.......thanks - I would NEVER have worked that out! Kind of like 'early next year' I guess:p. Surely there's a TLA for it? 'ENY'?

The actual date for "1H CY 2008" is 30th June 2008 - still 1H ! Not that I'm cynical, working in the software industry myself :)

Well I just got my laptop from Dell, and after fixing all the major problems with it that Dell forgot to do (install drivers, update windows). And then installed all my software and removed some of the startup programs it seems okay. I'd prefer XP ofcourse, but I don't hate Vista too much.

First half of calendar year 2008 I guessed correctly. :8

But surely 'Calendar Year' is the standard? FY2007/8 seems reasonable but CY2008 is 2008, end of story...:hmm:

I am the volunteer computer mechanic for a non-profit organization. I maintain and enhance both the hardware and software. All of the membership and donation databases are kept in DOS-based software. It is solid, reliable and has worked with OpSys from MSDOS through XP.

I hear that DOS-based programs will not work with Vista. Is that true?

seacue

Yes and no - it may be possible for some to run in windows in Vista, but you can't get full-screen.

You may find that some DOS programs will run in an emulator such as DOSBOX or similar.

Perhaps the best approach is to test each application, although there doesn't seem to be a free evaluation download of Vista to test with.

SD

Thumbs up for Vista from me. Had no issues whatsoever. It's a dream to work with once you disable UAC, had no crashes or errors in the last 4 months since I installed it.

OK - Go on then - "UAC" ? ? ? :confused:

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d1.../Coconutty.jpg

User Account Control.........with it turned on, Vista will ask 'are you sure you want to do this?' a lot.

Thanks Gonzo,

I think I'm sure I wouldn't want to do it a lot, but maybe occasionally :ok:

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d1.../Coconutty.jpg

Good grief!

A nanny computer as well as a nanny State.

Well, yes - the idea is to seek confirmation, from the user, before doing anything potentially damaging.

If you agree to it, or turn UAC off, you brought it on yourself, whatever it was. It's the operating system equivalent of "caution: may contain nuts" on half the items on the shelves in Tesco: easy for them to do, as a get-out in case anyone complains or threatens legal action.

Of course, you may ask why a user needs do anything potentially damaging in the first place, and that brings up the old conflict between "being secure" and "getting things done". :rolleyes:

Windows Vista?
 

I have a Samsung Q35 laptop/notebook with Vista and as yet I have had no serious problems - The only one was with Jeppview which I had to go into as an administrator to get the online updates working properly - otherwise I am very happy with it. I must say that I do not do music so cannot vouch for Vista in this area although it has music on it and it works fine! Good luck

I (MCT, CNI, CCIE, RHCA you get the picture), sat down this evening with my MacBook Pro. I decided to boot up my clean, updated, install of Vista with Office 2007 and proceed to work on and amend a word doc someone had sent me.

Word crashed every time I opened it, then proceeded to plaster "Windows is searching for a solution to the problem", and "Word is crashing repeatedly" messages all over the screen. After 2 reboots it opened cleanly, then imploded 10 minutes down the line. Despite it assuring me it was autosaving, nothing in the temp directories. Fucкing garbage.

I rebooted to OSX, opened a terminal window and typed sudo dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/sda3 then worked with no further disturbance on said document using the free (and excellent) NeoOffice whilst the infinitely superior Unix operating system quietly obliterated the bug-riddled, hack-job pile of Micro$oft wank that the unenlightened would describe as an operating system.

I'm ashamed to be an MCSA, MCSA, MCT etc etc... Vista is a sack of ****.

I'm sure we all applaud your ability to express yourself in an adult way.:D

UAC is an ache, but click click it's gone. Vista for me has been nothing but a pleasure.

For 64 bit machines, you cannot run DOS programs. They removed the Win16 and DOS box completely as there's no way to make real mode programs run under x64 mode. Win64 has a residual 16 bit stub for installers as some old CDs use a 16-bit Win3.x setup bootstrapper. Windows knows what those few programs look like and what it is trying to achieve and will then fire up the real Win32 version of the installer. That's the total extent of the 16 bit compatibility mode left in Vista. Windows 2008 Server does not have even that.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/282423

For 32 bit machines, Vista's 16 bit mode and DOS box is still there, but ... for how long? Few customers would be using it, and I doubt the next post-Vista consumer Windows will have any 16 bit support.

It's really time to move with the times. All processors sold by Intel and AMD are now 64 bit capable. Microsoft Windows Server 2008 will be the last 32 bit version of Windows Server, and then it'll be 64 bit only.

http://windowsvistablog.com/blogs/wi...ws-client.aspx

There may be one more consumer version of Windows 32 (currently called Windows 7), but if there's the same sort of delay between XP and Vista, that is by no means certain as in seven years, there will be nothing but 64 bit computers left.

For more info about the x64 transition:

http://www.microsoft.com/servers/64bit/overview.mspx

If you're still using DOS boxes, I suggest using Citrix on top of 32 bit Win2k3 R2, and then letting the clients choose any old platform, including Mac or Linux or the hardened little Wyse wireless terminals. That works real well - my local hospital uses this and it seems to work just fine for them.

Andrew
(who is typing from a Mac, and loving it).

Thank you Vanderaj.

seacue

As mentioned above, the open source DOS emulator DOSBox is available, and there is a Vista compatible version.