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Windows Help needed..

BigJim13

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Aug 13, 2006
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So about a week ago my in-laws house got nailed by lightning and fried their comp. My MIL asked my wife to find and build her a new comp, they plan on getting into the 21st century, LOL.

We are building them a comp thru Dell and want to stay with Windows XP. The only option Dell gives is Vista but can buy a downgrade?? which makes no sense to me, but here are the options

Genuine Windows Vista® Business Bonus-Windows XP Professional downgrade [add $99]

<TABLE id=main2_table cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=2 width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top><TABLE width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top align=left width="100%"><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD colSpan=2><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD width="100%"><TABLE class=option_display_visible id=module_options_11 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR id=tr_m_11:XP33UDP><TD width="100%"><TABLE id=t_m_11:XP33UDP cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0 name="t_m_11:XP33UDP"><TBODY><TR><TD style="WORD-BREAK: keep-all; LINE-HEIGHT: 2; LINE-BREAK: strict" width="100%">Genuine Windows Vista® Ultimate Bonus-Windows XP Professional downgrade [add $149]
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Anyway, they run a small business and mainly use it for Internet, order processing and email. Which option would some of you tech savy people go with? Is it worth spending the extra $50 to get the "Ultimate" or just stick with the Business package at $99.
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Thanks!
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N.V.M.

now...a cartoon
Sep 27, 2008
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can you not buy it without any OS and just buy a copy of XP, install it yourself.

btw, why stay with XP? its almost 2 operating systems old now. Microsoft is taking pre-orders of Windows 7.
 
OP
BigJim13

BigJim13

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can you not buy it without any OS and just buy a copy of XP, install it yourself.

btw, why stay with XP? its almost 2 operating systems old now. Microsoft is taking pre-orders of Windows 7.

The short answer, I don't know-LOL. My wife took the specs of what she was looking at for the in laws to work and showed it to the IT guys. She had built it with some sort of Vista small biz package and they both told her to stick with XP.

I know they are about to release Windows 7, but really won't it take about 3 yrs to work the bugs out and at that time they will be releasing something else...LOL- kinda like Taylor Made and their 40 different drivers every season.
 
OP
BigJim13

BigJim13

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So they are into the web cam porn industry then?:D

I take it you have been to their website :D!

Seriously though, Maple Syrup or as its known in these parts- Amber Gold. Kinda like black gold or Texas tea, except you can't run a car with it.
 

Johnny Par

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Sep 5, 2006
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IMO, stick with XP. Vista is a memory hog and I would wait before jumping into Windows 7. In the past, all new operating systems from Microsoft have had a ton of bugs. Windows 7 will probably be no different. I would hold off until Microsoft releases a Service Pack to address most of the new bugs, etc....

What does the "Ultimate" package include that the regular doesn't?
 

Pa Jayhawk

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Nov 15, 2005
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You will want to do a little research and confirm this, but I believe that all computers purchased now with Vista will be eligible for free upgrade with Windows 7 when it comes out in a few months. So I think on whether I would spend the extra $50 for Ultimate would likely have to do with the condition on whether they will give the standard version of Windows 7 or the same model, and whether they would intend to upgrade. Then it would be more based on Windows 7 version and not Vista versions.

I probably wouldn't pay the extra $50 unless they would intend to upgrade and would get the Windows 7 Utimate through the upgrade. Simply because I will likely opt for Windows 7 Standard over Vista Ultimate based on my Vista Experience.

If they only offer Standard in the Upgrade, they could then pay a fee to upgrade from standard to Business if necessary.

Personally as much as I hate Vista, at this point I am not sure I would opt to go back to XP for a fee, or even if it were cheaper for that matter if you would get Windows 7 for free on upgrade. As mentioned prior, you are looking at an OS that will be 2 versions prior and will not likely be supported much in the near future. I think if you do not have enough faith and are not willing to bite the bullet with Vista in the sense that you can upgrade for free to Windows 7, you may want to at least consider the new Leopard OS through Mac. I have never been a fan of Mac, with exception to some that were out in the Early 80's. Although Leopard is based on the SUN OS, which IMO is one of the better OS to ever exist. So it is almost a gamble I would be willing to take if Windows 7 is no better than Vista. Likely one that I will consider on my next PC.
 

wirehair

Life's too short to drink cheap wine.
Apr 29, 2005
2,489
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A couple of Operating system truths regardless of company.

1. All are either experimental or obsolute.
2. The next release will always require more memory, and faster processors.
3. Most Apps will require updates or patches. These aren't available yet.
 

eclark53520

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Being a Memory 'hog' really isnt an issue today. Memory is abundant and relatively cheap.

Unless you are doing tons of networking and client-server stuff, i would just get the vista with an upgrade option to windows 7 and it will work well.

I have vista on my home laptop and honestly have not run into many problems at all with the OS...definitely none that would make me want XP back....but then, i don't do tons of stuff with it either.

and +1 to what wirehair said. Todays operating systems will be wimps compared to tomorrows, and those will pale in comparison to the next generation and so on.
 

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