I had the unfortunate experience of helping my father-in-law buy a computer this weekend. I am glad he got a new computer, he needed one badly. But it was NOT an Apple, and it just about broke my heart. Not just because I know he'd be getting a better computer that would work with less hassle and heartache for just a little more money if he got a Mac. Not even because this thing he got is about twice the size and weight of an equivalent Mac, and looks like an old rusty school bus in comparison.
No, the reason is that I am now engaged in full-time Windows Vista tech support. What a huge bloated mess that OS is. All those Mac vs. PC commercials are true, and far too kind.
In setting up his computer to use for the first time, I was pelted with dozens of obtuse security warnings, each one looking for all the world like a system crash. They came at me like machine gun fire, one right after the other. I couldn't tell if I was talking to the operating system or one of the bloatware programs onboard. And it's still got more bugs than a good-sized rainforest.
The system tray is loaded with super-tiny icons of dubious design, confusing and very difficult to understand. And there are clashing colors and popping dialog boxes everywhere. It looks overall like a three-ring circus experienced while on LSD.
The "Aero Glass" user interface is incredibly resource-intensive, even on his brand-new well-equipped computer. Window moves drag and sputter to the point that I would call that feature unusable and turn it off.
The whole thing just feels sluggish and tired, like it's on allergy meds. Mac OS X "Leopard" is so snappy and Ferrari-responsive that Vista seems like a big underpowered panel van pulling out onto the expressway in comparison. I have to ask, how can people stand using this operating system on a daily basis?
The answer, of course, is that they can't. Users hate this beast, and Microsoft has been apologizing for it since it came out. Their CEO himself called it a "Work in progress" for Pete's sake.
Oh, I'll do my best, because I want Papa to have a computer that works, but I might not be done venting about it yet.
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