Windows XP

[RoryA]

It's also a very good idea to run the Vista Hardware compatibility checker on the MS website before getting Vista on an old machine.

 

[cornflakegirl]

Okay, now you're all scaring me!

We don't do much on the computer - we have Office, do a bit of photo editing, use the internet. Not sure what version of Office we have though.

Think I'll need to make my husband come and post on this thread - he's not such a wuss about these things!

 

[DonkeyOte]

I run XP Home and Vista -- the latter as a new install on new machine so I can't / shouldn't comment regards issues with upgrades etc... that said I've not had any real issues with Vista and none with XP ... one good thing regards Vista over XP if you're a web nerd is that IIS comes as standard (though has to be activated) whereas with XP it's only available with XP Pro Edition... if you buy XP Home and do web development - beware... you can run IIS on XP Home but you have to do a little "tweaking"...

General opinion would appear to be XP rather than Vista so I stand corrected... rumour has it that Vista will become something of the 21st Century ME as far as OS' are concerned... ie the OS of which no one speaks at MS... I thought MS were rumoured to have brought forward the roll out of the next OS given issues with Vista...?? Afterall ME wasn't around for long and wasn't a huge success...

 

[cornflakegirl]

Thanks Luke - I didn't realise about IIS - that's me swayed...

< goes to find out what IIS is >

< EDIT: have now read Wikipedia article, and still have no idea! >

 

[riaz]

Do a google on Vista replaced and you seem to get a lot of authoritative organisations telling you that Vista is on the way out to be replaced by Windows 7 in 2009.

If so, hang on to your XP's guys (and gals).

 

[Stormseed]

Thanks Luke - I didn't realise about IIS - that's me swayed...

< goes to find out what IIS is >

Assume that you have installed IIS (Internet Information Server) on your home computer.

Now, you are roaming at office or somewhere away from your computer(your computer is ON - and the IIS is also active on the computer). You need to connect to your PC for some stuff like files or information or whatever. What you do is connect to your computer where the IIS is installed through an Internet Web Server (different companies have different connectivity servers depending upon their products) and access your stuff. This works even if you are currently located in a different country - provided your home computer is ON with IIS active.

This was just a basic example whereas you can do lots of tweaking with this technology. It is huge success from Microsoft over the globe.

Beware, this technology has some bad effects too. Say, I know the External IP of your computer, then I can hack it to my advantage using IIS !!

 

[cornflakegirl]

Aah - thanks Stormseed.

 

[RoryA]

Okay, now you're all scaring me!

We don't do much on the computer - we have Office, do a bit of photo editing, use the internet. Not sure what version of Office we have though.

Think I'll need to make my husband come and post on this thread - he's not such a wuss about these things!

Get a Mac??

 

[cornflakegirl]

My sister has one, and has just gone travelling for a year, leaving it behind (reluctantly). So I could nick it!

It is lovely, but I just couldn't spend that sort of money. (And I'm not as weak-willed as Mr Schollar )

 

[RoryA]

I know what you mean - I only have one thanks to an unexpected bit of consulting work I was offered. Spent the money before my wife knew anything about it...