muck Posted April 14, 2009 Share Posted April 14, 2009 I have an old set up at work and am thinking about moving the old stuff home and getting new stuff for the office. Does Vista still suck? I remember horror stories a couple of years ago when it first came out ... all the printers (etc.) refused to talk to one another, etc ... so, I purposefully stuck w/ XP the last time I bought some technology. Does XP still get made? All my hardware is Dell. Should I stick with one maker for desktops, laptops and server? The set up (today) is very simple ... one server and two desktops (plus a laptop that comes and goes with me to home) ... plus a fax machine (that serves as a backup printer, too, but it really sucks for anything other than outgoing faxes) and a Xerox C2424 (I love my printer). So, if switching to Vista would cause me to lose my printer, I'd be pissed...just sayin'... Also, I'd look to replace my existing laptop ... this machine is pretty clunky (and has a small screen -- a 14" diagonal). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kid Cid Posted April 14, 2009 Share Posted April 14, 2009 there is no reason to have all the equipment from the same manufacturer. I would go so far as to say that unless you need the warranty, I'd stay away from Dell. I can't speak to Vista. I haven't moved on from XP and Server 2003 yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Irish Doggy Posted April 14, 2009 Share Posted April 14, 2009 Is this your model and the Vista drivers you would need? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smithkt Posted April 14, 2009 Share Posted April 14, 2009 Despite what many will tell you, Vista is a perfectly stable operating system that runs fine on new hardware. Trying to load it on a five year old desktop is probably not a good idea. However, more importantly, you have identified a printer that you already have and want to be sure works. I'd suggest taking a few minutes to go check the Xerox web site and see if there are Vista drivers, and if there are any know issues...... Never mind, I did it for you. Yes there are drivers for Vista but there is a caveat: Scanning originals directly to a computer with Windows Vista OS is not supported as the Xerox Scan Utility is not compatible with Windows Vista. As a workaround, scan the originals to the Public folder or to a private folder on the copier / printer's hard drive. The scanned images can then be retrieved from a computer using CentreWare Internet Services (CWIS). See the Related Items below for additional information. NOTE: Retrieving scanned images from CWIS is not supported over a USB connection. The copier / printer must be connected to a network and contain a valid IP address to retrieve images using CWI If this is a deal breaker for you, then make sure you get XP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmy Neutron Posted April 14, 2009 Share Posted April 14, 2009 I hesitantly made the leap to Vista about 7 months ago and have had no regrets. I believe a lot of the problems people had initially with Vista were related to not having enough memory. I bought a desktop with 4 gigs and she rolls along nicely. I've had bo driver issues with peripherals either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muck Posted April 14, 2009 Author Share Posted April 14, 2009 there is no reason to have all the equipment from the same manufacturer. I would go so far as to say that unless you need the warranty, I'd stay away from Dell. I can't speak to Vista. I haven't moved on from XP and Server 2003 yet. You know how techy I am ... so, those warranties could come in handy. ...that said...it sounds like you're not much of a fan of theirs; which hardware provider would you look to instead? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kid Cid Posted April 14, 2009 Share Posted April 14, 2009 You know how techy I am ... so, those warranties could come in handy. ...that said...it sounds like you're not much of a fan of theirs; which hardware provider would you look to instead? Muck, given your situation, I'd seriously look at a small local company to build them for you. This way you would have tech people available in the event of trouble. They'll also provide a warranty for you. Plus you'll get every bit as good a machine and perhaps a better one for the same price. I don't have anything bad to say about Dell machines; this box is a Dell and I have 8 1U Dell servers sitting next to me. It's what you actually receive for you money in the way of support and crap that I have issue with. Do something for the economy and spend you money locally. H8 will