:: MIS Insights ::

CNN writes a short article on users petitioning to keep Windows XP:

No matter how hard Microsoft works to persuade people to embrace Vista, some just can’t be wowed. They complain about Vista’s hefty hardware requirements, its less-than-peppy performance, occasional incompatibility with other programs and devices and frequent, irritating security pop-up windows.

I don’t get it. If you want (need?) Windows XP, then go ahead and buy as much as you want.

If you know you’ll be buying 4 computers in the next two years and definitely need XP on those machines, then stock up with 4 licenses of XP.

If you don’t know when you’ll be buying a computer, then you need to revisit your upgrade plan.

People who are complaining right now are those that 1) can’t act on what they want 2) don’t have a plan for the future or 3) just like to wing it as challenges come by. Sorry folks, it doesn’t work like that.

There are some things that need to be planned and a system upgrade is one of them. Unlike your mainframe operating system, desktop operating systems were not designed to be useful forever. These operating systems need to be rehauled once in a while because the hardware that they’re talking to — gets upgraded all the time. Patching it up won’t work forever.

So you actually have three options here:

1. Plan nothing and go with the industry’s plan
2. Plan now and buy all the XP licenses you will ever need
3. Give Pipboy $10,000, get a mainframe and never worry about upgrading your OS

:P

In preparation for an upcoming computer upgrade, i’ve been doing some research on what’s the better CPU to pick up. As a Pareto fan, the new computer will be used 80% of the time for work and 20% of the time for games (where that 20% of the playtime will make the 80% of work worthwhile). Here’s what I’ve gotten so far:

Xeon Server (traditional Intel server cpu)

• Stability - has undergone rigorous testing suited for 24/7 operations
• Lower price point - cheaper than high-end core 2 duo babies

Core 2 Duo (e8400. sweet spot for price-performance ratio… if you can find one)

• Great overclocking capability
• Higher clock-speed - this will own xeons in many games, anytime of the day

If i wait until december 2008 for the uber-rig, i’m looking at:

• Intel’s new socket (they’ll be upgrading lga775 ~ which isn’t a socket btw)
• Cheaper price for whatever i’m salivating for right now (My 35k right now will surely be down to 20k by december)
• Better gauge for upcoming games (Fallout 3 and Starcraft 2)

If i do wait until december, should i get a budget pc right now for 10k?

Should I upgrade or not? hahaha. this is a very nice problem

($40:PhP1)

I was fixing my pc yesterday and couldn’t reformat because my xp installer was being ejected every 30 seconds. Since 1) most of my files can be accessed through the network, 2) i can share my laptop’s optical drive through the network, 3) i can create and use cd images and 4) i have lots of hard drive space, i haven’t bothered replacing it.

Unfortunately, I needed a real and physical optical drive yesterday to reinstall xp on my desktop. If it weren’t for the hot weather, i would have went to gilmore and got me a new pc… i mean, optical drive.

So, i played around with a 1gb CF card and created a bootable XPSP2 CF installer. 1 morning musume concert watched from my laptop later, my desktop was reformatted and loaded with all my necessary work applications.

File backups aside, i don’t think i’ll be using an optical drive anytime soon. Now, eee and air’s lack of optical drive makes sense. Don’t you think?