What does it take to get a PC with XP?

Actually, I'm telling not asking. But I would like to know your thoughts. Anyone prefer Vista in the workplace? Thought you might find current specific vendor policy on XP useful.

My Blog post or original PC World article.

i got new machine only few days ago and there is one more machine that friend got only yesterday. we both had no problem getting XP except one couldn't make XP configuration using website, had to call and talk to a person. (each machine got XP and Vista discs and licence but XP was preinstalled).

Nice! That's refreshing to hear. I should have pushed harder on my Laptop. I've had it for over a year now and I'm not happy with Vista on it (but I don't use it much). Our "Vista Enterprise" installs on Dell Desktops at the office work well, though. I'm not totally sold, though - improvements to the scheduler, kernel, etc seem to be offset by other resource intensive processes. Better wireless and networking code offset by annoying layout and default "are you sure" security settings. I'd be much more happy with the DB based file system they've been talking about, faster boot/shutdown, and other such features - and can the DX10 "Aero-cr**". Most importantly for these applications, backward compatibility. Perhaps they could integrate a virtualized sandbox instead of an emulator (ntvdm). I could give a darn about "64 bit computing" or whatever - what matters now is that it works. Oh well, maybe "Windows 8".

XP over Vista

I went shopping for a laptop and discovered in the stores there is now no longer an option. You have to get Vista. If you order Via Dell or HP you can still get XP but this is going to end this year. I am working with Vista and thinking about buying XP to replace it. In the need to make the software idiot proof they made it a pain to work with. I just dont have the patience.....

I was at a systems integrator a few days ago doing a process control presentation and the topic of Windows Vista compatibility for our software came up.

I explained that some drivers in RSLinx 2.53, as well as RSLogix 500 v8, have been tested with Windows Vista Home Premium and Windows Vista Business, but that RSLogix 5000 is scheduled for v17 (a few weeks from now) and FactoryTalk applications are still in development and testing.


Then I turned the question around; "What applications is ABC Automation using Windows Vista in ?".

Silence. A few heads swivel back and forth. Finally a young engineer pipes up: "My wife runs Vista on her laptop !"

Point noted, but it does beg the question a bit. How could you use Vista for applications if they don't run well on the OS (which has been officially released for a year and half now, following a year long open beta program - and we're only now at point where most industrial vendors support it). The point of the article is that it's often hard to buy new computers without Vista. The big vendors and MS keep shifting their phase out dates, but those dates do exist.

Ken Roach said:

Then I turned the question around; "What applications is ABC Automation using Windows Vista in ?".

Click to expand...

We just have to wait to Windows 7. I agree with the changes that were done in Vista, I don't agree with the cost (in hardware needed) that that asks for. It's too much.
I don't know if it's true, but Vista is just an intermediate step to windows 7. We just need to wait another year to see the real thing.

Anyhow, I'm not using it, and it seems that I will not be using it either. I'm not going to change my 1 year old laptop, that runs excellent with XP because Vista almost don't move with it. What a waste!

I wonder if MS & the plc vendors are in some sort of pact (or maybe not), look at the facts.
Hardware:
PLC vendors insist on using weird comms so you have to spend £....
on converters, even some 232 ports are some weird plug.
Pc's are hard to get with 232 ports for your expensive 232 converter.
Then PCMCIA now defunct on most new pc's, dammmmm, just spent £800 on a DH card.
Vista, well I have £37,000 of plc, hmi & scada software most of which probably won't run on vista.
5-6 232 or pcmcia converters or special leads most of which will not work on latest hardware
To be honest only got another 9 years & I can retire, hope my 850mhz PIII with real serial ports, usb & PCMCIA lasts that long.
Come on PLC vendors all we need are USB for local connection & ethernet what could be simpler

parky said:

I have £37,000 of plc, hmi & scada software

Click to expand...

exactly, no point in spending big bucks on all this software and then go for budget pc running xp home (before) or vista (now) and lacking ports, muscle etc.