have more to say on this subject than I will though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H8tank Posted April 14, 2009 Share Posted April 14, 2009 You can get a Dell Core2 Duo w/3GB of ram and a next day onsite warranty with a 20" lcd AND WIN XP PRO for $488. That is a deal that can't be beat. Sure you can build a 'better' machine yourself or like I do, but under $500 for that is a steal. Why choose Vista? Winxp is faster. Winxp is more widely accepted. Everything runs on XP. It's being supported through at least 2014. Vista's replacement is being released this year. I see no reason, if given the choice, to choose vista over xp. Not one single reason. But hurry, MS is closing the door on selling xp legally soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrTed46 Posted April 14, 2009 Share Posted April 14, 2009 (edited) You can get a Dell Core2 Duo w/3GB of ram and a next day onsite warranty with a 20" lcd AND WIN XP PRO for $488. That is a deal that can't be beat. Sure you can build a 'better' machine yourself or like I do, but under $500 for that is a steal. Why choose Vista? Winxp is faster. Winxp is more widely accepted. Everything runs on XP. It's being supported through at least 2014. Vista's replacement is being released this year. I see no reason, if given the choice, to choose vista over xp. Not one single reason. But hurry, MS is closing the door on selling xp legally soon. Winxp is not faster than Vista on a new build running 64bit version. On older machines, XP is obviously faster due to hardware restrictions. (from what I experience) Vista is widely accepted nowadays. You will not purchase a new piece of hardware that is ONLY supported by XP. Vista replacement is Windows7 and should be released this year. I would wait for that. (Along with a new server OS) For a business or personal use, I would not purchase a new machine with winxp. Now if you just want to upgrade old hardware, then I may consider sticking with winxp. Edited April 14, 2009 by MrTed46 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muck Posted April 14, 2009 Author Share Posted April 14, 2009 Currently, I have two desktops, a server and a laptop...two printers (one is also a fax machine). For home, I have the laptop and nothing else. All machines are at least 3-4yrs old (except the nice printer, which is two yrs old). I'm thinking of either (i) buying new stuff for the office and moving the old stuff home ... or ... (ii) buying a new desktop for me at work (giving my current one to my assistant) ... plus ... getting a new laptop in either scenario. ...I do nothing more complicated that run some decent sized spreadsheets and have a kajillion windows open at once (I run four monitors, they're either 17" or 19")...and I'm definately not tech-savvy... Frankly, everything is running pretty good (could use some more storage, but that's about it) ... so, I'm sorta thinking of not doing anything too crazy at the office ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrTed46 Posted April 14, 2009 Share Posted April 14, 2009 (edited) Currently, I have two desktops, a server and a laptop...two printers (one is also a fax machine). For home, I have the laptop and nothing else. All machines are at least 3-4yrs old (except the nice printer, which is two yrs old). I'm thinking of either (i) buying new stuff for the office and moving the old stuff home ... or ... (ii) buying a new desktop for me at work (giving my current one to my assistant) ... plus ... getting a new laptop in either scenario. ...I do nothing more complicated that run some decent sized spreadsheets and have a kajillion windows open at once (I run four monitors, they're either 17" or 19")...and I'm definately not tech-savvy... Frankly, everything is running pretty good (could use some more storage, but that's about it) ... so, I'm sorta thinking of not doing anything too crazy at the office ... If it aint broke dont fix it. Just add space to your server and/or work stations. ETA: you can always buy a laptop and add that to your arsenal. Your printer SHOULD play nice with Vista/XP/Win7 as it's only 2 years old and XEROX usually keeps up with producing drivers. You can call them and make sure before you purchase. Edited April 14, 2009 by MrTed46 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
