Comments on: The Calibration

By: hmvh

hmvh — Tue, 06 Feb 2007 19:58:36 +0000

This behemoth called “Vista” – do I actually need it and its monstrous hardware requirements?

Your list of tasks for what ones uses his Windows machine has made me think. What do I really use my (main) PC for?

· Editing photos
· Updating and editing my humble websites
· Watching the oddd DVD
· Editing and mixing music CDs
· Ripping
· Scanning
· Surfing the web
· General Office ™ work.

Hmmm… I’ve neglected to mention that the tasks above are done on a humble 933Mhz machine running Windows 95B!

So. Does anyone really *need* Vista?

By: Rob "Flack" O'Hara

Rob "Flack" O'Hara — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 21:52:22 +0000

With each new generation of Windows, the question of “do I *really* need Windows” gets revisited (and rightfully so). Like you, every five years or so when the reality of upgrading all my machines to a new version of Windows hits me, I start considering alternate possibilities.

I have to say, this time around I’m closer than I ever have been before to switching to another operating system. In 2001 when XP was released, there were simply too many things I did on a regular basis that no other OS could do. Having a dual boot setup seems pointless to me. If I have to keep Windows around for at least one task, I might as well do everything with it.

Ubuntu is really coming along and I suspect in the very near future it will be an all around acceptable replacement for Windows for me.

By: LateBlt

LateBlt — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 03:40:14 +0000

Y’know, it’s funny that you post this now, because I’ve recently been going through this same process of self-examination, asking the fundamental question: What the heck do I do with computers, anyway? Yeah, I’m on them for about 12 hours a day, but just what do I *do* with that time?

Unlike your list, though, which is more eminently practical, I came to the conclusion that besides all the real-world uses for a computer (media, data, communications, etc.), a computer can serve ends just by being a computer. The ability to twiddle the bits in memory, the ability to drive arbitrary I/O ports, the ability to control pixels on the screen… These alone are reason enough for computers to exist. Just by being understood, computers are doing something for people. That might sound unrealistic, but I suspect many other computer people would agree.

I’m not knocking the practical uses of computers; they’re definitely there, and they serve a purpose too. But even without them, computers and computer people would still have their place.

By: fuzz

fuzz — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 20:45:16 +0000

My boss’s boss has apparently been asking Questions about vista.
So it looks like I’m going to be looking after a network full of little vista boxen, might as well get used to it now…

On the gripping hand Ubuntu is really, pretty, I think I could spend most of my day there if not for the bits and bobs I can’t/won’t/don’t do on anything except XP.

By: Ryan Russell

Ryan Russell — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 05:57:14 +0000

Day job? When do you have time for a day job? What is it?

By: Jim Munroe

Jim Munroe — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 04:58:39 +0000

Yeah, I concur with your list — video editing and dvd mastering are the only things I boot up my xp for. Used to play games on it until my videocard started whining, but now I prefer the console: games are made for their hardware specs and there’s a better selection. I think the Ubuntu/Debian Windows installers are going to get a fair amount of use — they timed the release of those well.