Vista: The 'Huh?' starts now

[Dr Mordrid]

ComputerWorld article...

Microsoft is confusing everyone with its new OS; here's what you need to know

Mike Elgan

February 02, 2007 (Computerworld) -- Microsoft is losing consumer operating system market share to Apple for many reasons, but most of those reasons can be oversimplified thus: Mac OS is simple, and Windows is complicated.

That's why it may be such a costly error for Microsoft to make the Vista upgrade such a confusing mess.

Until today, even experts couldn't tell you off the top of their heads the differences between each of the many Vista versions -- or even how many versions there are -- or what the basic requirements are for the Upgrade versions. Ordinary consumers are baffled to the point of paralysis.

I'm going to clear all this up in a minute. First, however, let's recall the fiasco that is the Windows Vista launch.
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Meanwhile, the Upgrade versions are poison:

* Windows power users know that if you want Windows to work well over the long haul, it helps to reformat and perform a clean install once in a while. The Upgrade version requires you to install both XP/2000 and Vista every time, doubling the already massive amount of time it takes to do a reformat/reinstall.

* The Upgrade versions require you to keep track of your original Windows XP/2000 disks. Most people have these in the form of "recovery CDs" from the PC vendor, which can include multiple disks full of junk applications.

* Using a copy of XP or 2000 as proof for the Upgrade version of Vista invalidates the XP key, according to Vista's End User License Agreement (EULA). The EULA states, in part: "Upon upgrade, this agreement takes the place of the agreement for the software you upgraded from. After you upgrade, you may no longer use the software you upgraded from."
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* Many users have lost, or were never provided with, installation disks with their PC. Because they have XP or 2000 installed, they may decide to save money and buy an Upgrade version. If their disk later dies, or they need for whatever reason to reformat, they will then have to buy a second copy of Vista, this time, the full version. Ouch!
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Fast forward to this week. Windows Vista launched with 10 -- count 'em, 10 -- versions. Instead of giving us a simple new upgrade path to the future, they instead gave us a homework assignment. Here are the versions:

1. Windows Vista Starter Edition
2. Windows Vista Home Basic
3. Windows Vista Home Basic Upgrade
4. Windows Vista Home Premium
5. Windows Vista Home Premium Upgrade
6. Windows Vista Business
7. Windows Vista Business Upgrade
8. Windows Vista Ultimate
9. Windows Vista Ultimate Upgrade
10. Windows Vista Enterprise Edition
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It's obvious that Microsoft decided to extract maximum cash from consumers by micro-segmenting the market and trying to provide a different version for each. But they may end up with the opposite result. All this confusion over versions and upgrade policies will motivate unknown millions of consumers to simply stick with Windows XP or move to a Mac.

When you consider how important it is to Microsoft for Windows Vista to feel like a simple upgrade, and you consider how unnecessarily confusing and complex they have made the move to Vista, you can only respond with one word:

Wow!

[Mehen]

blah blah blah blah blah.

If they just offered one version, then people would complain about having to pay so much when there are so many features they don't need on it. I don't hear people complaining about all the different options available when they buy a car - only LACK of options.

It's not that hard. Step 1 - wait a year for it to mature and for better hardware. Step 2 - figure out what you are. Are you a HOME user? y/n, are you a BUSINESS user? y/n etc. oooo so confusing.

They only thing I really don't like is the whole upgrade thing. Never have liked that.

Linux is useless and confusing and NOT for the mainstream, don't try to tell me otherwise. Macs are extremely expensive and fixing them is incredibly annoying. I know you all love PCs and you all love windows, you just don't want to see yourself as a slave to M$ so you won't admit it.

[Mehen]

btw - if someone wants to beat me down (in my ongoing argument) - do it by complaining about the general interface of Vista, ie start menu is messed up etc, all the goofy search options. I do have a tendency to argue for the sake of arguing - not just arguing to prove that I am right, very often I KNOW that I am not - but I argue to prove that your arguments suck.

I am tired of senseless Microsoft bashing. They do an incredible amount of good in the world.

[Taz]

Using a copy of XP or 2000 as proof for the Upgrade version of Vista invalidates the XP key...