polksalet Posted April 14, 2009 Share Posted April 14, 2009 Currently, I have two desktops, a server and a laptop...two printers (one is also a fax machine). For home, I have the laptop and nothing else. All machines are at least 3-4yrs old (except the nice printer, which is two yrs old). I'm thinking of either (i) buying new stuff for the office and moving the old stuff home ... or ... (ii) buying a new desktop for me at work (giving my current one to my assistant) ... plus ... getting a new laptop in either scenario. ...I do nothing more complicated that run some decent sized spreadsheets and have a kajillion windows open at once (I run four monitors, they're either 17" or 19")...and I'm definitely not tech-savvy... Frankly, everything is running pretty good (could use some more storage, but that's about it) ... so, I'm sorta thinking of not doing anything too crazy at the office ... I bought a Vista laptop last fall and I love it. It has lots of power and does everything I need. I find that it works better with some European software than XP does. I think either way you would be happy. Of course if you are doing no more than typical use you could always run Linux. It runs faster on my old clunker than Vista does on this dual core 4gb hot rod. And of course Linux for all practical purposes immune to all types of malware and is free. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H8tank Posted April 14, 2009 Share Posted April 14, 2009 Winxp is not faster than Vista on a new build running 64bit version. Why are you such a BOLD FACED LIAR? LIAR LIAR LAIR LIAR LIAR PANTS ON FIRE WITH HOMO JUICE LIAR LIAR. Windows Vista clearly is not a great new performer when it comes to executing single applications at maximum speed. Although we only looked at the 32-bit version of Windows Vista Enterprise, we do not expect the 64-bit edition to be faster. Overall, applications performed as expected, or executed slightly slower than under Windows XP. The synthetic benchmarks such as Everest, PCMark05 or Sandra 2007 show that differences are non-existent on a component level. We also found some programs that refused to work, and others that seem to cause problems at first but eventually ran properly. http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/xp-vs-vista,1531-11.html it has been over seven months since we last took a look at Windows Vista performance versus Windows XP. In that series of articles we found that both AMD and NVIDIA’s Vista performance was lacking in comparison to Windows XP, although NVIDIA’s showing in Vista was much worse: Vista performance was in some cases substantially slower than Windows XP, features were missing, and SLI was unsupported entirely. http://www.firingsquad.com/hardware/amd_nv...ormance_update/ So now the argument is 'the newest version of vista' is what? Just as fast? So, there is no SPEED difference or it is faster? Tell me. Hardware? You say all new hardware is Vista ready? As if it's not Xp ready? And, why IS there a windows 7? Hmmmm? How much 64 bit software is muck gonna run? So, you have given no real reason to choose vista over XP. In closing: According to tests by Devil Mountain Software comparing the release candidates for the last Windows XP service pack and the first Vista service pack, XP SP3 performs twice as fast as Vista SP1 on the same machine--and slower than the initial release of the Vista OS as well. Now, it will come as no surprise to anyone who's used Vista (or read my earlier posts on Vista) that XP outperforms the current version. But it's not a good sign that it hasn't gained any ground on XP in its first SP--and that XP SP 3, which was supposed to just be a bug fix release, has actually gained ground on Vista. This sort of performance is bound to give enterprise customers who've been waiting for Vista SP1 to make their go/no go call some pause. Hey, if you like Vista, great. Go suck it's meatsicle. Just like the Mac fan boys. But if you want to get work done efficiently on a good, inexpensive machine, be stable and robust and have ZERO compatibility issues? WinXP wins hands down. Of this there is No argument. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muck Posted April 14, 2009 Author Share Posted April 14, 2009 (edited) You can get a Dell Core2 Duo w/3GB of ram and a next day onsite warranty with a 20" lcd AND WIN XP PRO for $488. Huh? I see no reason, if given the choice, to choose vista over xp. Not one single reason. But hurry, MS is closing the door on selling xp legally soon. 1) Do you know when it'll close? 