Vista Part Deux: "I'm Back, SUSE!"

I'll explain more at some point; and .NET and other Microsoft technologies still impress me; but for daily all-around use – mostly tabbed browsing, office apps, the usual – I've finally said, "Hasta la vista, Vista.  Ixnay XP."

I loved SUSE 6/7, and my experience with openSUSE 10/11 and Windows relegated to a VM has been great so far.

The last year and a half since I purchased Vista – then a copy of XP Pro to "downgrade" – have dumbfoundingly been the worst in my 20+ years of personal computing – without a hint of exaggeration. (Ironically, I never had such a screamer machine the rest of the time!)

Sorry, but it's the truth.  Lord knows I would love to say otherwise.  Tech nostalgia and zealotry just aren't me as much as simply calling what I see. 🤷‍♂️

This copy of Windows is not genuine? What!?

OK.  This is it.  I've patiently worked through many Windows Vista annoyances since blogging about my initial, positive impression of the OS; and I haven't terribly minded.  Linux taught me to put up with a lot I guess, but that is another post – with regard to Vista and Linux. 😉  Now I am downright angry, though.

Tonight I came home and expected to continue fixing a bug for work.  All I needed was Vista's VPN and RDP clients – nothing more.  Well, not even that much works tonight because Vista tells me that my copy of Windows is not genuine!

I've read about this issue on Slashdot – caused by a recent (stealth) Windows update or simply updating a driver as I recall – but never figured it would happen to me.  To be clear, the experience absolutely sucks. (...technical term for a "Was I just mugged?" customer experience, Microsoft.)

What to do?  Well, I got so sick of Vista's 15-minute, likely-infinite loop of "Windows must be reinstalled to activate", logging in, and repeating that I'm running my Dell XPS's diagnostics for a calming distraction. 🤦‍♂️  ...pretty sad.

However this plays out, I'll definitely share the Vista "experience" that awaits me!

First Impression: Windows Vista

For the first time since the Nintendo 64's release, I promptly ponied up for technology.  The day of Windows Vista's consumer release, I ordered a Dell XPS notebook with Vista Business.

I've only had a few hours to tinker with it over the last couple nights, but I like what I see.  Sure, the obvious changes aren't radical; but that's good in my estimation.  What I liked about XP Professional seems to remain, and what's new is downright slick!