The “Ow” starts now – 100 reasons not to upgrade to Windows Vista (part 1)

Windows Vista. Basically paying $239 or $399 to buy Direct X 10, and some design and fixes to IE on top of Windows XP. That is $399 in the era of the ‘$100 laptop’ (admittedly the $100 is a goal, estimates currently lying at around $160).

Windows Vista is a step by Microsoft to keep gaming on Windows, and force content providers to be tied into Windows. You are basically buying their patches, which can be achieved for free using the steps below, some new graphics, which again, you can find for free using the Microsoft theme patch (to allow you to install you own themes on XP…) and DirectX 10. Don’t be fooled.
Do not upgrade to windows vista. Why you ask? Here are 100 reasons given by Microsoft to upgrade to Windows Vista, and 100 reasons why you shouldn’t:

I have interspersed it with the 10 reasons Microsoft gave to upgrade to Windows XP.

If you use WindowsXP you should certainly either wait until the NEXT Windows, or switch right now to Apple or Linux. Don’t upgrade to Vista. Tell your friends.

1. It makes using your PC a breeze

Windows Vista features a breakthrough design and easy-to-use organizational tools that make it simpler to get things done and get on with life! Find what you need instantly, on your PC or on the web, with Instant Search. Bring more clarity to your tasks with the spectacular Windows Aero user experience and Windows Flip 3DA, allowing you to see everything you’re working on at a glance.

Windows XP:

Easy to Use

The clean, simple design of Windows XP puts the features you use most often at your fingertips, helping you find them quickly.

Windows XP does this. If you buy Windows Vista you are paying for a graphical face lift and some features ripped off an Apple computer.

Verdict: Strike 1. Your going to pay twice to fix the mistakes Microsoft made with XP? You think you’ll pay the upgrade just for some shmancy graphics?. Don’t upgrade to Windows Vista.

2. Because all of your music is just a remote control click away

Navigate and play your music collection with just the click of a remote control! Windows Media Center and a compatible remote controlM let you quickly search and select tracks visually by album art, or by artist, album title, song, year, or genre. Share your Media Center screen and remoteM and give everyone the chance to mix and play their favorites.

This is entirely unrelated to Windows Vista. A lot of PC’s come with remote controls that that you play music off them and other stuff. If you want to do this, buy a remote control, don’t buy Vista and a remote control.

Verdict: Strike 2. Remote controls are not a reason to upgrade. Don’t upgrade to Windows Vista.

3. It’s the safest version of Windows ever

Windows Vista provides better protection for your PC, your personal information, and your family than any previous version of Windows—with new security tools like Windows Defender, anti-spam and phishing filters, and Parental Controls. Automatic backups, Performance Self-Tuning, and built-in diagnostics help you keep your data protected and your PC running smoothly.

Hahahahahaha. The number 1 reason to buy WindowsXP was:

Help Protect Your PC

Automatically keep your PC up-to-date with the latest security enhancements including the Windows Security Center, Windows Firewall, and more to help protect it from viruses and worms that can spread through the Internet.

Download a free firewall. Use Firefox. Don’t buy Vista and then have to download a firewall and use Firefox as well.

Verdict: Strike 3. Windows Vista already has bugs in it, and the copies are already shipping to the shelves, you’ll still need to and want to use Firefox, and IE7 is a resounding failuire. Don’t upgrade to Windows Vista.

4. See your world in a whole new light

The breakthrough design of the Windows AeroA user interface brings new clarity to your PC experience. With spectacular visual effects, like translucent glass-like menu bars that let you see behind your application window, you’re one click away from everything you’re working with.

Erm. What did I say about paying all that money JUST for a graphical upgrade? You can reskin windows XP to look like Vista if you are that impressed – after all Microsoft spent more money on Vistas graphic design, marketting and shiney packaging than developing it. [2]

Verdict: Strike 4. Windows Vista is copying graphical effects from Apple and Linux, if you want nice effects, try them for Free. Don’t upgrade to Windows Vista.

5. It can find your stuff

All-new search and organization tools in Windows Vista will help you quickly find what you need on your hard drive or on the web. Instantly find and launch a document, photo, e-mail, song, video, file, or program on your PC with Instant Search.

What I LOVE about this one is that, Microsoft planned for this feature in Vista before they had finished coding Windows XP. What do I mean? That they delayed this feature?

No, I mean Microsoft deliberately crippled WindowsXP’s search capabilities JUST SO they could improve them in Vista. I find it functional to search for files under Windows 2000, yet dysfunctional to search for files under WindowsXP, even after some registry hacking.

Verdict: Strike 5. Don’t pay Microsoft for disabling searhc in WindowsXP, making it lethargic and opening all your zip files. Use Google Desktop search on your Windows 2000 or Windows XP. Don’t upgrade to Windows Vista.

6. Because you’re always on the run

Windows Vista offers new mobility features that let you stay productive and entertained on the go. Windows Mobility Center, Network and Sharing Center, and Sync Center help you stay connected and keep your PC and portable devices up to date with your latest calendar, contacts, and music. Choose an ultra-light Tablet PCA and use a digital pen to handwrite notes or make sketches on the run. Take a break and enjoy your favorite TV shows, movies, music, and games wherever you find yourself, with Windows Media CenterM on your notebook PC.

