I Downgraded. on Humzoo

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Tuesday, June 10th, 2008
I Downgraded.

This weekend, I joined the masses of disgruntled PC users who have decided to downgrade back to Windows XP after purchasing a new machine with Vista installed.

Windows Vista is a piece.

I won't even go into detail about all the problems I had with that OS, but let's just say that it caused me immeasurable stress.

*To Mac Users*
Don't hate me. The PC is what I grew up on. I blame Shoo. He was the resident computer nerd in my neighborhood growing up, and I learned how to use computers from him... So, feel free to be disappointed in me for purchasing a new PC. My mom has been disappointed in me for years.

I decided to play it safe. Since Microsoft is so confident in their systems operating correctly, they don't even include installation CDs with their new machines anymore. So basically, if my computer ever pooped out, I have no idea how I would be able to reinstall the operating system on this thing.

Rather than wipe out Vista completely (I have this sick, sad hope that someday Microsoft will create "Magical Service Pack 37" that will solve all the glitches and problems in Vista, and it will become the dream operating system it was meant to be, and I don't want to miss out.) I purchased a new hard drive to install on my machine and run the computer from there with Windows XP.

I also had to purchase a new SATA card so that I could plug in all these components at once. So, with the help of Rob's dad, I installed all this crap all by myself. I even procured all the drivers for my Ethernet card, SATA card, and all the other junk that had to be reinstalled.

Long story short, I am pretty proud of myself for having a successful computer nerd weekend. I actually installed some stuff into a motherboard. It was exhilarating.

Please feel free to leave encouraging and congratulatory comments on how I was soooo smart to switch back to XP, and my life will now be fulfilling and easy.

26 Comments

1) Aren't windows those things made of glass that you look through?

LimeyGeorge Tuesday, June 10, 2008

2) Betsy, I'd love to tell you that you're completely wrong, but last weekend I helped my buddy's 70~ year old dad navigate through Vista. Dell loaded it down with so much crap and EarthLink-AOL junk that it was almost inoperable without starting the laptop 2 days before hand. Part of the problem was that he didn't have enough ram. 900mb just doesn't cut it these days.

But you're going to find issues with almost any OS. It's the process of fixing the issue that's the hard part. I've been blessed enough that I was born with 1's and 0's in my blood so I don't have to use manuals, or even think about Googling a problem. I just know... That's part of the reason why I think there is nothing wrong with Vista; I just know how to fix it.

BTW - It's not Microsoft that's not giving you an install disc, but the PC manufacturer. There's a special partition on your hard drive that contains all the data to do a restore. If you bought the PC brand new there's probably a piece of paper, neatly disguised as packaging material that's been thrown away, that says 'Follow these steps to burn the restore discs.' - I kid you not.

I understand your frustration, but there's a reason why you're drawn towards the PC, and it's not just because you lived by me all those years... 4 8 15 16 23 42

Ohh. Those are the numbers for Lost.

But PCs are so darn cheap compared to their counterpart, the mac. I bought my laptop last January for $800. It's closely matched in performance with the MacBook Pro which would have cost me $2500.

Well, I hope XP just puts back some normalcy back into your life.

shoo Tuesday, June 10, 2008

3) SEE people!?!? THIS IS WHY I LOVE SHOO. He gives me hope.

Betsy Tuesday, June 10, 2008

4) I feel you Betsy. I'm "a Mac" at home, but at work, I'm a PC. Becuase I'm in communications, I do some photo and video editing, so they thought I "needed" Vista. I had it for 3 days before asking them to downgrade me. Stupid Vista.

Casey Tuesday, June 10, 2008

5) Dang Casey. I always thought that doing photo and video editing meant you "needed" a Mac. I am glad they gave you XP back though.

Betsy Tuesday, June 10, 2008

6) You're right Betsy - I think that photo and video editing means I need a Mac, but Caterpillar's large contract with Dell doesn't agree. Booo. I do have a big fancy screen though, so I can't complain too much.

Casey Tuesday, June 10, 2008

7) So true, Betsy. I'm pretty sure you only "need" a PC to play games.

Courtney Heinzel Tuesday, June 10, 2008

8) That's what I always thought too. PC's are only good for playing Doom and Duke Nukem and RickRolling people...

Betsy Tuesday, June 10, 2008

9) I love my Mac....I only wish my school would get off the PC bandwagon. I made Mr. Shoo buy me a PC to use for school-related junk. My Mac was too difficult to hook up to my television and use at school, but I'm still an Apple girl at heart.

Mrs. Shoo Tuesday, June 10, 2008

10) By the way, good job on the geekiness this weekend, Betsy. But, you know, if you and Robbie moved closer to Springpatch, you could enlist a one, Mr. Shoo, for all your computer needs and spend your days playing in the sprinkler with Ethan and Mia.