That's normal with upgrade versions of most/all software, it's why your paying less for an upgrade version over the full thing

[Admiral]

Supposedly you can install a Vista Upgrade version without having 2k/XP installed by booting with the Vista CD, not entering the key and continuing with the installation. After that you can run the upgrade from your prior (not activated) installation of Vista and enter the key this time around. It means installing it twice but it's an option.

Also, about the confusing list of versions, I thought some of them, at least Starter and Basic, were supposed to be available only in certain regions (say Russia, China...) ?

[Jessterw]

Multiple versions are fine, except when some of those versions effectively cripple the OS. Most consumers don't know what they need in an OS, so they will generally go with what is cheapest. With Vista, those making that mistake are going to be disappointed.

@Admiral - Vista Starter edition is the one available on in certain regions.

As far as the upgrade versions go, MS just needs to ditch that whole concept; lower the overall cost of the OS by a reasonable amount and only ship a full version of the OS. I don't expect MS to sale a professional version of Windows for the same price as OS X - Microsoft depends on sales of its OS, Apple does not - but there's no reason it should cost as much as it does.

There's a lot of MS bashing happening for a reason: people are tired of being forced into a corner by MS. Which is sad because MS could easily be changing their public image to reflect the fact that they have some truly talented developers working there. But that ship sailed a long time ago.

As an aside, let's stop with the argument that Macs are expensive. Against comparative PC systems from major vendors they hold their own. What people truly mean when they say this is that there are no really cheap, value systems from Apple and Macs are never discounted like those from competitors. There's a difference.

[ZokesPro]

I have an easy solution to this problem, DON'T INSTALL VISTA!!!

[Technoid]

I have an easy solution to this problem, DON'T INSTALL VISTA!!!

That solution is proven to work, it worked perfectly when XP came out

[Jammrock]

Supposedly you can install a Vista Upgrade version without having 2k/XP installed by booting with the Vista CD, not entering the key and continuing with the installation. After that you can run the upgrade from your prior (not activated) installation of Vista and enter the key this time around. It means installing it twice but it's an option.

Also, about the confusing list of versions, I thought some of them, at least Starter and Basic, were supposed to be available only in certain regions (say Russia, China...) ?

I posted the solution of the forum earlier in the week. You clean install Vista without putting in the product code, which installs it in "trial mode." Once installed you can run the DVD and run an upgrade and enter the code. Vista then installs a second time, but this time unrestricted. The you just delete the Windows.OLD dir and you're done.

[Taz]

Does that not make what Microsoft have done seem even more idiotic and pointless

[Tom]

doubling the already massive amount of time it takes to do a reformat/reinstall

Hmm...from "Press any key to boot from DVD/CD" to desktop was almost exactly twenty minutes. (Vista Ultimate)

[Gurm]

As an aside, let's stop with the argument that Macs are expensive. Against comparative PC systems from major vendors they hold their own. What people truly mean when they say this is that there are no really cheap, value systems from Apple and Macs are never discounted like those from competitors. There's a difference.

And you're never gonna get a nice free software bundle with your Mac. iMovie costs money, Apple isn't in any position to give you even a limited version of Office for free, etc. I just advised my brother-in-law against an iBook for his wife, not because it's a bad machine but because he just CANNOT afford the software she would need for Grad School... whereas every license for every piece of software on her aging desktop can be transferred to a new PC laptop... saving them at least $1000.

[DGhost]

Hmm...from "Press any key to boot from DVD/CD" to desktop was almost exactly twenty minutes. (Vista Ultimate)

Yup. And I spent less time trying to get it patched and configured afterwards. It's nice.

[Jessterw]

And you're never gonna get a nice free software bundle with your Mac. iMovie costs money, Apple isn't in any position to give you even a limited version of Office for free, etc. I just advised my brother-in-law against an iBook for his wife, not because it's a bad machine but because he just CANNOT afford the software she would need for Grad School... whereas every license for every piece of software on her aging desktop can be transferred to a new PC laptop... saving them at least $1000.

I assume you mean a MacBook

iLife comes free with all new Macs (and is only $79 otherwise). Microsoft Office for Mac isn't all that expensive and there are free alternatives, nevermind that Office isn't free on new PC's either.

Of course that doesn't negate your advice, given that the total cost of acquisition is always something that should be looked at. It'd be no different if one were to move from a Mac to a Windows system.

[Jammrock]

OpenOffice has a Mac port too.