Networking works in WindowXP. There is NOTHING that you can do in Vista that you cannot do in WindowsXP. Oh, Microsoft would if it could, they would make a new protocol that only ran on Vista and force the world to upgrade, but they can’t. Sync Center is just a rehashed activeSync. Everything can be done with mobile devices today on Windows 2000, Windows XP, Linux and Apple, works. There is nothing new here.

Verdict: Strike 6. Rehash and bug fixes to previous versions of software (hey isn’t that what Vista is anyway?) being branded and sold as new features. Don’t upgrade to Windows Vista.

7. Because you can freeze time

Organize a lifetime of photos and home movies with ease using Windows Photo Gallery. Tag your photos by date, keyword, star rating, or any identifying label you choose—so you can find them when you want them.

Someone should really sue Microsoft on this one. You can’t freeze time with Windowa Vista. Oh. You mean:

7. Look at photos and organise them

Ooooh! Yeah, that is new. Haven’t done that before. Oh, and Windows XP said:

Communicate and Share Memories Easily with Family and Friends

Now it’s easier than ever to communicate via text, voice, or video using Windows Messenger. In addition, you’ll find it’s easy to organize, edit, and share pictures and home movies using My Pictures and Windows Movie Maker.

Verdict: Strike 7. Download Picassa 2 and use Picassa Web Albums. And Flickr. And the myriad of other websites. Don’t upgrade to Windows Vista.

8. Your PC can take care of itself

Performance Self Tuning, Self-Healing technologies, Built-in Diagnostics, and repair tools keep your computer running at its best and provide automatic fixes, so you can spend less time dealing with problems and enjoy a more reliable PC experience.

I promise you that you will suffer, I mean, Suffer if you try and upgrade to Vista. There will be issues. Self-healing technology? Is that to compliment the self-destructive technology? It breaks itself, but hey, most of the time it can fix it, you just loose the last thing you were doing… here is what Windows XP said:

Recover Easily from Problems Caused by System or Application Changes

If something goes wrong with your computer, you can easily remove and roll back any system or application changes without losing files and other valuable information.

Diagnostic and repair tools? Flash back to the annoying ‘repair’ programs being sold over download center websites. Speaking of problems, surely the last 5 versions of Windows are the reasons why you had those problems in the first place.

How do you think Microsoft will sell its next version of Windows? ‘Fixes all the problems with Vista’. That’s right, as soon as they sell 80% of their dwindling catch they expect, the rumours of the new version will come out, and they will have to have forged some pretty monopolistic game / content / network deals to ensure people have to upgrade by that time.

Verdict: Strike 8. Considering stability was used to sell XP, now Vista, and will be used to sell the next Windows, you can clearly ignore this. Don’t upgrade to Windows Vista.

9. Unchain your mobile PC

Network and Sharing Center lets you set up a wireless networkN at home so you can experience the freedom of working from your living room, backyard, or anywhere in your home.

Wireless networks. Not new. My Linux, Windows 2000, XP, all do wireless. The “Wow” started about 7 years ago. And it wasn’t anything to do with Windows. Windows XP was sold as:

Set Up and Share Your Computer Quickly and Easily

Quickly set up and connect all the computers, printers, devices, and an Internet connection in your home with the all new Network Setup Wizard. Sharing a computer with others has never been easier; quickly access your personal files and accounts without having to close applications or restart the computer.

Quickly Connect to Wireless Networks

Windows XP provides rich, wireless network support, helping you simply and easily connect to wireless networks whether in your home, office, or out on the road.

Verdict: Strike 9. Wireless networking has nothing to do with Windows Vista. They are trying to sell you the basic features that operating systems should have as ‘new’ things. Is Windows Vista’s wireless networking ‘richer’?. Don’t upgrade to Windows Vista.

10. Surf more safely

Dynamic Security Protection in Windows Internet Explorer 7 helps protect your PC and your personal information when you’re online. Internet Explorer 7 also includes many new features designed to help protect you against malware.

Well this is a classic. IE 6 was the most secure Browser. Microsoft care so little about you they didn’t update it until their hold was threatened by other browsers. They let you wait with IE6 until they felt they needed to do something.

Streamline and Safeguard your Web Browsing Experience

Internet Explorer 6 simplifies Web browsing tasks as well as helping keep your personal information private. It blocks most annoying pop-up ads, provides warnings regarding security issues, and helps stop downloads that could harm your PC.

Windows XP, Windows 2000, Linux, Apple, they all run Firefox, and other browsers such as Opera. Use them. Don’t use IE. IE7 sucks, it is merely IE6 with some minor changes and some updates so it wouldn’t ruin the only thing you pay for in Vista… the graphics.

Verdict: Strike 10. IE7 sucks wether you are on Windows 2000, Windows XP or Windows Vista. Use Firefox. Don’t upgrade to Windows Vista.

