Microsoft Vista and third party applications

[jcs356]

OK, bought a decent new laptop now that I've set up my own business, as dragging out a five year old laptop whose hard disk is almost full, the case is scratch and dented, and overall is on its last legs doesn't create the right image. Forked out close to £1100 for a Sony Vaio laptop (which is a very nice piece of kit - but that's another story).

Spent about ten hours configuring various bits and bobs, installing and configuring various bits of software. Everything going really well and I'm actually getting used to the Vista interface.

Then came onto the drivers for my SonyEricsson K610i phone that I use as a modem to access the internet via the 3 network. Rather than use the CD I got with the phone (which is Windows 2000 / XP only), thought I'd download the driver from the SonyEricsson website. Bring it up to find that SonyEricsson haven't developed a driver yet for Vista. It is due Q2 2007 - i.e. sometime before the end of June!

I had no choice of OS when I ordered the laptop - it was Vista Business only pre-installed.

So I've got a brand new laptop that I can't plug into the internet via my 3G phone. So stuck with either:
- carrying 2 laptops around - the old one just to connect to the 'net and the new one to work on; or
- leaving the new machine at home until SonyEricsson get their fingers out.

I'm not a happy bunny as I can't use my new toy for the purpose I bought it for.

 

[Olly_K]

vista drivers are still in its infancy, with only the most common hardware items having drivers for vista.

why dont you buy a copy of XP and install that on the new laptop instead ?

 

[OutLore]

We have had some serious issues with Vista and our software - it's very different to Xp, and it doesn't help that MS didn't send out beta software until 3 months ago.

 

[Beerzo]

Yeah Vista is crap. Get loads of calls every day for IBM./Lenovo Customers that dont know what to do with it and their machines running slower with higher spec than Xp with lower spec.
Had a few peeps asking to change to XP.
Vista is all ready getting replaced in 2009 supposedley the new Windows is already being worked on. Will prob not be any good till SP1 comes out if it comes out.

 

[jcs356]

why dont you buy a copy of XP and install that on the new laptop instead ?

Probably the best answer, Olly. I've paid to be a member of the Microsoft Partner programme for small businesses so wonder if they'll let me have it for free?
Unlikely.

 

[batwad]

Could you use your phone as a modem over BlueTooth? The speed won't be great, but it'd be better than nothing (I guess).

 

[OutLore]

Probably the best answer, Olly. I've paid to be a member of the Microsoft Partner programme for small businesses so wonder if they'll let me have it for free?
Unlikely.

We are a MS Development partner - and essentially MS licenses are backwards compatible - so your Vista license should cover you for XP, Win2kPro etc etc. It should simply be a case of getting the software to install. Not 100% sure that the Vista product key would work with XP's install, but your MS rep should be able to help you with that.

 

[jcs356]

I'll give MS a ring to ask about XP backwards compatibility.

And the bluetooth thing is worth a try as well.

Thanks for your help guys.

 

[rodenal]

I agree, at the moment xp is a far superior OS using far less unneccesary resources with almost complete software compatibility - until vista has been in production for a couple of years and our computers have moved on a stage vista is pretty worthless imo

 

[OutLore]

Having said that - I would still be on Win2000 if my laptop supported it! Much more stable, none of the resourses sapping prettyness and fancy menu options....

 

[Rich]

Aaaaaah Windows 2000 and its security-sapping exploits