If you’ve read this blog any recently, you’ll remember I bought a new laptop with Vista as the OS (operating system) on it. Well, the laptop in itself is great! I love the look and feel of it and the keyboard layout works well for my hands. I’m using it mostly for my projects plus a few games and I was enjoying using it even with Vista’s annoyances. Until lately that is.

The Toshiba has 2 gigs of memory from the factory installed and is the same amount I have on my desktop machine that runs both Ubuntu and XP Pro. Thing is, the laptop will nearly run out of memory while running Dreamweaver, Fireworks and Notepad++ along with having some open windows for searching for images, docs, etc.

I’ll get a warning box telling me that Vista is low on memory and I need to save then close any open applications. That’s a load for Vista? I never get this on my desktop and I’ve had way more apps and windows running on it no matter if I’m in Ubuntu or XP!

To give you an idea of what I’m talking about, right now as I type this…Vista’s memory is hovering right around the half-way mark. All I have open is Firefox and Google’s desktop app. That’s it. more…

Well by now I’m sure a lot of folks out there are wondering about the same thing…do we go with this new Vista operating system (OS) and all it’s seemingly expensive requirements? Or, do we stick with our trusty copy of XP Home or Professional that has served us so well?

To be absolutely honest with you, I’m sticking with XP Pro for now but with a hitch. I’m presently experimenting with a couple distributions of Linux as my next choice in an OS. Reasons why are many. They range from security, adaptability, productivity and also…cost. That last reason is a good start for this post.

The cost of a distro (distribution) of Linux is usually free. That’s right, I said free! The reason is that it is considered open source software and as such is free to users world wide to do with as they wish. Modify it, use it, screw it up…makes no difference. The copy they use can be done with as they wish. Now, this is a rough explanation and it is better explained here as they are much better at it than I. I’m merely a newbie at this at this point but, I’m learning! more…

Ever since Bill Gate$ and company began their march through internet land, all we’ve heard is how this will be the latest and greatest thing to ever grace our computerized lives. From Windows ‘95 on up to XP…we’ve heard various offerings of the same thing. It’s still coming on strong with the newly released Vista OS (operating system).

Before it’s release ever became a reality, M/$ worked ever so hard to come up with a new OS that would be less buggy (M/$? less buggy?) and be much more secure than it’s predecessors were. <insert loud cough here>

M/$ even offered a test drive to a large crowd of dignitaries that ranged in profession from engineers to hackers. (Yes, hackers too) This test drive was designed to show off just how secure the new OS was. M/$ people strutted about the room with chests puffed out and the look of confidence in their faces. Too bad it was for naught (cool word thrown in here).

Several of the dignitaries began to raise their hands to indicate a hole in this so-called secure new code of theirs. Shock and awe crept across the faces of M/$ execs as hand after hand slowly rose one after another. Holes in the code were being found. Quickly too! Faces of confidence were now turning to faces of stone as the realization of yet another failure began to sink in.

Now, several months later, M/$ is rushing to sell it’s new OS to the general public. Grand reviews abound telling one and all about this latest and greatest thing to ever grace our computerized lives. Sounds familiar…too familiar. Seems in their rush to get the product to market they may have forgotten about that pesky little hole (or two or three?) in their new OS. That’s ok…they’ll rush out the patches…again. Maybe in a month or two…after they see just how quickly the real world hackers can locate the flaws.

Check this page out for more info on the 10 reasons NOT to get Vista!

All this and several hundred dollars for an upgrade to this “Leaky” Vista? Not to mention all the hardware upgrades we’re going to be forced to go through, the software drivers we’re going to have to scurry to locate and who knows what else after we find out Vista just won’t work as advertised.

Thanks M/$ but no thanks. Think I’ll just stick with my trusty Linux.