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Ask DLS: Vista SP2 Beta released: Does the public care?
Could SP2 actually take care of some of the irritations that have plagued other Vista users? Perhaps more importantly, does anyone really care? Vista has been taking such a beating in the media that it seems as though no one will. Prevailing sentiment seems to be that Vista should be ignored and left to die while development on Windows 7 continues.
While enhancements like Windows Search 4.0, native Blu-Ray media burning, improved wireless, and Bluetooth 2.1 support are great, I've yet to see any perception-altering features mentioned.
Personally, I've never hated Vista, and I've been able to work through or disable any of the annoyances I've encoutered (like UAC). I recently installed Ultimate x64 and I've been enjoying quite a bit. Photoshop CS4 runs like a dream, and Eset recently released a beta of my favorite internet security suite.
My Vista install is running just fine right now, but if SP2 can tweak my system's performance or squeeze a few more minutes of battery life out of my laptop, then I'm all for it.
What are your thoughts? Do you think Vista SP2 will do anything to really improve the OS, or does it stink of a last-ditch effort to "salvage" the experiment?
Comments
34
Subscribe to commentsKemwerDec 3rd 2008 8:53AM
I know I started using Vista after SP1, only because that only then I got me a computer powerful enough to handle it, but I have a really hard time understand why people still complain about Vista.
It works fine, it looks great, it runs everything I need (one of the reasons for having no intention of ever getting a Mac), and the only problem I had with it (UAC) was solved two minutes after installing, when I just disabled it and got on with my life.
That is the problem of gadget blogs having so many Apple fanboys. They seem so frustrated for being the minority that they need to scream and try to convince everybody they are right. Newsflash: nobody's right, just use what is best for you.
sjs2626Dec 2nd 2008 5:31PM
Same here. I got an HP Pavillion laptop with Vista SP1 pre-installed and I never got what was wrong with it. It looks nice, works well provided you have enough CPU and RAM, and doesn't have any glaring flaws.
Drew GreenDec 2nd 2008 3:49PM
So this public release is a beta of SP2?
ToddDec 2nd 2008 3:53PM
"...Does the public care?"
Answer: No.
If you want to see the public "care" I would suggest Microsoft put its money where it mouth is and immediately cease all sales of XP, end of life support for it, make completely unavailable...
Then only provide Vista SP2 to the market.
ShtankyDec 2nd 2008 3:59PM
Vista works well since SP1 and since third parties have updated their drivers.
Windows 7 is Vista with a different name and some minor tweaks, all of which could be (but won't) patched into the current release of Vista.
The public hears "Vista" and thinks "buggy". Microsoft will break this perception by re-releasing what will essentially be Vista SP3 as "Windows 7". The people who never used Vista SP1 or later will think that Windows 7 is great and congratulate themselves for skipping Vista, unaware that their newly beloved "Windows 7" is Vista re-branded.
Vista is the best version of Windows to date. Anyone who thinks otherwise made up their mind based on pre-SP1 hearsay and doesn't care to be bothered with the facts.
faustuscmDec 2nd 2008 4:06PM
I disagree. I've installed Vista 3 times. Release, after SP1, and recently because I finally had my hand forced because I wanted more then 4gb of RAM.
Each time its been pretty painful. I will say that given enough CPU and RAM Vista runs much better (drive copy time is still awful) and of course some programs are just slower to do things in Vista.
However over all its not been horrible... until my random blue screens started. Can't decide if its easier to track them down or reinstall.
WLDec 2nd 2008 4:22PM
I agree completely. Bad press is hard to shake in a pop culture society.
kojo87Dec 2nd 2008 7:58PM
well put sir. the name change is simply an attempt to remove it from the negative association. same reason its not the Mazda Miata anymore. its now the Mazda MX-5. same car. but when you hear Miata you think girly convertible. if Microsoft can make 7 look different enough people wouldn't notice if it was essentially the same OS as Vista.
I like Vista. i always liked Vista. i was frustrated with poor driver support in the beginning but i didnt throw up my hands and buy a Macbook.
faustuscmDec 2nd 2008 4:03PM
I JUST had to bite the 64bit bullet so any improvement is welcome. Now if I can just figure out my random bluescreens...
SimbaDoggDec 2nd 2008 4:46PM
are you overclocked at all by any chance? don't know if you are or not, but blue screens suck ass. luckily i've been running my cpu overclocked for almost 2 years now, and can't remember a single blue screen.
faustuscmDec 2nd 2008 5:01PM
Not a single bit of over clocking involved.
JoelDec 3rd 2008 4:24PM
I had bluescreen problems at one point, b ut it turned out to be from a faulty hard drive. Problems like that are hard to track down.
RyanDec 2nd 2008 4:24PM
Vista Ultimate x64 has always run great for me, and it's because of that that I don't really care too much about the latest SP. Still I can't wait for Win 7
Brent CDec 2nd 2008 4:28PM
Vista is by far the best Windows OS available!
There is a great program for people who do not like the Windows UAC prompts by Norton Labs (http://www.nortonlabs.com/inthelab/uac.php).
sjs2626Dec 2nd 2008 5:31PM
http://tweak-uac.com/home/
Tweak UAC will disable all the prompts without needing to reboot when you shut it off. And you can turn it back on at any time (if you're crazy enough to do that!)
blogwardDec 2nd 2008 4:52PM
UAC can be 'turned down' rather than off, and then it does the job well. What gets me with Windows of any flavour is the way it randomly forgets the interface, network and security settings you think you've configured - probably the reason people often leave their PCs running...the W7 beta doesn't seem to behave any differently either.
nathanielDec 2nd 2008 6:22PM
I think they should keep developing it. Otherwise, what will happen to all those people who are now stuck with Vista. And considering the price of Vista when it first came out, most people are unlikely to spend more money to upgrade Vista to 7.
LaneDec 2nd 2008 7:35PM
I care. And anyone else who owns Vista should care. It'll be full of improvements that anyone can benefit from. You should all quit bashing on Vista just because it's the "cool thing to do".
DaveDec 2nd 2008 7:35PM
I have so many problems with Vista that I can't imagine any service pack making it usable for me. Especially one that adds unnecessary candy like Blu Ray whatever.
I stopped using it at home due to interface changes that drive me nuts (like the missing UP ARROW in file explorer, and the lack of a GUI for Defrag, and the new Windows Update system that doesn't let you see what is really going on)
At work I have 3 Vista machines that I have been too lazy to downgrade. These cause me sooooo many headaches I can not describe. Problems with remote access services, problems with printers, you name it. I get more calls for those 3 machines than the other 40 machines in my network combined.
They would have to work some miracles with this SP to get me to care about it. I still see no reason what-so-ever to use Vista over XP.
DavalosDec 2nd 2008 8:23PM
The people I typically see bash windows are those kinds of people who think that printers still run using a parallel port and get pissed off that it won't work on Vista... and when you run crappy hardware with Vista, you get crappy results... And buying a cheap computer is like buying cheap condoms, sure it's totally worth it now, but you'll be kicking yourself 9 months.