahi
30 January, 2007 - 09:19

I don't really care about games, I've been using Linux exclusivly for around a year or so, I find I get more stuff done without them - now if I could just give up these damn forums....

You could always use WINE I was under the impression that it had reasonable games support these days

revol68 ""Identity is a dream pathetic in its absurdity. You dream of being yourself when you've nothing better to do""
Posts: 17788 Joined: 23-02-04 Location: Belfast
30 January, 2007 - 09:27
yuda wrote:
I don't really care about games, I've been using Linux exclusivly for around a year or so, I find I get more stuff done without them - now if I could just give up these damn forums....

You could always use WINE I was under the impression that it had reasonable games support these days

yes i should go hunt down some second rate home project that is probably just about able to run counterstrike instead of enjoying Crysis, STALKER and Halo 2 on Vista.

JDMF "G.F.H - Vegan Style"
Posts: 3220 Joined: 21-05-04 Location: Manchester
30 January, 2007 - 09:32

how is the support for things like windows media file videos on linux these days?

Used to use linux exclusively on desktop from about 2001-2005 (usually debian) but then ended up with a windows again. Longing to get back but watching movies and video clips is one of the big functions of my machine these days.

MalFunction "Hardware fault"
Posts: 525 Joined: 31-10-03
30 January, 2007 - 09:55

I won't be upgrading to Vista for the time being.

I'm not a fan of bill gates or windows but it is the platform that the progs I want to use run on.

I'll wait until after the first service pack is issued, and there is a necessity to have Vista to run progs I want to use.

cheapest version of vista is less than £80 for OEM versions (buy a piece of hardware at same time from same supplier)

DRM - hell even bill gates don't like 'em! (don't stop him putting them in wmp though do it.)

users hate DRM, AFAICT there still won't be a way of stopping people copying trax from CDs onto their PCs, or copying someone else's CDs. (only downloads from propriatory sources will be copy-protected?) but there's usually a way round if necessary.

rasputin "I EAT YOUR FACE"
Posts: 177 Joined: 30-01-05
30 January, 2007 - 13:48
JDMF wrote:
how is the support for things like windows media file videos on linux these days?

Used to use linux exclusively on desktop from about 2001-2005 (usually debian) but then ended up with a windows again. Longing to get back but watching movies and video clips is one of the big functions of my machine these days.

I use Linux (have dual boot with XP and Mandriva) and ain't had any problems with video, DVD, audio, etc., both in Windows-specific formats (WMV, WMA) and more generally.

E-P
Posts: 14 Joined: 24-01-07
30 January, 2007 - 20:50
JDMF wrote:
how is the support for things like windows media file videos on linux these days?

Used to use linux exclusively on desktop from about 2001-2005 (usually debian) but then ended up with a windows again. Longing to get back but watching movies and video clips is one of the big functions of my machine these days.

w32codecs
gstreamer0.8-plugins
gstreamer0.8-lame
lame
sox
ffmpeg
mjpegtools
orbis-tools

If you make sure that you got all those codecs every media file should be working properly.

Flint "masturbatory, adolescent outbursts"
Posts: 674 Joined: 17-12-05 Location: Baltimore, MD
30 January, 2007 - 22:51

This message sent to you by my box with Ubuntu.
nefac.net uses Debian.

catch "unpractical[sic] and blinkered"
Posts: 10024 Joined: 07-02-06 Location: London
30 January, 2007 - 22:53

So do we. You use drupal too, as do we.

yuda "Elitist Twat"
Posts: 297 Joined: 04-12-04 Location: Otautahi
31 January, 2007 - 01:11

I've never had too much difficulty with windows media files on *nix, like E-P said just make sure you've got the right codecs and you'll be right, actually I have more issues with an old win98 box we have.

Neither of my computers (5 y/o desktop and a laptop just over a year old) would run Vista that well (the desktop not at all). All I'm hearing from redmond about vista is pretty much the same retoric I heard for XP - I wonder how long it will take for vista sp1 to be released to plug the holes that will be found in the next wee while

kiwi hirsuta
Posts: 77 Joined: 11-03-06
2 February, 2007 - 00:43
sphinx wrote:
Could anyone give a rundown on the various DRM bound to be included in Vista? Am I wrong that most of that will be counteracted by cracks? I know that if a program includes real-time encryption algorhythms which access the internet for constant updates, it can be nearly impossible to crack.

I am no expert at what is going on in DRM but some computer-nerd friends of mine seem convinced that Vista may be a disaster for independent programmers.

The way they put it is that MS has done an Apple, and tried to lock in all future/existing products within the MS brand by making others incompatible and obselete.

One article that looks at some of the damage is here:
http://www.techworld.com/opsys/news/index.cfm?newsid=7675
..althoigh I expecet we will be hearing more as time goes by.

Moh Kohn
Posts: 38 Joined: 22-12-06 Location: Scotland
5 February, 2007 - 00:22

Wireless network cards are indeed a pain on linux; check yours is compatible (or buy a compatible one) if you want to run it... not the developer's fault though, without going in to too much detail it's the refusal of the hardware companies to supply information that causes the problem.

As far as games go, I'm currently running Football Manager 2007 and Counterstrike:Source in Linux using WINE. Both took a little tinkering to run, but nothing too bad.

Videos are mostly no problem.

Don't download gstreamer-0.8 packages! gstreamer-0.10 would be a bit more up to date. Or you could let http://easyubuntu.freecontrib.org/ deal with it for you, and not have to think about it.

