I was feeling adventurous last week so I managed to install Windows Vista Ultimate on my MacBook. It's certainly got its share of annoyances but I don't understand why everybody seems to hate it so much.
Installation was much less painful than xp. In particular, that first software update after a fresh install was a hundred times easier- only had to update & reboot once rather than a half dozen times.
Graphics performance: I've got a totally weak Intel 945 'integrated graphics chipset.' I'm running the full Aero interface and, weirdly enough, it hasn't exploded yet.
Memory consumption: I've got 1GB, the minimum recommended. Memory usage is pretty high but it seems roughly comparable to Mac OS X. If I were doing more than testing websites I'd probably be more concerned.
This is a weird one: it keeps 'asking for permission.' When you click 'more details' all it shows is a UUID. I know from context what it's doing, but seriously people. In general, though, I've noticed much fewer weird geeky error messages than xp.
Graphics design: one thumb up for improved controls and icons, one thumb down for the over-the-top window decorations. I like how the folder icons are stuffed with the actual icons of the folder's contents.
Graphics technology: much improved over xp. Text is super-crisp, and that frosted glass effect, while annoying, is pretty impressive.
Screen savers: What happened to the series of tubes?
- Z
Zobar's Journal
My Podcast Link
10/19/2008 23:36 #46204
why don't i hate vista?10/12/2008 21:09 #46079
yeah i'm a dorkCategory: not politics
but I really like this houndstooth pattern. 
Apparently 217 other people do, too. I guess it attracts the kind of person who would have the tenacity to look through sixty four pages of themes but then totally just give up.
Last night, it was potatoes. Tonight, my nonpartisan campaign coverage hits musical endorsements. At the event where John McCain brought out Daddy Yankee to announce his endorsement, somebody asked Mr Yankee what his song 'Gasolina' is about. His answer: 'energy independence.'
Meanwhile Barack Obama's got Bruce Springsteen, Jay-Z, and, depending on your interpretation of this runaway inflatable pig, Roger Waters.
But now that we've finally got a black guy from Chicago on the ticket, where's all the blues singers?
Wow, I wish I hadn't seen that. He's got Al Gore rhythm.
- Z
Apparently 217 other people do, too. I guess it attracts the kind of person who would have the tenacity to look through sixty four pages of themes but then totally just give up.Last night, it was potatoes. Tonight, my nonpartisan campaign coverage hits musical endorsements. At the event where John McCain brought out Daddy Yankee to announce his endorsement, somebody asked Mr Yankee what his song 'Gasolina' is about. His answer: 'energy independence.'
Meanwhile Barack Obama's got Bruce Springsteen, Jay-Z, and, depending on your interpretation of this runaway inflatable pig, Roger Waters.
But now that we've finally got a black guy from Chicago on the ticket, where's all the blues singers?
Wow, I wish I hadn't seen that. He's got Al Gore rhythm.
- Z
dragonlady7 - 10/12/08 22:57
YOU ARE SUCH A DORK.
YOU ARE SUCH A DORK.
10/10/2008 18:37 #46049
mccain '08!Category: not politics
You read the news, you get what you deserve. These ads are on rotation at the Boston Globe
This ad campaign is so great, they've even got puns about Oven Mitt Romney. I wish I'd thought of it first.
- Z
are on rotation at the Boston Globe This ad campaign is so great, they've even got puns about Oven Mitt Romney. I wish I'd thought of it first.
- Z
james - 10/10/08 18:43
Now that is crispy, oven baked goodness I can believe in.
Now that is crispy, oven baked goodness I can believe in.
10/09/2008 16:24 #46021
public service announcementBack up your hard drive. Like right now. Read the rest of the post once you're done.
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You didn't do it, did you? Today was the second time my MacBook's drive failed in the 2 1/2 years I've owned it. They said it was a known issue and the replacement was free, warranty or no, but my last backup was Friday so I'm out a week. Could have been worse.
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Now that you're back from actually backing up your drive, here's some other MacBook problems that are covered out-of-warranty:
1) when your power cord shorts, melts the insulator, and starts shooting sparks
2) when the outer edge of your top case cracks and falls off
3) the repair for 2) will also replace your touchpad and mouse button, which may have become unreliable in their age.
- Z
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You didn't do it, did you? Today was the second time my MacBook's drive failed in the 2 1/2 years I've owned it. They said it was a known issue and the replacement was free, warranty or no, but my last backup was Friday so I'm out a week. Could have been worse.
---
Now that you're back from actually backing up your drive, here's some other MacBook problems that are covered out-of-warranty:
1) when your power cord shorts, melts the insulator, and starts shooting sparks
2) when the outer edge of your top case cracks and falls off
3) the repair for 2) will also replace your touchpad and mouse button, which may have become unreliable in their age.
- Z
tinypliny - 10/09/08 22:03
So what you are saying is when I get a mac and when I finally need a new touchpad, I should take a hammer and crack the top case.
Brilliant tip. Thanks!
So what you are saying is when I get a mac and when I finally need a new touchpad, I should take a hammer and crack the top case.
Brilliant tip. Thanks!
10/07/2008 17:05 #45981
there's no accounting for blasdellCategory: food
OK, so I really need to get out of the house, so we decided on barbeque. I'm a Kentucky Greg's man but the place is a bit small and I'm feeling a bit cooped-up already, so. There's always Fat Bob's and although their sides are excellent I'm not a fan of their ...um... ribs. We'd gone to BW's once but my memory of it faded behind my memory of driving the hell around Blasdell trying to find it. So BW's it is.