2) Suggestions for (i) home 'puter (would love to have multiple monitors like I do at work, but don't need four if the monitors are sufficiently large) ... (ii) a laptop (home / work / occasionally trips) that would pretty easily tie into the server if need be ... in both cases, only run .xls, .doc, .pdf, .ppt and internet (all email is webmail; don't currently use outlook) ... and tend to have a kajillion windows open at once (right now, it's only 14 windows; often exceeds 25-30) ... but, if I have a home desktop, I may be able to sqeak some more life from the existing laptop (but, it does sorta suck). TIA. Edited April 14, 2009 by muck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H8tank Posted April 14, 2009 Share Posted April 14, 2009 (edited) http://configure.us.dell.com/dellstore/con...666007-1418914- They have pushed it back twice, current rumor is End of May. Slowest Core2 is fine. Choose XP and 2 GB RAM is fine. 80GB is enough, if you need more add your own larger MUCH better drive later. You can add your own much better vid card later for dual support. Go with their DVD, or pay the upcharge to DVDRW. Even comes with a 3yr warranty, $488. Amazing. Edited April 14, 2009 by H8tank Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WaterMan Posted April 14, 2009 Share Posted April 14, 2009 (edited) Not many websites support Vista/IE 8 yet. Edited April 14, 2009 by WaterMan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrTed46 Posted April 14, 2009 Share Posted April 14, 2009 (edited) Why are you such a BOLD FACED LIAR? LIAR LIAR LAIR LIAR LIAR PANTS ON FIRE WITH HOMO JUICE LIAR LIAR. http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/xp-vs-vista,1531-11.html http://www.firingsquad.com/hardware/amd_nv...ormance_update/ So now the argument is 'the newest version of vista' is what? Just as fast? So, there is no SPEED difference or it is faster? Tell me. Hardware? You say all new hardware is Vista ready? As if it's not Xp ready? And, why IS there a windows 7? Hmmmm? How much 64 bit software is muck gonna run? So, you have given no real reason to choose vista over XP. In closing: Hey, if you like Vista, great. Go suck it's meatsicle. Just like the Mac fan boys. But if you want to get work done efficiently on a good, inexpensive machine, be stable and robust and have ZERO compatibility issues? WinXP wins hands down. Of this there is No argument. I'm sorry. After reading more you are correct. Vista has some advantages over XP, but for Mucks needs XP does seem to be the winner. For example, for HT uses, Vista > XP (and MCE) (my opinion) Edited April 14, 2009 by MrTed46 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muck Posted April 14, 2009 Author Share Posted April 14, 2009 http://configure.us.dell.com/dellstore/con...666007-1418914- Security Software? Do I need to add MS Office 2007 + Adobe Acrobat 9.0 STD? [i am currently running MS Office 2003] -- I feel like the answer is "yes" ... but, if I get this for the home machine, do I need it for the two machines at the office (plus my laptop) and does it mean I need to change anything w/ my server software? Should I get the "ProSupport for End Users" (presumably, for cluless people like me)? Seems like spending $5 to get 160GB of memory (vs. 80GB) is a good use of money...right? The DVDRW seems like a good idea for $10 ... Got a 22" monitor ... will need to pair that (or triple that) later (along with the video card). ...price = $902 (including the operating system / software)... Thoughts on this? Laptop? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmy Neutron Posted April 14, 2009 Share Posted April 14, 2009 Security Software? Do I need to add MS Office 2007 + Adobe Acrobat 9.0 STD? [i am currently running MS Office 2003] -- I feel like the answer is "yes" ... but, if I get this for the home machine, do I need it for the two machines at the office (plus my laptop) and does it mean I need to change anything w/ my server software? Should I get the "ProSupport for End Users" (presumably, for cluless people like me)? Seems like spending $5 to get 160GB of memory (vs. 80GB) is a good use of money...right? The DVDRW seems like a good idea for $10 ... Got a 22" monitor ... will need to pair that (or triple that) later (along with the video card). ...price = $902 (including the operating system / software)... Thoughts on this? Laptop? I suggest keeping your Office 2003. I bought the new Office suite and have had a heck of a time learning all the new features and layout. It looks cool, but is counter-intuitive when you've worked with 2003 forever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrTed46 Posted April 14, 2009 Share Posted April 14, 2009 Security Software? Do I need to add MS Office 2007 + Adobe Acrobat 9.0 STD? [i am currently running MS Office 2003] -- I feel like the answer is "yes" ... but, if I get this for the home machine, do I need it for the two machines at the office (plus my laptop) and does it mean I need to change anything w/ my server