Lone Wolf "An explanation is not the same as an excuse. "
Posts: 4352 Joined: 01-03-06 Location: E. London UK
5 February, 2007 - 00:32

Hi peeps

I don't - of course!! tongue - understand a word of this discussion, tho i DO know that Bill Gates is a greedy man who needs to get out more!! tongue This is just to let UK posters know that on Fri 9th at 7pm on BBC2 the Money Programe takes a look at Vista and includes exclusive footage of the launch!! Sounds exciting.. neutral The Money Programme used to have a vagely investigative bent but now unfortunately has been dumbed down to such an extent that it is usually just a big suck-up to the large corps. being featured - angry tho this in itself could be mildly amusing!!! I didn't put this in my TV Guide cos it is not political but i thought youse may wanna know!

Thoughtfully yours

LW X

revol68 ""Identity is a dream pathetic in its absurdity. You dream of being yourself when you've nothing better to do""
Posts: 17788 Joined: 23-02-04 Location: Belfast
5 February, 2007 - 20:36
Quote:
As far as games go, I'm currently running Football Manager 2007 and Counterstrike:Source in Linux using WINE. Both took a little tinkering to run, but nothing too bad.

well those are surely some cutting edge titles, oh wait one's a glorified excel spreadsheet and the other is a game that's been out for over 3 years.

jimmer
Posts: 1317 Joined: 30-04-06 Location: London
5 February, 2007 - 23:17

Football Manager is the best game ever, I'm England and St. Pauli manager at the moment.

revol68 ""Identity is a dream pathetic in its absurdity. You dream of being yourself when you've nothing better to do""
Posts: 17788 Joined: 23-02-04 Location: Belfast
6 February, 2007 - 00:08
jimmer wrote:
Football Manager is the best game ever, I'm England and St. Pauli manager at the moment.

it might well be a great game (i was addicted to Champ Manager between 96-97) but it's not exactly cutting edge software.

yuda "Elitist Twat"
Posts: 297 Joined: 04-12-04 Location: Otautahi
6 February, 2007 - 09:55
Quote:
it might well be a great game (i was addicted to Champ Manager between 96-97) but it's not exactly cutting edge software.

So what's your point?

revol68 ""Identity is a dream pathetic in its absurdity. You dream of being yourself when you've nothing better to do""
Posts: 17788 Joined: 23-02-04 Location: Belfast
6 February, 2007 - 10:04
yuda wrote:
Quote:
it might well be a great game (i was addicted to Champ Manager between 96-97) but it's not exactly cutting edge software.

So what's your point?

that WINE is not up to my needs and so i'll be sticking to windows unitl linux has full game support.

ffaker "Supporting nationalist and Islamist gangsters"
Posts: 249 Joined: 07-10-03 Location: London
7 February, 2007 - 09:37

Oh how I miss Debian...

Stuck without my laptop and with my work XP comp.

Is it true that Vista needs a gig of memory? If so, thats just stupid. What materially new features does it actually offer? That 3D interface thing just looks stupid and pointless.

But then again haven't tried it so it could be great for all I know.

Will probably stick with XP for games (for now) and Debian for everything else (when I get a new PC). How does Ubuntu compare with Debian these days? What advantages and disadvantages does it offer over Debian sid?

Might get a new laptop soon so I can return to Debian sid. Anyone have a recommendation for a good Linux-compatible laptop which has to be under a grand?

revol68 ""Identity is a dream pathetic in its absurdity. You dream of being yourself when you've nothing better to do""
Posts: 17788 Joined: 23-02-04 Location: Belfast
7 February, 2007 - 09:48

if your gaming a gig of ram should be a minimum anyway, and lets face it it's only gamers that need to move onto Vista in the near future.

ffaker "Supporting nationalist and Islamist gangsters"
Posts: 249 Joined: 07-10-03 Location: London
7 February, 2007 - 11:07

Yea I am gaming a bit, but mostly old stuff easily available bootlegged on markets stalls here.

Like Diablo 2 tongue

So I don't need a gig. But maybe I'll get it anyway to be l33t.

Actually, I'm sure there's more modern stuff here available too. Have been off the cutting edge of PC games for years. Any recommendations? I like C&C-esque strategy games, FPS' and RPGS. I love Advance Wars on the GBA.

("Intellectual property" doesn't exist here. There is a high street shop here that has all these imported original DVDs that they flog DVD-R copies of for about 3 quid!)

ffaker "Supporting nationalist and Islamist gangsters"
Posts: 249 Joined: 07-10-03 Location: London
7 February, 2007 - 11:09
revol68 wrote:
gamers that need to move onto Vista in the near future.

For what?

Not being sarcastic - genuine question.

revol68 ""Identity is a dream pathetic in its absurdity. You dream of being yourself when you've nothing better to do""
Posts: 17788 Joined: 23-02-04 Location: Belfast
7 February, 2007 - 11:10
asa wrote:
Yea I am gaming a bit, but mostly old stuff easily available bootlegged on markets stalls here.

Like Diablo 2 tongue

So I don't need a gig. But maybe I'll get it anyway to be l33t.

Actually, I'm sure there's more modern stuff here available too. Have been off the cutting edge of PC games for years. Any recommendations? I like C&C-esque strategy games, FPS' and RPGS. I love Advance Wars on the GBA.

("Intellectual property" doesn't exist here. There is a high street shop here that has all these imported original DVDs that they flog DVD-R copies of for about 3 quid!)

rome total war, oh and call of duty.

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