The 180 Vista Reversal*

I don't know if it's because I typed up something last week all defending Vista or because it's Microsoft Destiny-- but I'm retracting what I wrote last week and doing a 180 on Vista. I have come to the conclusion that Vista does in fact kinda suckkk. At the very least it's simply worse and less stable than XP. I've never had angry feelings at XP. Just sympathetic. But this week Vista made me angry.

I admit now that what I wrote last week (giving Vista a pass) was to maybe subconsciously squash some of my lurky fears that Vista was shaky. I had a few buggy things happen. Blue screen crashes here and there. Strange sound assignments. But as a PC guy I figured that now and again stuff happens. Especially with new computers. It was nothing dramatic and I determined that everything was fine. But this past week has not only proven to me that Vista is a dumb frustrating operating system-- but it's pushed my patience and loyalty hardcore.

And now there is a side of me that is feeling pangs of regret for not purchasing an mofoking Mac. Yup! I said it! (This is a big admission for someone who has been adamantly and stubbornly PC for his whole life.) Although I'm not sold on Mac because I don't like them either for alot of reasons. (And I still know people who say Vista is good).

First off, let me say that I don't believe any of the recent issues are the problem of my actual physical computer. This thing runs crazy fast and my new zombie game 'Left 4 Dead' looks and plays amazing. It's Vista. This past week I've probably gotten 5-7 blue screen crashes. 6-7 more than I got with XP. Out of the blue style while surfing the net or whatever. But other new wonked issues are creeping up from between the floorboards.

The worst is the de-stabilization of the program I use most. Flash. I've been cranking out alot of freelancy work over the past week or so and lost hours work in random crashouts. (Flash crashed sometimes in XP too but it's worse now. What happened to more stable? And I've fallen into a paranoid zone of feeling like I constantly have to be saving work. (Flash has no auto-save. Thanks Flash.) And restarting. Restarting. Always with the restart. And now I have to export stuff in HD sometimes-- and it eats up memory like crazy. My old machine could handle it. This is a super machine. Now it's almost slower. Why? I think my precious memory boost is being soaked up or twisted into a knot by Vista. (Memory sacrificed up for what btw? Paneling open windows? Better icons? What really is the point here? Virus protection?)

Anyway, I was in an Apple store yesterday poking around though and was feeling the pull of the cheesy goodness that is apparently Mac. Somewhat. (Even tho the store smelled like BO). Considering I work with videoish stuff I stared at the flashiness of their videoness and liked it. I liked the idea that work is being constantly backing up too. I felt way grumpy about everything. Have I been too loyal to Microsoft? Would I be slammed into the secret world of Mac issues that Mac people deny? Did I push back too hard on my annoying Mac-y friends? I don't really know to be honest. Not yet. I could just be pissed. I'd be 10x more pissed if I switched to Mac and had issues.

I'm probably being extra harsh on Vista because my prior XP issues didn't get magically washed away. It safe to say Vista hasn't improved anything at all. But I still groan at the cutesy clean fancy pants image of Apple. Bleh. I still think the whole company leans female. So I'm half and half right now.

But I have two choices now.

1. Return to XP where everything was basically fine enough and ditch Vista. This is a major project. A few days work realistically.

2. Or put this PC on friggin eBay and take the financial hit and get a Mac.

3. Somehow install a Mac OS AND Windows on this one PC. (Two operating systems? But that seems like crossing the streams and a major operation. Any geeks know of this legend? Dual boot situation?)

Anyway, I'll tell you what. Before I get more crazy. Here's the dealio. I'm gonna bring one of my problem memory soaking major Flash projects to the Mac store this week-- and see how one of the Macs processes it. If it does what y'all Mac people claim it can do... I might go for it and finally switch. If it crashes out their computer too... I will redirect my anger toward Flash people and go back to XP. The ultimate showdown for the nerd in me.

I better get back to playing my zombie game (Left 4 Dead rocks!)-- because that definite perk of PC might actually be coming to an end once I decide what the hell I'm doing.

Apologies to Vista defenders for leaving you in the lurch this way. These recent issues really might only be mine. Maybe the personal combo of programs I'm running might be doing a number 13 on this machine? But that's kind of the point.

ok bye!

tOdd

(PS. Btw no pumpkin choice from nephews and nieces over Thxgiving... their computer was all sorts of fkt up... yah. Because of Vista...)

PPS. Yes I typed this right after a blue screen so I might be going off the handle a bit... but...

(Ok. Although I know that maybe not alot of people care I feel I should update status. I just got off the phone with Adobe and they sort of admitted that this is their problem. CS3 isn't really guaranteed on 64-bit operating systems and in fact the program itself isn't built to manage large exports for HD. Basically the program itself isn't up to speed on what I'm trying to do.

However, he did say it is possible that what I am trying to do may in fact work better on a Mac-- but he didn't know. I will be testing it out and reporting back on that. But in terms of my bashing of Vista it probably is a little over the top considering the source of my frustration is really justified toward Adobe first...)

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