Post by blackbomber on Nov 16, 2009 19:18:00 GMT -5
I know this thread is a bit old, but I'm new to the forum, and wanted to add my two cents.
I applaud anyone who want's to deviate from the mainstream, and use a Linux distrabution. Even more so, saving money (and keeping it from MS) is a great thing. As Rebels, we should try to use open source software whenever possible. But before we dismiss Vista and 7 due to backward compatibility, it should be noted that what breaks most legacy programs on Vista is the User Account Control, or UAC. It's an extra layer of security that the older apps were not designed to accomidate. The UAC CAN BE DISABLED!!!!!!!! BTW, UAC has been used in Linux for a very long time. It's the annoying prompt to elevate priveliges. It is always noticable on an installation, because the OS doesn't know if the user is trying to install a wanted an legitimate program, or if a devious virus is trying to install itself. It's part of what makes the new generation of MS OS's more secure than XP and prior. While I like UAC, I'd rather shut it down, and use the OS I paid for (albeit somewhat less protected) than to scrap it alltogether. Just food for thought.
I run XP personally because the Admin Tools Pack on Vista (and presumably 7) is extremely limited on how it interfaces with Server 2003, which is the enviornment the network I manage runs on.
BTW, I haven't done multi-boot systems in years. The way forward is Hypervisor technology (virtualization). MS has a free product called Virtual PC, and there is a very nice open source one I use called VirtualBox. For the beginner, I recommend Virtual PC because it's VERY easy to share between enviornments (once the tools are installed). You will want to run it on a processor that supports hardware virtualization accelleration. I run Window 7 virtually on my Lenovo T61P, and other than Aero not functioning (the virtualized graphics are not compatible) it runs as fluidly as if it were installed native. In fact, if you are thinking of making the plunge to Linux, install it in a virtual machine first, and run with it for a while.
BTW, Rebel, my first PC was a TI994a, also. I still have it for nostalgia reasons. Was yours the black and stainless model, like mine, or did you have the newer beige console? I'll tell you what I remember most about that machine: We didn't have consumer UPS devices back then, and everything was stored in volatile memory until you dumped it to tape. I used to hate when the dog would run by, and pull the power cord out of the wall after you had entered about 200 lines of code. This was common, because I used mine on the coffee table, in front of the TV. Good times.
Anyway, for those struggling with Vista: If your machine is fairly powerful, check the MS Technet knowledge base for "disable UAC, and make sure you are fully service packed (I think the current version is 2). It might not be as bad as you think. Also try using Ready Boost. I have heard a lot of great feedback from those who have tried it, although for me it did not seem to make a difference.
I applaud anyone who want's to deviate from the mainstream, and use a Linux distrabution. Even more so, saving money (and keeping it from MS) is a great thing. As Rebels, we should try to use open source software whenever possible. But before we dismiss Vista and 7 due to backward compatibility, it should be noted that what breaks most legacy programs on Vista is the User Account Control, or UAC. It's an extra layer of security that the older apps were not designed to accomidate. The UAC CAN BE DISABLED!!!!!!!! BTW, UAC has been used in Linux for a very long time. It's the annoying prompt to elevate priveliges. It is always noticable on an installation, because the OS doesn't know if the user is trying to install a wanted an legitimate program, or if a devious virus is trying to install itself. It's part of what makes the new generation of MS OS's more secure than XP and prior. While I like UAC, I'd rather shut it down, and use the OS I paid for (albeit somewhat less protected) than to scrap it alltogether. Just food for thought.
I run XP personally because the Admin Tools Pack on Vista (and presumably 7) is extremely limited on how it interfaces with Server 2003, which is the enviornment the network I manage runs on.
BTW, I haven't done multi-boot systems in years. The way forward is Hypervisor technology (virtualization). MS has a free product called Virtual PC, and there is a very nice open source one I use called VirtualBox. For the beginner, I recommend Virtual PC because it's VERY easy to share between enviornments (once the tools are installed). You will want to run it on a processor that supports hardware virtualization accelleration. I run Window 7 virtually on my Lenovo T61P, and other than Aero not functioning (the virtualized graphics are not compatible) it runs as fluidly as if it were installed native. In fact, if you are thinking of making the plunge to Linux, install it in a virtual machine first, and run with it for a while.
BTW, Rebel, my first PC was a TI994a, also. I still have it for nostalgia reasons. Was yours the black and stainless model, like mine, or did you have the newer beige console? I'll tell you what I remember most about that machine: We didn't have consumer UPS devices back then, and everything was stored in volatile memory until you dumped it to tape. I used to hate when the dog would run by, and pull the power cord out of the wall after you had entered about 200 lines of code. This was common, because I used mine on the coffee table, in front of the TV. Good times.
Anyway, for those struggling with Vista: If your machine is fairly powerful, check the MS Technet knowledge base for "disable UAC, and make sure you are fully service packed (I think the current version is 2). It might not be as bad as you think. Also try using Ready Boost. I have heard a lot of great feedback from those who have tried it, although for me it did not seem to make a difference.