upgrading to Win 7 in that case
but they can whistle if they think I'm paying for it!
Microsoft slams coffin lid on Vista
Microsoft has killed support for its unloved Windows Vista operating system today. The company announced in February that the service pack-free version of its post-XP, pre-Windows 7 OS would hit end of life support in April. This means that from today, the OS which hit manufacturers in late 2006 is left entirely at the mercy of …
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Cracking idea...
...unless your a PC gamer or into creative stuff, like graphics, 3D, audio etc.
There's more than one shade of geek.
As far as I'm concerned, embrace ALL of it - linux, windows, mac - much easier that way & you don't end up sounding like some kind of 'know-it-all' penguin-hugging twat.
Eh...
I game quite well on my Linux box, including quite a few 3D games. I do graphics and audio mixing to, and my Linux box outdoes the Mac I have at work for that kind of thing.
You're right about embracing it all, but don't dismiss part of 'it all' because you haven't taken the time to learn what it can really do.
PC Gaymer
Does anyone really play PC games anymore?
Come on, you need to spend £300+ on a new graphics card and operating system every other year just so you can use the new version of DirectLame, then the DRM rapes your system dry AND 90% of the games are second, third, or fourth editions of some buggy WW2 FPS that wasn't even fun to begin with. Why suffer it?
well
I kind of agree.
Except that your description of games only really covers Call of Duty series.
There are still alot of games out there only realeased on PC, and also pretty much every new game made is either ported to or ported from the PC.
True there is some expense involved but those who game on PC's usually have a PC to begin with. A modern system usually has plenty oomph and enough horses to run an Xbox360 port without too much trouble.
If you want to run crysis warhead at the speed of light then yes a £300 gfx card would be warranted.
However, on the topic of expense... it is true that my gaming system cost alot of dosh, and I could just go and buy an xbox 360 for about 120 quid. However, I would then need an HD telly to play it on (no point putting it through a scart plug on a tv or analogue monitor, looks terrible - i've done it) which usually cost upwards of 800 quid for a nice big one. Granted I could get a 25 inch one for about 300, but then I could build myself a capable system for that (£420) too.
You talk about DRM, but have you ever played an Xbox360? It's there, it's just more well hidden.
I *do* hate the DRM, but again there are alternatives. I have a fair number of games on Steam, I find that getting them from steam usually means that the only DRM is your steam account and the normal restrictions that go with it. Otherwise, I don't normally have any problems with typing in a CD key and letting the game phone home to activate it. Although activation limits are a completely different kettle of fat retarded tosspots with delusions of fighting piracy.
Lastly, game makers are well aware of the failures of and popular opinion on Winblowz, and usually code their games to suit.
You will find the latest game may use DX10, maybe even DX11, but it will also run on windos xp with DX9 and use about 2 thirds of the RAM while it's at it. Only upgradetards really spend that much on new stuff every year.... and I got my copy of win7 for 30 quid and my gfx for 160 - and that's all the upgrades I will need for atleast another four years.
How long till Xbox1080 comes out and you need a new telly to support the latest "High" definition?
Selective reporting
This is support if you haven't got the service pack(s)
is this article intended to set off the usual Linux v Mac v Windows rants?.
What's the matter, UK election too boring?
Election
The UK election is definitely very boring - I started to despair the moment I saw the BBC's twatterific website go live on April 6th: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/election2010/liveevent/
Poor reporting
The only support (and further security patches) that is ending is for Vista *with no service packs*. TBF the quotes from Microsoft makes this clear, but the author doesn't appear to have grasped it and the article is written as though all support for Vista was ending. If there are still users out there running Vista with no service packs, all they have to do is install SP2 and their support and security updates will continue as usual.
OTOH support for XP will cease in July irrespective of the SP status (i.e. earlier than Vista, which is exactly what one would expect).
Doesn't XP Support end in 2014?
Chris Miller said: "OTOH support for XP will cease in July irrespective of the SP status (i.e. earlier than Vista, which is exactly what one would expect)."
I thought it was just XP SP2 that came to end of life on 13th July 2010 and full support will end for XP irrespective of SP level on April 8, 2014?
Good spot Hedley
You're quite correct - it's support for XP/SP2 that ends in July. Just as for Vista without any SPs, it's hard to see why anyone would *need* to run in this state - though with umpty-odd million users, I guess there will always be a few exceptions.
MicroScrew...
...strikes again. "Sorry we let you down with Vista ... but cheer up, simply give us some more money and your problem will be solved! Discount because we already screwed you over? Not a chance!"
Well...
Other than Vista being supported still if its patched up to date and the fact that they _did_ offer substantial discounts for upgrades when Win7 was launched you almost had a point there.
RE" Well...
I think the pertinent part of your post was "when Win7 was launched".
Now that the rug is being pulled, there's no cheap upgrade.
Mind your laptop batteries...
As win7 will - no doubt - kill a dozen of them.
I am wondering why the glorious likes of El Reg has more or less stopped covering this, post MS' official statement.
The problem DOES exist, batteries DO die - mind you, only days after installing win 7.
Behave
'Coffin lid', 'killed', 'left entirely at the mercy of hackers'
All a bit OTT.
