Tech questions

[cabenson]

I'm looking at getting a new desk top and I had a couple questions for all the computer geeks out there.

Do they still downgrade to Windows XP if requested? Will Vista be the death of me? I really don't want to get all new programs if the ones I have are not compatible.

Also, if a laptop has built in wireless, and works for wireless-G, will it work for wireless-N as well?

Ugh.../back to researching

Comments

[amazonqueenkate.livejournal.com]

I know that Dell lets you choose Vista Business or what they call the XP "Bonus" for $99 extra. Vista Business gives you the option to downgrade to XP if you want to, and the XP "Bonus" basically makes your computer come with XP but you can upgrade to Vista if you want to.

I know a lot of bugs have been worked out with Vista, so if I were you, I'd see about getting Vista Business or Vista Ultimate, which come with automatic downgrade options in them. That way, if you like Vista, you can use it, but if it's messing with your life, you can downgrade. I think pretty much everything comes automatically with Vista at this point, but I could be wrong. My Googlefu was not good today.

Good luck.

[cabenson.livejournal.com]

Thanks! My Googlefu is sucking today too.

[eclecticfan.livejournal.com]

check out

http://www.staples.com/office/supplies/StaplesProductDisplay?jspStoreDir=Staples&fromUrl=home&catalogId=10051&productId=261892&cmArea=SEARCH&langId=-1&cm_sp=Control-_-Search-_-Test&storeId=10001&cmSearchKeyword=a6712

seems to be loaded not sure if you can downgrade Vista tho

[amazonqueenkate.livejournal.com]

Vista has, like, 17 levels. There's home basic and home premium and business and business premium and, I don't know, chocolate fudge chunk...

The only ones that downgrade as far as I have read in my research are Ultimate -- the top of the line one -- and Business.

Though man, the shiny of that computer.... Desktops have come so far from what they were 7 years ago (but mine keeps on truckin'!)

[eclecticfan.livejournal.com]

now if Vista also delivered chocolate, I'd upgrade immediately!

[ncruuk.livejournal.com]

I swore never to use Vista... I was prepared to sell my soul to Apple Mac or even consider Linex/Unix... that was, until I needed a new laptop in a rush.

There are a couple of things about Vista that make me chew the inside of my brain, but then that's what happens with Microsoft. Generally, I'm quite happy with Vista now (I bought my laptop about 8 months ago, and newer bug fixed versions are appearing all the time) and didn't have any issue with software compatibility. Can't answer the wireless question as I don't understand it, but my parents are now travelling the world with a Vista laptop and, in the last 4 weeks have made successful wireless connections in London, Cape Town and Malta.... suggesting that even the real technophobes can cope!

[eclecticfan.livejournal.com]

from the look of below - N should work with G but not the other way around as N is more advanced than G... Hope this helps.

http://compnetworking.about.com/od/wirelessrouters/tp/80211nprenhome.htm

802.11n is the third-generation Wi-Fi standard for wireless home networking. 802.11n equipment is backward compatible with older 802.11g or 802.11b gear, and it supports much faster wireless connections over longer distances.

So-called Wireless N or Draft N routers available today are based on a preliminary version of the 802.11n industry specification. They are not guaranteed to fully interoperate with future 802.11n products.

[zennie.livejournal.com]

The draft N has been stable for some time, though, and I doubt they would make the N standards (which, given that draft N has been around for 3 years, may not ever come) incompatible. Basically, if you have an N router, you need an N card. If your router is G, then a G card is fine unless you plan to upgrade.

As for Vista, I've heard it's getting better, but that Windows 7 has been fast-tracked because of all the problems with Vista. Most people I know have learned to live with vista, but businesses I work for have not upgraded to vista and still use XP, which should tell you something. They are waiting for Windows 7, I think. If you buy a refurbed or custom/bare bones desktop, like from Tigerdirect then you can get XP. but most new computers are shipping with Vista.

[(Anonymous)]

Hiya CB :)

Most major companies provide a downgrade path still due to the instabilities and hardware requirements inherent to Vista. In saying that the current generation of hardware (unless you're buying really cheap) should cope. Software compatibility now is much better than when Vista was first released, so it'd be something pretty specific if you found an incompatibility with your current programs.

The laptop will have to have Wireless N built in for that to work, but an N adapter will work on all lower levels of wireless.

Have fun with the research, I've found Dell are pretty good, but HP, IBM & Toshiba are good too.. although that's all relative to what price range/feature set you're after. They all have their high points and low points based on that.

:)

[myrth1.livejournal.com]

Crap sorry that anon post was me posting from work and forgetting to log in :)

[spiffikins]

I've been looking at new laptops - my desktop is having issues, and these days, laptops are amazing for cheap!

The key to vista is to get LOTS of memory - at least 4Gb. And, as others have said, if you can, get the Ultimate of Business versions instead of Home or Premium.