Why can't I buy a new laptop without Vista?

[doctorhardware]

To run vista the minimum ram requirements you need 1 Gig period it is a momory pig, 512k will not handle it. Even at 1 gig of ram it is very pokie at that. I will stay with xp for some time to come. There is still allot of software that is not compatible. The small businesses will not want to purchase new software that is compatible with vista. That would be just another added expense, that most will not justify just to purchase a new computer. Better off to stay with XP.

[NightbladeXX]

To run vista the minimum ram requirements you need 1 Gig period it is a momory pig, 512k will not handle it. Even at 1 gig of ram it is very pokie at that. I will stay with xp for some time to come. There is still allot of software that is not compatible. The small businesses will not want to purchase new software that is compatible with vista. That would be just another added expense, that most will not justify just to purchase a new computer. Better off to stay with XP.

Vista only appears to be a memory hog as it will prefetch alot more than xp did, so once your system boots you may notice like on my system 55% is beign used, but if you need something loaded that uses alot of memory i.e.: Hellgate London Vista will unload alot infact my system runs HGL more effiencienty than XP altho DX10 is still in its infancy

after Im done wiht HGL my system ram usage is 24% lets see XP manage your memory better, of course if I manually unload system resources in XP yes its more efficent but its lack on memory management or lack there of is where Vista excels

In Vista I can switch for running a tons of APPs to playing a high powered game without rebooting, try that with XP

[NightbladeXX]

with 1GB ram sticks availible albeit generic for $30 at Best Buy the RAM arguement is rather weak

[Chewy]

ddr2 is what is affordable, ddr1 has not fallen much and with better/faster sticks even becoming harder to find or more expensive

adding more ram helps with vista, but bloat is still bloat

[MilesAhead]

NightbladeXX Vista reminds me a lot of Linux the way it keeps memory
loaded. The biggest comparitive weakness is that Vista still uses swap files
instead of dedicating partitions to virtual memory. One thing I have noticed if
you turn off swap more of the kernel seems to be held in ram so the response
feels snappier. Also I set Superfetch to Automatic. If I'm going to do something
intesive I just stop Superfetch and leave it off. As long as it starts up at bootup
your system boots normally. For most purposes I think the new systems coming
standard with 3 GB ram will fly if you kill off the swapfile. I'm running 2 GB and
it seems ok to me. Of course the only way I could really tell the difference would
be to install the XP64 trial from MS... but if it ain't broke I don't wanna' fix it.

[Arctickiss]

Vista

I have fought tooth and nail for xp, and have completely told microsoft to put it where the sun doesn't shine about vista. I'll tell you why, and I'll also tell you why some of the things people have said here are incorrect.

Firstly, most of the big, inexpensive computer companies because of microsoft aren't allowed to ship with xp anymore. And even if they are (like dell for example) It is only on select systems, which you are not going to get all that you are looking for. Which makes it very hard. Yes, there are very few places where you can get them with xp, but trust me you will be paying for it. Although on a happier note, in most cases those smaller companies usually use higher quality parts, motherboards etc... So I'd say generally you are getting what you're paying for. Although to play devil's advocate even though those bigger companies don't always use quality things, I'd say more often then not they are good systems, and I've never had any huge problems with them.

someone also suggested reformatting them, which you cannot do. It seems like a simple fix but it won't work. You can make it through the reformat get a clean install of xp, but the computer just... fights it I guess lol. It made one that we were playing with crash, and a lot of other very unhappy things. We were FORCED to return it to it's original vista state. I've experienced it personally with a few systems, and have questioned those companies and they have confirmed to me that it can't be done. Now I'm sure hackers out there will be working on this issue, because in my hacker community no one is receiving vista well either. My knowledge doesn't go too far so I can't tell you specifically why it's not working other then driver issues and something I'm not entirely sure of but the new computers coming out have made it nearly impossible to do that. For the mumbo jumbo above and for arguments sake I'm just going to say "It's not compatible"

As far as the person arguing that vista is a better operating system... just insert random curse words here with a hateful tone. I won't argue that some things they have done could be beneficial to a small group of people however, for the greater majority it's just screwing us. They've made the memory and space it takes up enormous, and thrown in about 10million things that the common/normal user is never going to know is there, and is NEVER going to benefit from it. Which is bullying/requiring the vast majority to have to get expensive upgrades for things they are not going to need or use. It is indeed a ploy to make more money, and microsoft is continuing to threaten us by telling us they will stop support for windows xp (if I'm not mistaken before next year)

Aside from all that, all of you users who have gotten your upgrade to vista will be unhappy to know that I've spoke to a few professionals and they say for Vista to run easily you need at least 2 gigs of memory. 2 GIGS OF MEMORY IS FREAKING HUGE!!!! THAT'S JUST FOR THE OPERATING SYSTEM... not for your games (Like world of warcraft, doom, guild wars... any of that) JUST FOR YOUR OPERATING SYSTEM.

So you are going to go out and get one of those new fantastic computers Core 2 Duo, 2 Gigs of Ram, and you're going to bring this beasty machine home and find it running like a P2 POS and realize it's worthless...

So I guess the whole point of this is, don't accept windows vista. Don't give in because you've been bullied. I'm terrified to see what they come out with next. As long as the we (the customers) accept this kind of abuse when we've been customers for many years, they are going to continue to screw us.

My advice is go to your local computer shop, the one where there is that nice old guy that knows more about computers then your friend that's in college going for computer sciences. Tell him EXACTLY what you want it for, gaming and what not. Be specific. And let him build it for you. That nice old guy has fair prices, and will build you a helluva machine. Be specific though, because your gonna see that nice old guys evil side when you go back and tell him it's not what you wanted lol.

Please though, for the benefit of EVERYONE don't give in to windows vista because it's easier to do. Think about everyone else who cannot afford 2 gigs of memory just to run their operating system. Think of the schools that are not going to be able to afford the vista upgrade and are going to lose support for xp this year, and most likely lose all of their computers when they are hit by virus' due to microsoft neglect.

I love the things microsoft does sometimes, but somewhere along the way they've decided that there in comparison small group of people who create these systems know what's better for MILLIONS of americans, even when we've told them it's not.

Also to add one more note here, think about elderly as well. My grandmother has spent the last 6+ years with me teaching her how to use her computer. She's 80 years old... The elderly are not going to be mentally able to make this change. Don't underestimate that even the most obvious things to us, are incredibly unseen and complicated to the elderly who've not grown up with it.

I keep adding more to this to, I'm not meaning to but I can't help it. I just wanted to say that I'm not against change, but I'm also not against things that are tried and true. If XP was a terrible operating system and it was in need of a full overhaul then yeah, great make vista. But it's not, it's a fine operating system and it's one that's been being used for a good amount of time now. It would have been far more logical for them to improve upon xp then to come out with another half assed system before it was even ready to be released.