Helpful to remind people that support for Vista with no service packs is coming to an end - anyone getting an SP on will be grateful of it anyway - but no need for the misleading spin.
The cheek of it!
If they can't be bothered to support the poor souls who have a Vista system then the least they can do is offer a free upgrade to Windows 7, it is after the OS that Vista was meant to be.
I suppose
they could co completely out of their way & offer a free update to service pack 1 or 2 and bring these poor souls back up to a supprted level.
they could even have automated the whole process and made it so that you would have had to go out of your way to not already have one of these free updates.
Vista
What Vista was meant to be has been obfuscated by bloat.
Nonsense story
They're dropping support for the service pack free version - IT JUST MEANS YOU HAVE TO INSTALL SP2!
Obviously a slow news day.
He's kidding
After the debacle of Vista, Microsoft should be shelling out cash to teh punters for the crappy operating system they forced on people who had no option other than to buy it on computers.
Yes, Dell, that also means you ... you who won't give people refunds for the Microsoft OS if people want the hardware spec, but not the OS.
I saw an advert on TV for Dell
It's worse than that, Dell are still trying to push vista onto unknowing consumers.
Just the other day, I saw an advert for a Dell laptop.
It came "complete" with "2Gb of Ram, an Intel Celeron Processor <bing bong bing bong> and Windows Vista Basic."
They wanted something like £375 for it.
This was like yesterday, hosestly!....yesterday...not two years ago, YESTERDAY!
After I'd spat my cornflakes everywhere with laughter. I decided never ever to buy anything from Dell....EVER!
Dell Hell
A co-worker of mine purchased a standard Dell laptop with a 15" screen and 160GB hard drive. It came with Vista Home Edition, which is fine, but Dell only saw fit to install 512MB RAM (with shared video memory!) on the default configuration. Control Panel took over 3 minutes to appear.
Vista buy or new OS or have it shoved down your throat.
Great, so all those poor unfortunates that had a laptop shoved down their throat with PISTA installed (a crippled OS as MS have just admitted) just have to go and buy Windows 7 for a paltry £100 or so? I wonder what would happen if Car companies tried that? "What sir? oh, yes the accelerator on the model you bought 10 months ago is known not to work, the bodywork falls off and the doors dont shut properly. Just buy our latest car sir." JEEEZ can MS get away with just about anything??!
There's an article under the headline ...
... did you read it?
Those 'poor unfortunates' don't have to buy win7 - they have to install the latest service pack, which costs nothing apart from the time and bandwidth involved in downloading it.
To return to your analogy, it is more like a car company saying 'You have not changed the tires or serviced this car since you purchased it - you can carry on driving but we want nothing to do with it.'
RE: There's an article under the headline ...
"To return to your analogy, it is more like a car company saying 'You have not changed the tires or serviced this car since you purchased it - you can carry on driving but we want nothing to do with it.'"
Cars don't randomly crash on you and other drivers can't suddenly grab the wheel from half the world away, steer you to an atm and rob you.
If Microsoft released a car, they'd be sued for negligence and put out of business on day one!
You Sure?
"Cars don't randomly crash on you"
Unless it's a Toyota!
Some level of support
I'm sure Microsoft won't be too bothered with the opinions of a mere Customer but this is pretty dreadful really isn't it.
I bought a laptop with Vista (don't forget the "wow") a little over two years ago and already the support plug is being pulled. If I buy a copy of Windows 7 how soon will it be until support is withdrawn from that as well?
I'm sure Microsoft would deny this, but it feels quite contemptuous and arrogant from this customer's perspective. If I go into my VW dealer I can still purchase replacement parts for my 18 year old Volkswagen... why should Microsoft stop supporting thier products as little as a year after sale?
Shame on them.
No, twit
Install SP2. Job done. You're still supported. Read for comprehension.
errghhh No
@John Support on Vista is not ending, just on Non-Patched Vista, If you install SP2 of Vista you will still be supported.
The story was unclear, but if you read it a couple of time you could see through the fud, that this is a non story
Confused
Don't Microsoft support a product for a minimum of 10 years ?
I have Vista Ultimate on my 14 month old PC. It sort of works. I don't want to pay £200 to go to Windows 7 Ultimate. There does not seem to be a lower cost of upgrading the Ultimate versions of Windows Vista to Windows 7...
I should have bought an iMac instead of my Core i7, 8GB, Raid0, Radeon 4850, Blu Ray equipped PC... I was foolishly comparing costs based on spec, not on customer experience.
Can we have an evil Balmer logo ?
Fuck You (TM microsoft)
Microsoft want you to buy an xbox you fool.
can you hear the laughter now?
anyway if you want Win 7 ultimate I think its about £70 through the education scheme. click through to resellers from MS site (.ac.uk email address required)
this is a title. will it suffice?
why would you?
vista ultimate was toss. i bought OEM home premium win7 64bit for £85. the ultimate versions are just full of crap you never use. the only thing i thought about was maybe VPN but im sure i can do that anyway by other means. and vista home could connect to a domain fine so i never understood about that limitation.
win7 is MILES better than vista. its really nice to use, unlike the UAC ridden vista
Good and bad
Personally I think it is great and the sooner Vista is dead the better.
