Thank Goodness for Windows XP

[drbill]

I've been looking to buy a new computer so I could update my ancient ones (6 year old running Win 2000 Pro and 9 year old running Win 98). The only computers with all the features I wanted came with only Vista installed. I was not about to risk the incompatibility issues so many speak of with that OS.

Finally I found a system I could live with that came with XP installed... and installation disks for Vista should I ever want to use them for anything but drink coasters. It arrived yesterday.

Today I started installing all my old software (some programs as ancient as 10 years). So far not one application has balked under XP. I am sooooo glad I didn't have to spend billions of dollars to upgrade my software when I upgraded my system. I'm one who believes that if your existing software does what you need it to, why spend hundreds of dollars each to upgrade.

Wondering how many PC users out there have had to face the problem of software incompatibilities under Vista and switched back to XP?

 

[Thalassamania]

XP rules.

 

[ekremer]

I had to install some very specific and very old music composing software for a neighbor of mine on Vista. The result was a downgrade to XP. More then one of the applications has been purchased by Apple and they no longer make windows versions of the software so upgrading was not a possibility But that was the only issue I have had so far with Vista as it relates to software. hardware is a different story.

I suspect that 90% of your 10 year old programs would work in computability mode on Vista, unless you have something very peculiar. So far the most common problems I have run into are Direct X issues that have been easily solved by a Google search.

 

[Warthaug]

We've been upgrading many of our system at work, and so far we've had great success with vista (using compatibility mode). There is only one exception to that, but that software dated back to 1991 and was originally designed to run under dos on a 486 system.

One option that I've seen a few people use is to use a linux box with windows programs running under wine (or a similar windows emulator). Wine does a pretty good job of running XP and earlier windows applications. You take a performance hit, but on todays processors those old programs run just fine.

Bryan

 

[Thadmn]

I'd go with the Vista. I believe the bugs are worked out and I haven't heard of many compatibility problems with other programs. I didn't have any problems when I switched to XP either, and those programs were compatible with Windows 95. Another thing to consider is that support for XP won't be available for too much longer.

Go with the premium version as well. There's no point in buying the Home Basic version.

 

[alcina]

After my laptop died a horrible death a week or so ago, I had to buy whatever they had on the shelf. It has Vista.

I am currently working on it until hubby gets home or until I can find the directions to do a clean install of XP as I have no interest really in working with Vista, though several friends aren't finding too many problems with it.

I like what I am comfortable with - XP works for me, so I'll try to change back.

 

[Thadmn]

Another thought, you could partition your hard drive and install both operating systems if you are concerned about it. You would then have a dual bootable system and would have a choice each time you turn it on.

 

[Thalassamania]

Another thought, you could partition your hard drive and install both operating systems if you are concerned about it. You would then have a dual bootable system and would have a choice each time you turn it on.

That's what I did. Guess what? I almost never boot to Vista.

 

[Thadmn]

That's what I did. Guess what? I almost never boot to Vista.

Alright! Why not Windows 3.1?

 

[Thalassamania]

Alright! Why not Windows 3.1?

3.1 sucked the big one. Vista runs nice and stable for me, but they dumbed down the menus and made things hard to find. I only use it when I have to. Maybe some day I'll adjust, but I still keep a DOS 6.11 boot disk around.