Help !! New to Windows

[dxqcanada]

I decided to try out "Windows".
I had heard about this from friends of mine ... they said it was the latest greatest.

My first problem was trying to find an ISO that I could download and burn to a CD.
I finally figured out that I had to buy a copy ... though I thought there might be a LiveCD available on the web, so I can just take a look at it to see if it was OK for me.

At the store it appears that there are many different versions of Windows ... I ended up with one called Vista something.
I was quite surprised with the cost.

I booted up my Laptop with the intent of installing it ... the install appeared to go OK.
After rebooted I noticed that the desktop was pretty fancy (though it took a while to stop processing stuff) ... I was ready to start.

Looking through the start menu I noticed that there are not many applications that come with Vista ... I do remember from the installation that I was never prompted to what applications I wanted to install.
I would have thought that there would be many applications available since it was on a DVD.

... hmm, this Vista is kinda slow ...

Well, I started with a web browser called IE7 ... since there is no wireless card in my Laptop, I stuck in my USB wireless card ... Vista does not appear to have a driver for it ... as it kept asking me for a driver. I stuck in the CD that came with the wireless card ... Vista told me the driver was not compatible !!!

OK, I will try talking to my Palm Pilot ... so I stuck my USB to Serial converter in (my laptop does not have a serial port) ... again Vista asked me for a driver. Stuck in the CD ... Vista seemed to like that driver.
I installed my Palm sync application. As soon as I tried to talk to my Palm, Vista displayed this blue screen with a bunch of messages ... looks like it crashed.

So far I am not too happy with this operating system ... I think I will go back to Linux as it was easier.

[Dapper Dan]

Lol! dxqcanada! Priceless! ROFL...

[Freston]

At the store it appears that there are many different versions of Windows ... I ended up with one called Vista something.
I was quite surprised with the cost.

Yes but for that money you get a printed manual and 24/7 support on your OS.

After rebooted I noticed that the desktop was pretty fancy (though it took a while to stop processing stuff) ... I was ready to start.

Maybe it's configuring in the background. What is the output of 'top'?

Looking through the start menu I noticed that there are not many applications that come with Vista ... I do remember from the installation that I was never prompted to what applications I wanted to install.
I would have thought that there would be many applications available since it was on a DVD.

Hmmm... that's probably a bug in the installer. Can you browse your dvd? Look for a directory such as /media/dvd/extra/apps... maybe you can install them manually.

... hmm, this Vista is kinda slow ...

Slow like openSUSE? Maybe look at /etc/rc.d/ or /etc/init.d/ for unneeded services.

Well, I started with a web browser called IE7

??

... since there is no wireless card in my Laptop, I stuck in my USB wireless card ... Vista does not appear to have a driver for it ... as it kept asking me for a driver. I stuck in the CD that came with the wireless card ... Vista told me the driver was not compatible !!!

You probably need a proprietary driver. Vista can't handle proprietary drivers due to legal reasons.

I installed my Palm sync application. As soon as I tried to talk to my Palm, Vista displayed this blue screen with a bunch of messages ... looks like it crashed.

A blue screen? Don't worry, that's just the screensaver. Move your mouse around or press the spacebar or whatever. It'll work.

So far I am not too happy with this operating system ... I think I will go back to Linux as it was easier.

Well, you can always ask your money back.


Cancel or allow?

[Artesia]

LOL nice! And so close to home!

When I purchased this laptop, it came with Vista and out of the box, it didn't recognize my DVD burner. Toshiba tech support directed me to a page with instructions because it was an issue that kept popping up with Vista on their laptops. (Btw I have nothing but good things to say about Toshiba tech support.)

And I never got the BSOD with this machine. Instead, the screen would go dark. Not off--there was still a slight backlight but the screen was black. The Off button was my only option at that point. It happened quite randomly, too. I was actually concerned that it might be a hardware issue, but I haven't had the problem once since I've been running linux.

[MikeTbob]

I knew this would be good, but I didn't expect to be blowin' coke a cola out my nose! Well done Folks, Well done.

[dxqcanada]

This post was thought out as a serious post concerning the illusion that other Operating System's are easier than Linux ... or do not have similar hardware issues.

Then I starting thinking about what it would be like as a Linux user who experiences MS Windows for the first time.

... no imagine what it would be like for someone to be given Apple OS-X and told to install it on a non-Apple hardware system.

[Geeth]

This post was thought out as a serious post concerning the illusion that other Operating System's are easier than Linux ... or do not have similar hardware issues.

Then I starting thinking about what it would be like as a Linux user who experiences MS Windows for the first time.

... no imagine what it would be like for someone to be given Apple OS-X and told to install it on a non-Apple hardware system.

Good point.

To me it's like someone who has always driven a automatic car then getting thrown into a manual.

You know the general idea, steer, speed up, old people are worth 10 points. However you don't know the gear changing and you don't know the finer points.

Well thats as I see it with the easier distros.

For the harder ones a better analagy would be going from a car to a motorbike.
You know a little, but not much and you need lessons to get better at it.

In the end to me it all comes down to what you are comftable and if you would like to step out of your comfort zone to try something else.
I grew up with windows and I find it easy.
I am learning linux and loving it. I still like windows but linux is just more interesting for me becuase i dont know it.

Oops thats a bit of a rant

[ls354]

One word "Awesome"

[elija]

Excellent.

With your permission, I might engage troll mode and find a Windows
forum to post it on

[dxqcanada]

I do not endorse Trolling ... unless it is being used as an educational tool

It is all about perception ... though I have found that Vista is a nasty OS to work with.