However, to paraphrase Rev Lovejoy's wife, wont anyone think of the users?
Lots of corps have remained on XP - great. Most technogeeks are on *nix/Win7 etc. Both camps shout loudest about Vista's inherent suckiness and will be overjoyed by this (I am).
However all the home users who have bought a computer in the last 3 years are basically being told to cough up and upgrade. I bought a PC from a "High Street Chain" in Dec 09 and it had Vista on (didnt bother me cos it was destined for *nix). Every machine in the shop had it. Lots of people were buying them.
The user base of Vista is infuriatingly large but not comprised of corporations or technophiles. This means MS have turned off life support for what is possibly the most vulnerable group of people and *least likely* to understand what is involved with getting it upgraded or turned back on.
Way to go MicroShaft.
Well, that kind of nails it
Never was there a 'Skip-edition' like Vista! I have a suspicion that as Windows 7 and its successors start seeping into company networks, then supporting Windows environments is suddenly going to get a whole lot more expensive and time consuming. Sometimes you never know what you've got until its gone - and many IT shops have coasted along quite happily for the last five or six years, comfortable that they could more or less expect that every single client machine in the Windows network was a Windows XP Pro machine.
Maybe it will return to a state similar to the late 90s and early last decade, when any mixture of NT4, 95, 98 and 2000 boxes, could be located on a single pod within a single office? If so, then the IT crowd may once again learn to love Windows division's habit of making each new version of Windows, 85% compatible with the previous versions - with all sorts of interesting exceptions, that eventually involve opening a command line and typing in the name of some God-awful DDL, to resolve dependency clashes.
Well...
ME was prety darn awful and very, very skippable in my book.
Re: Well...
So skippable that most folks now don't remember it ever existed.
But then, after NT was released, pretty much every version of DOS-based Windows was skippable.
Missing data...
As anyone can check by Googling/Binging 'Microsoft Support Lifecycle', it's stated that:
When a new Windows service pack is released, Microsoft will provide 24 months of support for the previous service pack.
The same has always applied to XP also.
Amazing how many commentards
haven't noticed that this is a complete non-story. Windows Server 2003 with no SP is not supported. XP pre SP2 is not supported. Vista with no SP is not supported. This is business as usual. MS only ever supports the current and previous SP for any length of time.
For the hard of thinking:
VISTA IS STILL SUPPORTED BY MS
You just have to service pack it, if for some arcane reason you haven't already done so.
I'm not sure who has the lowest IQ here - the reporter of this non-story, the headline writer who got it completely wrong, or the commentards who can't read for meaning. Minus several million out of ten for intelligence, all.
We know
Yeah, but why let a thing like plain, simple facts get in the way of stirring up the *nix/Fruit/Billy fanbois into a frenzy of attacking each other?!
BUY APP...no wait..BUY LIN...oh hold on you can't, BUY SOMETHING WHICH IS BETTER THAN THAT ONE, 'COS A BLOKE ON A FORUM SAID SO!!!
About time...
...copyright law for software was changed radically. If all unsupported software automatically became public domain, people like MS might change their tune pretty quickly.
suggesting punters should consider shelling out some cash for an upgrade
Fuck em! After paying for Vista Ultimate, and getting screwed over, I'm a fully paid up pirate supporter now.
No support at all?
After reading this article, I do not understand if it is to be that my Vista installation will have no more patches from now on.
<--- Vista x64 SP2
@ Joe Welcome
If you genuinely can't work out whether your SP2 Vista will still be supported, despite reading the article and the comments above, I suggest you sell your PC and spend the money on something simpler.
It's easy..
Ignoring all the retarded comments from the retards..
What do you have installed;
Service Pack 2 - Nothing changes, support as normal.
Service Pack 1 - Nothing changes, support as normal (but you should install the latest).
No service pack - You're 22 months behind with updates released by Microsoft to the point where they will no longer offer you any further UNTIL you update to one of the above.
Nothing outragous, scandelous or shameful here..
Just me then?
Am I the only one that finds Windows 7 less reliable than Vista? ...and that was after a clean install.
yes, just you
MOJ Employee wrote: "Am I the only one that finds Windows 7 less reliable than Vista? "
Probably - since street wisdom seems to indicate that MS got Win7 a lot less wrong than Vista was/is. Certainly I can use Win7 for longer than the 10 minutes that it takes Vista to royally p*ss me off and have me screaming for the relative sanity of either XP or Ubuntu.
Here's a question for the cynical commenters out there - so is this XP finally dead (come July)? In which case aren't the netbook vendors that are still shipping XP (rather than a decent Linux distro) going to look a wee bitty stupid?
No, but only until I'd updated the drivers
Once I did that my problems went away - specifically with the bundled ICH7 (specifically : SATA AHCI) drivers, and Nvidia drivers for the 7600GT.
MOJ Not alone
No, it is at least the two of us.
My Win 7 laptop crashes more than my Vista SP2 desktop. Is that simply the laptop vs desktop? Who knows.
IE 8 on Win 7 is so unstable to be unusable, which is kind of reassuring....
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