DescentBB

I was curious if Windows Vista auto connects online to see if the serial number is already registered, or any other new security features that weren't in XP?

Yeah, it checks every week, roughly.

Really nice and useful feature, huh?

Yeah, unlike XP which you can install on a second machine if you just wait long enough (roughly 6 months IIRC). Vista checks every week for the entire duration of the install so Microsoft can make absolutely sure they can extract the maximum money from users.

...which by comparison, won't be that many.

Fortunately for me, thanks to the Microsoft Academic Alliance I can have Vista Business without paying MS a single dime.

Not that I would use it anyway, even for free...

A lot of peeps will have to use it as MS is officially retiring XP from support in 2008.

Yea, but extended support is until 2014.

I am down to one box with windows on it - guess I dump it now and configure another Linux box. No more windows for me after XP, it was disappointing and expensive enough.

I've gone one step further and found an activity that's roughly the polar opposite of computers.

Now my PC does a few things, instead of the many jobs it used to do.. and none require the latest and greatest in.. anything.

but anyways.. I don't know if you can install Vista on multiple machines because I really don't have the need for that.

multiple computers? wtf
why would you even install that drm infected ★■◆● on ONE computer

One question I would have is if XP will handle DX10 games as well as Vista is supposed to?
The problem MS will be faced with are the gamers who upgrade regularly and are faced with buying a new license for every new hard drive. What happens if your HD fails? You have to buy another Vista? Seems to me these were the same scenarios talked about when XP came out and MS finally caved to the 6 month period.

I guess what is needed is a good hack that will block Vista from calling home.

woodchip wrote:One question I would have is if XP will handle DX10 games as well as Vista is supposed to?

I guess we'll know when one comes out. If they REQUIRE DX10, then no. DX10 is Vista only.

One question I would have is if XP will handle DX10 games as well as Vista is supposed to?

From what I hear, yes. Except it wont be called Direct X 10, it will be Direct X 9 and then some letter indicating that it is capable of dx10 features.

The notion that an average home user is supposed to buy 3 copies of a $200 program for 3 computers is patently absurd.

With XP having been out for several years and, relatively speaking, stable and secure, why in the world would anyone willingly want to go through another OS fiasco with Microsoft Vista? It doesn't make sense to me. It does the same damn thing as XP using twice the resources. That's not progress. That's a joke.

Kyouryuu wrote:It does the same damn thing as XP using twice the resources. That's not progress. That's a joke.

Sounds like how 3DFX and ATI were/are building vid cards these days.

This thing has "Me" written all over it.