The Death of Xp

[simcha]

Mem and Bbucko,

Yep I went directly from Windoze98 to XP. I will skip Vista. I have friends who have it and I've heard that they've had nothing but problems with it.

I made the switch from Mac to PC with Windoze98. I used NT in the workplace, it was OK... I was a web developer then and did some graphic design. I was Mac and PC capable at that time. I've used my Mom's Mac that has OSX and it's just OK. Mac is not lightyears ahead like they used to be... They are way overpriced and they don't have any good software. The graphics (for any design work) has gone down in quality too. I agree with WoBbles.

 

[mindseye]

During the summer, I'm teaching in an enrichment program for disadvantaged and at-risk high school students; partially funded by an NSF grant that enables us to rent laptops for each student for the duration of the program. This year the laptops came with Vista instead of XP, and we've had far more different problems than in years before. (Last year, we had a pretty major software conflict that affected just about everyone in the program, but it was the same problem every time, and once we got it fixed, the fix worked for everyone. This year, it seems like there are about 30 different glitches, each of which affects only one or two students.)

I haven't used Vista myself; when Windows started doing that product activation crap with XP, I switched over from Windows 2000 to Ubuntu then.

And before someone says it, GIMP is not as good as Photoshop, ffs.

Having used both, and now using GIMP exclusively, I'd say that GIMP isn't $900 worse than Photoshop.

 

[WifeOfBath]

Having used both, and now using GIMP exclusively, I'd say that GIMP isn't $900 worse than Photoshop.

I use Photoshop, Bridge, and Lightroom every day. I've also used GIMP. For the average user, GIMP is fine. For what I do, there's simply no comparison. I have friends who range from photographers, graphic artists to web designers and we all use Photoshop very differently and haven't found another tool that's comparable.

The other thing is that you can pay $600 for CS3 now and the upgrades only cost maybe $200. If you're editing photos for your galleries and your scrapbooks, GIMP is probably fine. I've advised many people to not waste money on Photoshop and instead get Elements or use GIMP. But if you're a professional photographer, designer, etc., they aren't the same. The average person can use a $300 digital camera and never need anything more, but I have thousands of dollars worth of camera equipment that I couldn't do without. It's the same with GIMP vs. Photoshop.

 

[deleted15807]

I think NT was a dud too. I must have gone from 98 to XP also. I don't even remember what OS I had before XP.

I don't bitch too much about Vista. It's not that bad. I'm just pissed that they are rushing to a new system so fast.

Without a top-to-bottom rewrite Windows 7 I don't expect much from it.

 

[transformer_99]

Having used both, and now using GIMP exclusively, I'd say that GIMP isn't $900 worse than Photoshop.

Here's one of my favorite testimonials:

YouTube - mac vs pc

And not that particular short video was the greatest quality, But when someone really gets into

YouTube - Elephants Dream

 

[WifeOfBath]

Here's one of my favorite testimonials:

YouTube - mac vs pc

And not that particular short video was the greatest quality, But when someone really gets into

YouTube - Elephants Dream

These remind me of being in art school. A few of us the cheapest materials and equipment possible, partly out of necessity, partly out of rebellion, and partly out of how doing so made us re-think our work by using a different, non-industry standard solution. It was great fun, and there's some really cool stuff that comes out of using various alternative processes. I used a $20 plastic camera called a Holga for my senior thesis and those images were among the best I made.

But there's no way in hell I'd shoot a wedding or do a high-profile event with a Holga.

 

[transformer_99]

These remind me of being in art school. A few of us the cheapest materials and equipment possible, partly out of necessity, partly out of rebellion, and partly out of how doing so made us re-think our work by using a different, non-industry standard solution. It was great fun, and there's some really cool stuff that comes out of using various alternative processes. I used a $20 plastic camera called a Holga for my senior thesis and those images were among the best I made.

But there's no way in hell I'd shoot a wedding or do a high-profile event with a Holga.

OK, that one not good enough for you ? How about this one ?

