Bibek Paudel’s weblog

While visiting my local computer dealer, I found this picture pasted on their wall. It amused me, and I asked for a copy for myself. A part of it looked like this:

This is funny enough for me. First of all, it threatens me at my face in a childish manner. Second, it tries to assure me that I am very safe with its genuine product. Third, it assumes that I am at the mercy of the Vista makers to make my computing experience better. It surely has intimated other users in many more ways.

In recent days, I have been finding myself frequently engaged in conversations with my friends on Windows Vista or something related. Then I am often confronted with questions about why I dislike Microsoft and Windows. Because I started this weblog abruptly, these experiences happened to influence the first post and now this one. I want this weblog to converse also with those of my friends who are not much informed on technical issues. This, despite the fact that a lot has been written and said about Windows Vista being good or bad, made me start out on this seemingly unnecessary post.

Yes, I have used Windows Vista for a few hours everyday for about two months, six months back.

• With less than 40 tabs open in Internet Explorer, it needed a reboot. That was a big turnoff for someone whose browser usually has no less than a hundred tabs. Even XP is better at it.
• I have seen many of my friends upgrading their hardware to use the resource hungry Vista. The problem lies in the fact that Vista stays very alert checking whether or not it is pirated. It also uses the computer’s resources in constantly checking many other things to ensure content protection. While running on a machine with 1 GB RAM, with no applications except the desktop running, I found Vista consuming 47% of memory. Then again, on a machine with 2 GB RAM, in similar situation, it was consuming over 39% memory. In short, no amount of memory satisfies Vista: crashes are inevitable.
• A test showed that Windows Defender didn’t block 84% of the tested malware.
• The Windows XP Update system has already been labeled a spyware. That Vista is itself one big spyware is evident if you know that those who use Vista will have to put up with their systems constantly being checked online to make sure they’re not using any products deemed to be pirated software.
• This one’s related to the above one. You must have had at least one experience with the irritating Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA). A report states that WGA falsely accused more than 22 percent users of using “counterfeited” copies. A spyware that can’t even spy properly !
• I would like to explain this without delving into the DRM debate.
  There is a broad class of content that is considered premium content by Windows Vista. Windows Vista Content Protection – Twenty Questions (and Answers) is an interesting read. The comments are even more interesting and enlightening. The article also states that the content protection features increase CPU resource consumption.
• Other consequences of the Vista Content Protection features: (cited from TonyBlog)
  • If someone listens to a Super AudioCD, which is premium content, vista disables the high quality S/PDIF, which is commonly used for surround sound hookups with digital audio recievers, citing it as insecure. This only leaves lower-quality outputs, so that people can not record the higher quality signals off of the CD.
  • If someone buys a Blu-Ray drive for their windows vista computer, along with an HD movie for it, they will not be able to watch the movie in HD, even if they have an HD-Capable monitor, unless that monitor uses a special HDMI plug with HDCP Encryption. The degraded image is a bit like a 10-year-old CRT monitor that you picked up for $2 at a yard sale.
  • To prevent the user from being able to get the highest-quality copy of the audio in an unencrypted format, when one is listening to this “Premium Content”, the S/PDIF audio device is disabled by Windows Vista, leaving lower quality, analog, audio the only option.
• Microsoft is also blamed for eliminating Open-source hardware support. Driver woes continue to exist and I have seen end users like my friends suffer. Using GNU/Linux in a Vista-installed computers also turns to be a troublesome journey. Information Week reports that there are a lot problems with drivers in Vista, including audio drivers, graphics drivers, USB drivers, and wireless card drivers (among others). Microsoft failed to provide sufficient code despite repeated requests, to a number of vendors for them to write drivers.

Well, I wanted to continue. But then, this list didn’t seem like it would end. Vista is already a failure, with Microsoft announcing Windows 7 to be released in 2009. But it is here to stay for some reasons. We can also expect more ugly features in upcoming releases of the Operating System. I would like to wrap up with the following two sections.

My Suggestions:

• Switch to a better, secure Operating system that respects you as a user rather than abusing you and taking advantage of you. There are many free GNU/Linux distributions available whose features are far better than those of Vista, even for desktop use. You talk of Aero? I talk of Beryl- it will put Aero to shame- give it a try.
• If you can’t do above, stick to Windows XP until you find a better alternative. At least, XP isn’t as bad.

Further reading:

• A Cost Analysis of Windows Vista Content Protection : An excellent, well researched article with many links and references. It is a long article though.
• Bad Vista : Read, discuss and join the FSF’s campaign for the freedom of computer users, opposing adoption of Microsoft Windows Vista and promoting free softwares.
• Ubuntu Linux Vs. Windows Vista: The Battle For Your Desktop : A detailed 8-page guide to install Ubuntu (a GNU/Linux distro) in a Vista installed machine accompanying the author’s comparison between the two operating systems.
• Tech’s all time top 25 failures : Want to know how Vista ranked? Rejoice ! It sure hasn’t lagged behind.
• Is Vista forcing users to go Linux?
• Opinion: Why Windows Vista will suck.
• There’s No System Like Linux for the Holidays : A short and easy to understand introduction to using GNU/Linux in desktops and laptops.
• A Vista vs. Linux Matchup : Similar to the above one, but more detailed.
• Vista Kernel Dogged by Bad Drivers
• Vista Has Failed To Push Aside Its Older Brother : Why XP is better than Vista.
• UK schools told to avoid Vista.
• Five reasons to hate Vista haters : Finally, something for those who would say that this post was biased.

Comments, hate mails and flames are welcome.
Cheers !