In an effort to avoid getting lost again I looked up the turnoff from Rt 5 on Street View. On one side: an unmarked garage; on the other: an unmarked factory. Great. I backed up the street a little: A sign that says mumblemumble ... POGS? Zoomed in. Sure enough, ALL ADULT POGS.
What is the deal with Blasdell.
- Z
_______________
ps. Yeah I know, it says 'All About Dogs,' but you can't stop me from believing there's an entire store devoted to selling fifteen-year-old porn-pogs.
pps. BW's ribs are cooked perfectly but KY Greg still wins on sauce.
ppps. All About Doug definitely looks like the kind of place that sells porn-pogs.
but the place is a bit small and I'm feeling a bit cooped-up already, so. There's always Fat Bob's and although their sides are excellent I'm not a fan of their ...um... ribs. We'd gone to BW's once but my memory of it faded behind my memory of driving the hell around Blasdell trying to find it. So BW's it is.In an effort to avoid getting lost again I looked up the turnoff from Rt 5 on Street View. On one side: an unmarked garage; on the other: an unmarked factory. Great. I backed up the street a little: A sign that says mumblemumble ... POGS? Zoomed in. Sure enough, ALL ADULT POGS.
What is the deal with Blasdell.
- Z
_______________
ps. Yeah I know, it says 'All About Dogs,' but you can't stop me from believing there's an entire store devoted to selling fifteen-year-old porn-pogs.
pps. BW's ribs are cooked perfectly but KY Greg still wins on sauce.
ppps. All About Doug definitely looks like the kind of place that sells porn-pogs.
dragonlady7 - 10/11/08 21:14
Am I a heretic for liking BW's sauce better than Kentucky Greg's???
Now if only Greg had an actual liquor license...
I love Fat Bobs for the atmosphere and location. And the bar. But yes. The ribs are a bit... subpar. And really I could get bourbon anywhere.
Just not at Kentucky Greg's.
I suppose the perfect solution is to buy a thing of BW's sauce, get a bunch of Greg's takeout, and sit at home and make my own damn drinks.
Am I a heretic for liking BW's sauce better than Kentucky Greg's???
Now if only Greg had an actual liquor license...
I love Fat Bobs for the atmosphere and location. And the bar. But yes. The ribs are a bit... subpar. And really I could get bourbon anywhere.
Just not at Kentucky Greg's.
I suppose the perfect solution is to buy a thing of BW's sauce, get a bunch of Greg's takeout, and sit at home and make my own damn drinks.
carolinian - 10/07/08 22:42
I work just down the street from BW's. I know what you mean. One could easily mistake BW's for something different than a restaurant.
I work just down the street from BW's. I know what you mean. One could easily mistake BW's for something different than a restaurant.
tinypliny - 10/07/08 22:04
The Canal Zone? No kidding. And all this while we were wondering where all that autocracy, insularity and weirdness came from.
The Canal Zone? No kidding. And all this while we were wondering where all that autocracy, insularity and weirdness came from.
zobar - 10/07/08 21:49
I actually clicked on one of those and B made fun of me the whole way home. It's a long drive, and I can't say that my life is better knowing that John McCain was born in the Panama Canal Zone.
- Z
I actually clicked on one of those and B made fun of me the whole way home. It's a long drive, and I can't say that my life is better knowing that John McCain was born in the Panama Canal Zone.
- Z
tinypliny - 10/07/08 21:25
Serves you right. Who cares about Blasdell when you can:
Browse popular maps
-- Barack Obama's Journey
-- John McCain's Journey
I mean, come on. Blasdell pal(es) in any sort of significance even if it has porn pogs. ;-)
Serves you right. Who cares about Blasdell when you can:
Browse popular maps
-- Barack Obama's Journey
-- John McCain's Journey
I mean, come on. Blasdell pal(es) in any sort of significance even if it has porn pogs. ;-)
gardenmama - 10/07/08 19:38
Kentucky Greg's has great BBQ. They also have small catering packages (to go) that are pretty reasonable - like a family pack.
Kentucky Greg's has great BBQ. They also have small catering packages (to go) that are pretty reasonable - like a family pack.
joshua - 10/07/08 18:42
Finally! Someone who knows how to properly appreciate Kentucky Greg's! Fat Bob's is way overrated, in my opinion.
Finally! Someone who knows how to properly appreciate Kentucky Greg's! Fat Bob's is way overrated, in my opinion.
I didn't like Vista because it was too memory intensive. Plus all those "asking for permissions" almost drove me to smash a rock through my monitor because it got to a point where I was being asked to confirm 20 times for one single thing! I turned off most of the confirmations but some were still popping up. It was frustrating to the max - like having a overbearing parent who doubts your ability to do anything right and asks you a zillion times whether you want to be where you are. I mod and tweak all my installations a lot and delete a lot of windoze components that I never use, but Vista didn't let me do that in a smooth fashion. For zikes sake, don't treat your users like they are from planet "not-only-am-I-dumb-but-also-stoned".
Yes, you're probably right, 2GB is pretty much the real minimum if you want to do anything meaningful.
One really funky thing with UAT, in case you haven't seen it yet, is when you get asked for permission when you view source. Ta da!
I haven't gotten that one yet. Maybe I'm already elevated enough. (-:
- Z
I love the error when it says you need elevation to continue instead of saying elevated privileges. I agree though, it is better than XP.