YouTube - Big Buck Bunny

Here's some more:

http://www.blender.org/features-gallery/gallery/art-gallery/
http://www.blender.org/features-gallery/movies/

 

[EboniGoddess]

ok...for those like me can anyone explain what Linux is? I heard something in the thread about it being run from a cd? Does a screen using Linux look the same as mine (windows XP with internet explore 8).

And as far as XP not being sold anymore I got my laptop a few months (appox. 3.5)before they launched vista and the computer companies were already prepared. Laptops ussually come with those stickers on it that say Windows XP genuine or whatever.....mine said Windows XP- Microsoft Vista capable. Meaning that they were designing computers (as far back as 1 year before it was launched) to be able to make the transition over if the owner decided to.

 

[Mem]

I use Photoshop, Bridge, and Lightroom every day.

How did you quote me as saying something that Mindseye said? I don't even know what GIMP is. :biggrin1: Maybe a glitch in the system?

 

[mindseye]

ok...for those like me can anyone explain what Linux is? I heard something in the thread about it being run from a cd?

"Linux" is an operating system, like Windows and Mac OS, with the difference that it is free in two senses of the word: it's "free" as in it doesn't cost anything, but it's also "free" in the sense of freedom. The creators of Linux license it in such a way that anyone who downloads can look at the source code, make copies, change the way it works, add new features, and even release their own changes and upgrades.

Because people are free to tweak Linux to their own liking, there are about 200 different versions of Linux on the market (called "distros"). One of these distros, Ubuntu, is engineered to be friendly to Windows users who may be nervous or reluctant about trying a new operating system. Ubuntu can be run directly off a CD without ever installing anything to the user's hard drive (but by never writing to the hard drive, you lose all of your preference settins every time you shut down the machine), and it can also be installed in a way that makes it coexist peacefully on the same hard drive as Windows. (Ubuntu isn't the only distro which offers these features, but it's one of the most widely used.)

Does a screen using Linux look the same as mine (windows XP with internet explore 8).

Not exactly the same (although the appearence of the screen can be customized to look a LOT like Windows), but close enough to it that you can figure it out. I've attached a screenshot from my current session showing Ubuntu running two windows -- the Firefox browser where I'm editing this post, and a game.

 

[Lex]

... This year the laptops came with Vista instead of XP, and we've had far more different problems than in years before. (Last year, we had a pretty major software conflict that affected just about everyone in the program, but it was the same problem every time, and once we got it fixed, the fix worked for everyone. This year, it seems like there are about 30 different glitches, each of which affects only one or two students.)
...

I have had a similar experience. Bubba and I were given his dad's new Dell Laptop (as they do not use it). It has Vista on it. I have been working on my dissertation and decided to use the laptop as it allowed me to work at the kitchen table or in the living room as opposed to being glued down in the basement away from everyone else in the house.

On two separate occasions, the laptop totally lost all my work on my current version of my dissertation. By lost, I mean it did not save the changes I had made (and I am a save button-aloholic) and it deleted the older version from my USB drive. TWICE. Luckily I had back-up versions online.

In all I use three different computers (one in my office, and a desktop and this laptop at home) and this USB, MS Word issue has never happened once before or since except on this Vista machine.

I am going to look into putting Ubuntu on it pronto.

 

[deleted15807]

Windows is 'collapsing,' Gartner analysts warn

 

[Skull Mason]

my mac is a stud

 

[Deno]

when are people gonna realize that the Mac /Pc debate and the Xp /Vista debate have nothing to do with the products. Its the enduser that is usually at fault for the performance of there machine. Its not the size its how you use it. I have no problems with my pc running vista. And Vista isn't expensive either unless you think you gain anything by using the most expensive version. I bought the 99 dollar upgrade and was able to install it on a blank harddrive just like win98 and winxp did. I just used the boot from cd option in my bios setup. Vista was 99 dollars and there still trying to sell XP sp2 for 139 dollars. Go figure.

 

[WifeOfBath]

my mac is a stud

and i got to carry it.

