Windows Vista Launches To Mixed Reactions

Several users have submitted stories reporting on the launch of Microsoft's newest operating system. The Guardian focuses on virus warnings already threatening the OS, while the New York Times discusses the bug hunt that's begun. With hackers writing scripts to attack, and well-paid bounty hunters looking for bugs to defend, Vista's first few months on the market are sure to be interesting. In the meantime, what is your impression of the OS? Have you had a chance to use the retail version yet? Are you supporting it in a business environment? What's the launch of Vista been like for you?

Anyone stand in line to buy Vista at midnight?

[xzvf]

I drove by the local Best Buy and Circuit City and didn't see any lines.

I'll stick with Internet Explorer

[andy314159pi]

I prefer the Internet Explorer to the Vista. And If I have to buy a new Vista then I hope the fucking drinkholder doesn't break on the first day I use it.

it's been

[Anonymous Coward]

What's the launch of Vista been like for you? Unimportant.

It only just now launched??

[kahei]

Wait, I've been hearing about Vista on Slashdot twice a day for the last six months (at least that's how it feels) and it only just now launched?

I cringe at the thought of the barrage of Slashdot articles that will inevitably ensue!

Feb 1st, 5am: Vista failing to meet sales targets?
Feb 1st, 9am: Vista crash ruins breakfast for millions
Feb 1st, 6pm: Vista's first day: an in-depth analysis on some blog-type thing
Feb 2nd, 1:30am: Vista! Vista! Vista!
Feb 2nd, 8am: Vista still available after several days
Feb 3rd, 1pm: Vista 'ate my hair' claims Sacramento teen
Feb 3rd, 5pm: What's wrong with Vista? Six beardy Unix guys have their say
Feb 3rd, 11:30pm: Vista vs MacOSX -- a Mac fan comments
Feb 4th, 8:15am: Vista a flop already, say pundits
Feb 4th, 9am: Poll: Is Vista inadequately covered on Slashdot?
Feb 4th, 9:45am: Ten things fatally wrong with the Vista shutdown menu

*panic panic*

This launch...

[igny]

upgrades the DRM status from the DNF to the DOA.

The world seems different

[Alien54]

Sort of like all the colors are in HiDef, slightly oversaturated.

and everthing looks slightly puffy

like it's bloated, or slightly over-inflated

Almost like the world has been redone in the Microsoft Cute Theme.

Can Steve Ballmer look Cute? (Now that's an image ....)

Will let you know when I see more....

Re:2008

[jimstapleton]

slow down cowboy! 2008? Isn't it a bit risky to go that fast?

Note: as much as that may read like sarcasm, it wasn't. I'm quite serious.

Re:Anyone stand in line to buy Vista at midnight?

[Planky]

No, I was in my car... checking for lines...

Drama and security

[ettlz]

From the BBC [bbc.co.uk]:

Windows Vista is "dramatically more secure than any other operating system released", [said] Bill Gates.

Meanwhile, in other news, several open-source developers in Calgary, Alberta were admitted to hospital for treatment of coffee burns and choking injuries caused on by an acute attack of the giggles.

Re:What about games and DirectX 10?

[Anonymous Coward]

Jesus dude, everyone knows "order the operating system Friday" means "do i torrent XP?"

Re:Tried a demo in the Best Buy

[mordors9]

Your IP has been logged and forwarded to our Civil Litigation division. Please cease and desist from any further spurious comments on our fine product.---Microsoft WatchDog Division

Hmmm....

[Anonymous Coward]

Vista will still peg your processor at around 30% most of the time

I can imagine needing to run Vista on a Beowulf cluster to get decent speed.

Can Ballmer look cute?

[spun]

If by cute you mean "slightly puffy like it's bloated, or slightly over-inflated" then, yes, yes he can look cute.

Windows Vista Truly is an Amazing Operating System

[Dr Kool, PhD]

I waited several hours in line on the night before release to be one of the first to use Windows Vista. I must say that Vista is an amazing operating system. It is hands-down the best product that Microsoft has ever put out, and probably the best operating system that the world has ever seen.

Why upgrade from XP? There's so much new in Vista that your head will just boggle. From new Internet Explorer 7 to desktop search features to a virus / spyware scan utility that eliminates the need for Norton, Vista is on the cutting edge of technology. Another thing that impressed me is the improvements Microsoft made to the little games that come with the OS. Solitaire, Minesweeper, and all your favorites are back with improved graphics and game play along with newcomers like Chess and Hold'Em. Did I mention the the Aero desktop environment is the worlds first 3D desktop?

Windows Vista is more than just an incremental upgrade, it's on a whole new level compared to XP. Congratulations to Microsoft for releasing an amazing product. They spent $6 billion and five years on this operating system and it really shows.

Re:It only just now launched??

[Goaway]

What's wrong with Vista? Six beardy Unix guys have their say

You understand Slashdot better than anybody should have to.

Vista Rocks!

[Bluesman]

I love when Microsoft comes out with a resource hog OS.

It just means that when I buy my next low-end PC, the hardware will be incredible just so it can run Vista, and FreeBSD will run like a dream on it.

I think we all owe MS a great deal of gratitude for pushing the envelope so that decent OS's can make use of commodity hardware that ten years ago was unimaginably fast.

don't know about Vista...

[freeradica1]

...but I queued up at midnight for dapper drake.

$400 seems like a lot to pay for Solitaire

[tenzig_112]

REDMOND, WASHINGTON- With the launch of their newest solitaire engine, Vista, Microsoft hopes to bring the art of single player card games to a whole new level. Gone is the flat green background, replaced by a seductive green-to-dark-green gradient. The "play" and "quit" buttons are pleasantly shiny like beads of glass, softly inviting you to click them. Even the diamonds, hearts, spades, and clubs all have a sexy updated look. After poking around Vista for a few hours, it's difficult to imagine stacking sequential cards of alternating suits with anything less.

Even harder to believe is the steady stream of bad reviews for Vista. After five years of waiting, it would be understandable if some members of the press felt that Vista should represent a bigger jump from its predecessor than it does. For instance, they point to Microsoft's original promise that all versions of Vista would feature a common 64-bit architecture- but that makes no sense at all since the game only has 52 cards. It seems fairly clear that anyone talking trash about Vista just hasn't played it.

Excerpt from ridiculopathy.com [ridiculopathy.com] Somehow I don't think this is serious.

Re:Thank you, brave gamma testers...

[Orange Crush]

but you cannot, by default log in as root.

sudo su

mixed reaction?

[mcmonkey]

Some people say it sucks...others say it blows.

Re:Hmmm....

[Sku-Lad]

Thanks for the Spoiler Alert!!! Now I might as well not even read Beowulf! Oh, well, The 13th Warrior is on tonight. I love that movie!

Re:I'll stick with Internet Explorer

[nytes]

My Macbook doesn't even have a drink holder! It just has a slot to store my credit cards.