Moving to Vista is not eco-friendly. Mass uptake of each new Microsoft operating system has a significant carbon toll: new PC purchase, the changing of hardware, upgrading of hardware and software, aftermarket products: books, training material etc, etc. PCs are not easily recyclable either.

Microsoft has repeatedly proven that new hardware is needed to run each new OS release optimally – this inefficient use of PC resource impacts personally and globally.

Microsoft intends to rollout new OS releases regularly, this is hardly carbon sustainable computing!!!!!

Notwithstanding the environmental cost, the UK retail cost of Vista OS products is a major wallet hazard; with a markup over the US price, for essentially the same software. In a global marketplace this can not be justified; how much localisation, support, does another English version of Vista need?

Microsoft makes mega profits, which could easily absorb UK overheads without penalising the UK customer exorbitantly!

After the reality check of personal and environmental costs, customers biting the Vista bullet should consider its pitfalls more closely.

Digital Rights Management: How badly will this limit the personal use of your computer? How long before DRM extends to restricted use of music and video downloads? (Or ripping CDs to mp3 format!) Before long all content will be chained to your PC!

User Account Control:  A prime source of irritation and software incompatibility with existing software – a headache from day one of Vista.

Speed: Vista could well be slower than XP on existing PCs. Hardly faster when Vista is a glutton for SuperComputer type hardware.

Reliability and Security:  Unproven until widely rolled out amongst a large user base.

Hardware and Software compatibility: Many existing systems won’t be fully Vista compatible, which will require new hardware, PCs and software. Hardware issues will be exacerbated by lack of Vista drivers.

Current XP Antivirus and Firewall software will need replacing for Vista compliant ones. User Account Control will cause many headaches for current software!

There will be many gremlins yet to surface, until Vista has a large user base.

What a surprise that Microsoft releases Office 2007 to go with Vista! Will older versions have difficulties?

PC users need an alternative to the Microsoft juggernaut (or should that be gas guzzler?). Streamlined, efficient use of existing PCs would benefit users and the planet.

It’s time for green personal computing!

Darren Stanley

Posted by Rob Jones on January 31, 2007 | Permalink | Comments (2)

I agree with Jonathan Parkyn's summary of the Nintendo Wii - it will indeed appeal to those who wouldn't normally buy a games console.

Our kids have worked their way through PS One, PS2, Gameboy Colour, GBA and Gamecube.  My wife and I were never interested in using any of them.

This Xmas we joined forces with relatives and could, therefore, afford a Wii for our son. Normally we would banish such a device to his bedroom, but he convinced us to let him connect it to the living room TV. There are no wires trailing across the floor so you don't get the mess (and death-trap) as with other machines.

We are all playing this machine.  We regularly have bowling, golf and tennis tournaments for example.  Our willingness to play is entirely down to the remote - you immediately know what to do with it (just mimic what you would really do).

Even my parents are hooked. They are well into their 70s and have a Wii of their own on order!

This console is bringing gamers out of their bedrooms and attracting people who've never "played" before. Nintendo are onto a winner.

Steve Bailey

Posted by Rob Jones on January 31, 2007 | Permalink | Comments (0)

I was quite eager to upgrade to Vista. Fortunately  I downloaded the Microsoft programme which tested my computer for suitability. 

Yes, it said OK but I would have to uninstall my Norton security software &  a backup programme first. After loading Vista I would not be allowed to reload  these! Such a friendly operating system?

Needless to say, I shall stay with Windows  XP

Anne Downes

Posted by Rob Jones on January 31, 2007 | Permalink | Comments (0)

I purchased a new laptop advertised with a bundle of software including Windows XP Home
Edition.

All previous machines that I have purchased have arrived with a number of installation CDs for
bundled software, but this laptop didn't. All the bundled software was pre-installed, but with no
way of reinstalling if a problem occurred with the hard disk.

Long experience has taught me that such problems do occur, whether catastrophic failures,
bad sectors, viruses/trojans, or just badly written installation programs for other software.

One of the first things that I want to do is to make the machine dual boot between Windows and Linux, but you can understand that I am not keen to modify the master boot record without even being able to reinstall Windows if things go wrong.

What are manufacturers and retailers playing at? The retailer denies they should supply installation CDs and blames the manufacturer for not providing them. I am currently awaiting a response from the manufacturer, but at present expect to be returning the machine as unfit for purpose.

Both retailer and manufacturer have been made aware that I will not use them in either a personal or business capacity again if these CDs are not forthcoming.

John Hardman

Posted by Rob Jones on January 31, 2007 | Permalink | Comments (0)