Am I Famous Now…

I’ve had enough of Windows Vista. Really.
I’ve been using Windows Vista since the early days long before anybody spoke of Vista. The era of Against TCPA. I’ve seen how Windows Vista grew to an amazing and very stable platform.

Compared to Build 4008, the first one I was invited to test, today’s platform is a beauty. Vista’s concept is not too mind blowing, but many server technology has found its way in to the platform, and even more than Windows XP, with time system administrators will rave about the stability and the network features^[1].
Yes, you heard that correctly: I love Vista. It’s the best desktop client MS has ever built. But it just doesn’t do it for me.

The interface is OK, actually I, eternal Windows Classic style user, have learned to appreciate the Vista Aero interface. I have no exotic hardware components and have had no problems since Vista hit Gold. Really, it’s a beauty. There are minor problems, but that’s normal for a pre-service pack platform, especially considered the open SDK policy MS has.
Actually, I can only recommend it to anyone, because Vista today is what Windows Server 2003 (SP1) is in server environment. A solid platform with many features most people never will use.

But I, I am every day more and more starting to hate Vista. It’s just not spiffy enough.
I run Vista at home on 3 PCs:

1. A P4 HT 2.80Ghz with 1.5GB RAM (serving as file and media server);
2. My main desktop PC, a Pentium D 3.40Ghz (in ’sales’ language: Pentium Dual Core 6.80Ghz 64Bit) with 4GB RAM;
3. My Dell notebook, Intel Core 2 Duo @ 1.83Ghz with 2GB RAM.

All three have SATA hard drives and run Windows Vista Enterprise Edition. All three are lame. Vista just doesn’t react fast enough for me, somehow I have the feeling that my old P4 2.8Ghz laptop with only 512MB and a slow HDD (4200rpm) was spiffier.
I’m seriously considering downgrading to Windows XP for the laptop and the desktop PC. W000t! at running tons of apps with less than 50 running processes, right now I’m at 85 to 90 processes for the same (XP heavily tuned of course). And although there absolutely no need for is, the media and files server will soon run Windows Server 2003 R2.
Cut the *NIX crap, my work requires interaction with Exchange server and many more MS only applications.

But best of all… in October I’ll finally switch to Apple.
Hopefully together with Leopard, new MacBookPros will hit the shelves. After saying I want to try Apple for many years, I decided this time it WILL happen. All in all it can’t be that bad either, if even Duncan doesn’t complain about his new Mac.
But I sincerely look forward to a Mac V.1 release. Let the wait for the future bitching start. And the saving for all kind of software, not subventioned by my employer.

Apple, here I come. iTunes I will hate you even more if I have to use you daily!
Bye Logitech diNovo Laser Desktop Edition.

^[1] When it comes to operating systems, I consequently ignore terms such as Home and Basic Edition.