11. Help protect your kids online

Manage family access to Internet sites through centralized Parental Controls that let you set browsing controls that restrict access to inappropriate sites and give your children a safer Internet experience.

WindowsXP has a setting for parental controls, but as most people know these setups do not work well (since it relies on websites, forums and personal websites to implement the proprietary tags and rating systems). If you have children accessing the web you should look at free / open source parental control apps such as CensorNet. You can be sure that these will be actively developed by those with an incentive to do so, the same people who use them!

Verdict: Strike 11. Possibly the most misleading claim made by Microsoft, as it seems this ‘feature’ does nothing more than that in Windows XP. Don’t upgrade to Windows Vista.

Of course note the ‘help protect’. You also have to be sure about who they are talking to online… what they are watching and downloading from P2P.

12. Schedule showtime on your time

Windows Media CenterM makes it simple to get your favorite television shows on your own time. Use a compatible remote control and the built-in television guide to find, schedule, and record live TV—and watch your shows on your desktop PC, laptop, or television screen. Don’t miss a single episode!

Yeah, your TV already does this, and there are open source offerings to do this. You do not need Vista to do this. You can watch and record TV on a windows 2000 machine using one of the many new USB tuners. Windows XP can do this as well – install VLC and / or Democracy (I didn’t like it that much) or Joost (I also found it a bit lacking but I like the idea of a fullscreen dedicated youTube app).

If you are looking for a real next gen operating system, or to relegate one of your machines, setup, or find a local linux group to help you setup MythTv. It’s Awesome.

Verdict: Strike 12. Media Center PC’s are cool. Save the money you would spend on Windows Vista and By Apple’s appleTV (almost called it iTV). What would you buy with you $399? Don’t upgrade to Windows Vista.

13. Because you need to know who the bad guys are

The Phishing Filter and anti-phishing technology in Windows Internet Explorer 7 give you a warning when you browse suspicious or known malicious websites—so you can help protect your personal information against fraud.

The bad guys are Microsoft, and they are trying to take you hard earned $399+ dollars just so they can consolidate their market for a few more years and sell you another upgrade. Use Firefox and you wouldn’t need there phishing filters. These features are entirely features of IE7, and therefore you do not need Windows Vista for this. If you are stupid to use IE, at least use IE7. But, give the developers a break and use FireFox, it uses google to check for sites integrity, or let’s you use FireFox’s centralized phishing site db.

Verdict: Strike 13. Unlucky Microsoft, those $399 are looking more and more like a waste, money for old rope, with a new lick of paint. Microsoft and similar companies thrive on new Jargon. Phishing sounds so scarey you feel like you want to upgrade. Use Firefox. Don’t upgrade to Windows Vista.

14. Make any room a media room

With Windows Media CenterM, you can access and project your TV, music, photos, and movies to any room in your house when you connect an Xbox 360 and other Media Center Extenders through your wired or wireless home networkN. Just grab the remote control, select your favorite entertainment from your TV or PC screen, and let the fun begin!

As we mentioned, remote controls are not Vista specific. Neither are Xbox’s. Media Center Extenders… I am guessing here but that sounds like a box that supports Microsofts proprietary media formats, and can talk to your Computer. Again, not Vista specific.

Verdict: Strike 14. There are a store of third party media boxes, speakers, screens, converters etc. Buy these to do what you want, use your computer as a media server. You don’t need Vista to do that. Don’t upgrade to Windows Vista.

15. Because your PC remembers to back up for youWindows Backup and Restore Center offers improved backup and restore functions, with automatically scheduled backups to preserve priceless digital photos, music, movies, and documents.

There are plenty of backup solutions, and as we near the age of google hosting your photos, docs and email, backup on your own machine becomes less prevalent. But, there are solutions packed with every DVD writer, tht backup your my docs to wonderful optical media. yummy.

Verdict: Strike 15. Computer backups have been around since before computer monitors. You don’t need Vista to do easy backups. Don’t upgrade to Windows Vista.

16. Get your new computer up and running in no time

Windows Easy Transfer makes it easier to set up your new computer by automatically transferring your important content, like files, folders, settings, and e-mail messages, from your old computer to your new one.

This one is important!! But not for Windows Vista. One day your memory will corrupt, your motherboard will succumb to the salty sea air around your secret volcano lair. Or you will just want to play the latest games (in openGL of course!) . When they happens you will want to buy a new machine. Right now companies are offering transfer services from windows when you buy a new Windows Vista PC. But, next time you want to spend $400 on a new machine (you have a screen already right?) why spent another $400 on your operating system? Especially since it does *nothing* new?

Ask the guys if they can copy your old windows XP license to a fresh windows XP install, then copy your data, and apps. This means you get a new computer with ZERO cost. How many people do you know who ended up paying for windows XP more than once because they didn’t bother to check? Don’t upgrade to Windows Vista.

Part 2 coming soon! If you know another reason not to get Windows Vista, let everyone know!

Also, what to buy with the $399 you save? Buy a Playstation 3, not Vista. You can also read another article on why not to buy Vista.