Mrs. Shoo Tuesday, June 10, 2008

11) Shoo, you probably just saved me a long comment. That's exactly why I don't get a Mac. I could buy the same thing for a third or half the price. Until Apple can bring their price down, they'll never get that other market share. Sorry Mac people!

soundchick Tuesday, June 10, 2008

12) High 5 soundchick!

shoo Tuesday, June 10, 2008

13) It's not the same thing. Sorry, but an $800-$1,000 difference doesn't add up to 'it's the same thing'. I used to have a PC at work. You know how it crashes and you have those stupid virus messages pop up every 10 seconds? That doesn't happen with Macs...ever. I got my MacBook for $800, AND it's not a piece of junk that I want to smash with a hammer. My internet service on the other hand...

Another note. When I got my new Mac all I had to do was push the power button. Really, it took less than a minute to get it going.

mattpike Tuesday, June 10, 2008

14) I'm with you, Betsy, I have no desire to go to Vista. I'm sure it is wonderful and marvelous and so easy to use when you get used to it but I'm really tired of getting used to it. My company is "sneaking" Macs to high-end users and leaving the rest of us with PCs for now. As long as I can, I'm sticking with XP. When they make me go to Vista, I'll go but not happily. All the security junk on it convinces me more and more that Microsoft is not for me. At home, I'm still using the office laptop because it isn't costing me any $$ at the moment but as soon as I feel financially ready, I'm bolting, yes BOLTING for a Mac. I am having to eat all the teasing I gave to Mac folks for years but I eat it with gusto. After seeing a small demo, I'm willing to invest the $$ into something that gives me what I want from a laptop. Performance and an OS that doesn't argue all the time and easy loading and unloading of software and a nice clean internet that isn't filled with pop-ups and banners and ads that annoy me to no end! I would have paid Denny&Dave twice what they asked to get rid of the advertising. At least on my own little site I have clean--no "junk". Shoo can keep his PC and do all the work that makes it work. I've dealt with PCs and working on systems for years. I gladly trade that in for something that doesn't require me to learn it all to use it. I can just use it. :) Good luck with your downgraded PC. Hang on to that XP as long as Microsoft will keep supporting it! :)

LGrant Tuesday, June 10, 2008

15) Matt, I never said it was the same thing... my point above was that you can find weaknesses in any OS and it really depends a lot if you understand what's going on under the hood. Maybe you need to know less of what's going on under the hood with a Mac. But saying 'you know how it crashes' is like saying all people from Springfield are crappy drivers. What am I talking about? All people from Springfield are crappy drivers, I read it on the internetz.

And if your PC at work crashes that much, find the nerdiest looking IT guy at work that speaks English offer him a 24 pack of Mountain Dew and by the end of the day I guarantee it will be humming along with no problem. That, or you'll have a new PC.

Hey, I like the mac and I won't even compare them to oranges, but sometimes these beige boxes just need a little TLC. Hey, have you heard of Ubuntu, I hear it's all the rage!

shoo Tuesday, June 10, 2008

16) LGrant... peaceful internet = firefox.

http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/

shoo Tuesday, June 10, 2008

17) Thanks, Shoo. It's a work computer so I'm limited what I can add to it. Maybe if I was still using my home one I would take your advise and move to this environment but as long as this one belongs to the office, I'll leave it clean. Being in the IT area I don't want problems from something added that wasn't supposed to be added. Denny mentioned this one to me before and recommended the change. I'm stuck with IE for now. :)

LGrant Tuesday, June 10, 2008

18) Luckily at my place of employment, I am the IT department.

shoo Tuesday, June 10, 2008

19) LOL...that helps. :) Mine is obsessively MS except for the execs sneaking around with their Macs. :)

LGrant Tuesday, June 10, 2008

20) Ironically we have an app that only works in IE although we're working on a multi-browser compatible version.

Ok Betsy, I'll stop hijacking you're blog and go outside and play.

shoo Tuesday, June 10, 2008

21) One more comment -
I've met those MS guys before... all a bunch of nerds.

shoo Tuesday, June 10, 2008

22) I agree, Shoo. Not quite as weird as the auditors but nearly. :) And well-trained to talk MS in every other sentence. From what I hear it can cook dinner, freeze food and have babies for you now. You just have to buy the package deal and then you are required to do everything MS because you've already paid for it and anything else would cost more $$. NOT that it is better--but you already bought it. :)

Betsy won't mind--it will put her in the "what's hot" area for all the comments. :)

LGrant Tuesday, June 10, 2008

23) I knew this was going to turn into a Mac vs. PC debate... eeehhhhhhhhhxcellent.

Betsy Tuesday, June 10, 2008

24) I'd rather be around the MS nerds than the Linux nerds. Some of you know what I'm talkin' about!

soundchick Tuesday, June 10, 2008

25) I, of course, didn't mean to offend, but I still manage to do it all of the time. I'm so far away from being an IT guy that it's not funny. I'm a contractor and a carpenter, so the Mac is very intuitive and easy since I have no computer skillz. The PC wasn't intuitive at all. I work for myself now and don't have to employ an IT dept because I own a mac. That was kind of my point.

mattpike Wednesday, June 11, 2008

26) It's alright MattPike. It's just comforting to see that I am not the only one who is frustrated by PCs.

Betsy Thursday, June 12, 2008