Windows Vista

[Arthur07]

So - has anyone tried out Windows Vista? How would you rate it?

I sent away for it on the day it was released, it only cost me £11 - as an upgrade from dell. Unforunately, the "express" upgrade isn't that express and I still haven't recieved anything - lol. Hopefully it will arrive sometime soon :p.

[Jim]

I haven't got it. From what i have heard, it causes more hassle than its worth.

I may consider getting it when all the *problems* have been sorted.

[camuk19]

Definately waiting for the first SP or large update, but then again i do that with almost anything :P

[Mystic]

I have used Vista RC1. Didn't notice any major problems. Performance was fine (pretty much same as xp). It has some annoyances like the new Vista Start Menu or the UAC. But, 3rd party software can replace the start menu and uac can be disabled.
There are some definitely improvements.
Its not a huge improvement over xp, but an improvement none the less.

[Submerge]

I've used it on some store PCs. IT was alright, but I'll wait until I update my PC, it just seems to much of a hassle and looks to be a resource hog, so I'll wait a year or two.

[Mystic]

Well, I dont think an update would reduce the amount of resource it requires. It contains many more services and hence needs more juice. Its natural. Three or four years ago, 512mb ram was a luxury, today its very common. Windows XP required more sys resource than Windows 98.
If you dont have the resources turn off the eyecandy (transition effects, aero etc) and disable services you dont need.
A service pack wont reduce sys resource usage. Infact it did just the opposite for Windows Xp. SP2 added more functionalitie, which meant more resource usage.
Next Windows would probably come out after 2010, and that would require even more system resource usage.

[Submerge]

Yes, I know they always require more resource, but like you stated in a few years we will have the 'luxury' equipment of today which will be more suitable to upgrade. But I'll hold off until it's necessary to upgrade, I don't think that time has come yet. Unlike the hype of 98 to XP, there is little hype for XP to Vista. I wouldn't have minded Vista being delayed another year.

[Arthur07]

http://img256.imageshack.us/img256/523/marchdellap2.jpg

:)

[Mystic]

Vista Activation Cracked By Brute Force

It appears that Keznews forum member Snooza has discovered a method that effectively obtains a Windows Vista key which can then be activated. The idea is a simple brute force attack: the software generates keys and when it finds one, you manually have to check if it activates. The 8-step method can take anywhere from two minutes to two days. Members of the forum have verified the strategy and claim it works. This technique should worry Microsoft, not because they are losing customers to piracy again, but because the customers who are actually spending the money on the latest Windows version may start being unable to activate the software with a legally purchased key. It seems that the main issue is time, and with today’s modern PCs, it really isn’t that much of a problem. Evidently, pirates would rather wait a couple of hours, than go to work and make the money needed to purchase a legal copy. The author of the article over at Keznews has a disclaimer which emphasizes that, "under no circumstances should anyone sell the key that they generate. I do not support Piracy, this was simply an experiment in which i used to practice my vbscripting. This was just for fun and was a complete accident! I strongly encourage everyone to purchase windows vista, and be a genuine customer!"

That hasn’t stopped him from offering his crack as a public download.

Info : http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=37941

This is seriously bad for MS. Because, if they keygen gets a real existing key and activates it, ms would probably end up identifying the original buyer as pirated user. And then, they would be within their rights to sue MS.

[Arthur07]

Wow, that's interesting it claims on the website that it checks approximately 10,000 keys in 30 minutes.

Your right mystic this is quite worrying for Microsoft, especially since there seems no easy way to plug this hole. If someone downloads the release build of windows vista, they can just turn off automatic updates immediately then use the crack tool before any patch or fixed can be automatically updated or downloaded.

As long as my legitimate key isn't effected, whenever it appears i'm happy :).

[Arthur07]

http://keznews.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2782&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

Apparently it was just a hoax.

I wonder if it really was or if Microsoft's lawyers put the fear of god into the coder :P. Regardless of this microsoft are going ahead and investigating the claims anyway.

[Mystic]

Yes, its very possible he got scared. He just posted it in a small warez forum. Suddently all major journals start writing about it and its everywhere on the net.
Anyway now another guy has released a patch. This time he hacks the bios!!

[Submerge]

I'd be scared if I was that website owner, lol.

[Arthur07]

Light at the end of the tunnel my vista shipping status has changed to "In Progress" :)

[aloksingh]

I am awaiting the first major security fix before I use the Vista. Seems like it is going to be a copy of the Macintosh looks-wise. Feature-wise it will still be the same old buggy windows.