software? Should I get the "ProSupport for End Users" (presumably, for cluless people like me)? Seems like spending $5 to get 160GB of memory (vs. 80GB) is a good use of money...right? The DVDRW seems like a good idea for $10 ... Got a 22" monitor ... will need to pair that (or triple that) later (along with the video card). ...price = $902 (including the operating system / software)... Thoughts on this? Laptop? Do you need adobe acrobat STD or do you just use the reader (free) MS Office 2007 can be purchased online for maybe cheaper (you can check newegg, amazon, zipzoomfly, all reputable places) $5 for the extra 80 is good but if you plan to upgrade to an even bigger drive later then why waste $5. But if you think 160 is going to be enough for a while then it is def worth it. DVDRW for $10 is your choice. I would. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrTed46 Posted April 14, 2009 Share Posted April 14, 2009 I suggest keeping your Office 2003. I bought the new Office suite and have had a heck of a time learning all the new features and layout. It looks cool, but is counter-intuitive when you've worked with 2003 forever. +1 I dont like the 2007 version. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muck Posted April 14, 2009 Author Share Posted April 14, 2009 Do you need adobe acrobat STD or do you just use the reader (free) MS Office 2007 can be purchased online for maybe cheaper (you can check newegg, amazon, zipzoomfly, all reputable places) $5 for the extra 80 is good but if you plan to upgrade to an even bigger drive later then why waste $5. But if you think 160 is going to be enough for a while then it is def worth it. DVDRW for $10 is your choice. I would. I need the full acrobat. I currently have only like 37GB on my desktop and 80GB on the server...both are full... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muck Posted April 14, 2009 Author Share Posted April 14, 2009 ...price = $553 (excluding the operating system / software)... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H8tank Posted April 14, 2009 Share Posted April 14, 2009 Security Software? Mcaffe sucks, for business use and no kids use a free one like AVG. Want the best protection? Get OEM Panda IS 2009 for $10. Do I need to add MS Office 2007 + Adobe Acrobat 9.0 STD? [i am currently running MS Office 2003] -- I feel like the answer is "yes" ... but, if I get this for the home machine, do I need it for the two machines at the office (plus my laptop) and does it mean I need to change anything w/ my server software? If you already own 2003, no need to buy 2007. The only reason to buy '07 is if all of your clients used it then you would need it too, as by default 07 is way diff than 03. Should I get the "ProSupport for End Users" (presumably, for clueless people like me)? You can call India at 2am sunday morning, or ask here or use this thing called the internet. Your choice. I never would. Seems like spending $5 to get 160GB of memory (vs. 80GB) is a good use of money...right? Well, yes and no. Sure it's only $5, but that is just a larger crappy drive. Being an end user, non-techie, get the bigger drive, but keep backups of all data all the time. Use an external HD, burn DVDs, flash drives, I don't care. The HD's in machines from dell/hp/gateway etc are the cheapest they can get. They do and will die at some point. All of them. ...price = $902 (including the operating system / software).. Thoughts on this? Laptop? You don't need to buy Office if you own it, and you don't need adobe unless you NEED to make custom PDF's. Adobe reader is free. If you need a laptop, the vostro 1510 is your best bet, under $500. Check here for current deals: http://www.gotapex.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keggerz Posted April 14, 2009 Share Posted April 14, 2009 (edited) +1 I dont like the 2007 version. I hated it initially too but it does have its pluses when you learn how to use them all but if you already own 2003 and dont have a specific reason to upgrade to 2007 I would stand pat I need the full acrobat. I currently have only like 37GB on my desktop and 80GB on the server...both are full... Do you just need the ability to generate PDFs yourself? If so... PrimoPDF (FREE) or NitroPDF(by Primo) for $99 for 1 license Differences between Primo Free and Nitro Pro FWIW...i have used PrimoPDF with no problems at all adobe acrobat 9 Standard $299 edit: The Free Version of PrimoPDF is also allowable for commercial customers Edited April 14, 2009 by keggerz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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