 

[Dorian_Gray]

my mac is a stud

I know right. My MBP is like the energizer bunny. It just keeps going and going ....

when are people gonna realize that the Mac /Pc debate and the Xp /Vista debate have nothing to do with the products. Its the enduser that is usually at fault for the performance of there machine. Its not the size its how you use it. I have no problems with my pc running vista. And Vista isn't expensive either unless you think you gain anything by using the most expensive version. I bought the 99 dollar upgrade and was able to install it on a blank harddrive just like win98 and winxp did. I just used the boot from cd option in my bios setup. Vista was 99 dollars and there still trying to sell XP sp2 for 139 dollars. Go figure.

It's not completely the end user's fault. Vista on a notebook won't run worth shit with anything less than an intel 945 chipset, and that confuses people. Desktop wise, if it wasn't made 6mos before or anytime after vista was released it's gonna be a bitch to get to work, because the hardware drivers and the driver model under vista sucks. BUT... there are always a few exceptions. The computers with everything integrated like integrated graphics-audio-etc... are gonna work better and be more stable at first boot than the ones that have discrete older graphics cards or NON HD audio (IE - AC97 audio). Non HD audio or AC'97 trips vista up.

 

[Deno]

Yeah I totally understand that, but MS had put up compatibility website and explanations of this before even releasing the OS. I wanted a fully licensed OS so I spent a bit, 399 on a barebones kit that came with a 3.2 dualcore and got the 2 gigs of ram. So for 500 bucks I got one of the best computers I ever owned. I spent 953 dollars on my 32" wide screen lcd monitor and only 500 on the computer but I got to say playing games on the SLI video card is excellent.

If you have ac'97 issues and there realtech specs get the realtech drivers at there website. You have much more control if you don't use windows vista drivers.

 

[EboniGoddess]

"Linux" is an operating system, like Windows and Mac OS, with the difference that it is free in two senses of the word: it's "free" as in it doesn't cost anything, but it's also "free" in the sense of freedom. The creators of Linux license it in such a way that anyone who downloads can look at the source code, make copies, change the way it works, add new features, and even release their own changes and upgrades.

Because people are free to tweak Linux to their own liking, there are about 200 different versions of Linux on the market (called "distros"). One of these distros, Ubuntu, is engineered to be friendly to Windows users who may be nervous or reluctant about trying a new operating system. Ubuntu can be run directly off a CD without ever installing anything to the user's hard drive (but by never writing to the hard drive, you lose all of your preference settins every time you shut down the machine), and it can also be installed in a way that makes it coexist peacefully on the same hard drive as Windows. (Ubuntu isn't the only distro which offers these features, but it's one of the most widely used.)



Not exactly the same (although the appearence of the screen can be customized to look a LOT like Windows), but close enough to it that you can figure it out. I've attached a screenshot from my current session showing Ubuntu running two windows -- the Firefox browser where I'm editing this post, and a game.

thank you....that explains alot. so where can I find this "free' Linux?

And oh, if I were to do the xp to vista upgrade and I were to get my computer sent into my makers factory for a problem or something (where every time they set the computer to its factory settings) would I still have the vista?

 

[Dorian_Gray]

thank you....that explains alot. so where can I find this "free' Linux?

And oh, if I were to do the xp to vista upgrade and I were to get my computer sent into my makers factory for a problem or something (where every time they set the computer to its factory settings) would I still have the vista?

Please, don't do the upgrade from XP option. It will move all your files around and you'll see a noticible performance hit. Just save all your documents and pictures on one or 2 CD's or DVD's and your music on another, and do a clean install of vista. If you send your computer back to the MANU for a problem and it's software related I honestly don't know, but if your problem is hardware related, they don't touch windows, except to boot it up to see if it works.

 

[D_Martin van Burden]

I'm ready to switch to Ubuntu. Now that I use a 32" LCD as my computer monitor and I'll probably revert back to a wired ethernet connection after I move, I can burn the latest Ubuntu onto a CD and install it on my hard drive. So long as I can still use programs like Open Office and Firefox, I'm good to go.