Some Vista "WTF's?" I found.... (1 Viewer)

[HEMI6point1]

So, I finally got my new PC online! One half of the problem was a botched initial install (my fault), but here's some stupid stuff I encountered.

1. The other half of the problem with me not getting online was that I had to get a new cable modem, even though I am connected through ethernet. I was hesitant to do that at first because my old modem was 6 years old and built like a tank (the new ones cut corners and that's why they're so cheap). Apparently, Vista does not agree with the firmware in many older modems, so even if you use ethernet it's not going to work.

2. For the first time, unless I can get a crack that works I may have to pay for my Antivirus software. Grisoft removed x64 support in the free version of AVG so I am using the trial of Internet Security.

3. My warez copy of Office 2003 magically gave errors when trying to install it, so unless I can get a crack for the trial I am going to have to shell out for that too.

4. The "User Account Control" is a feature that is there so people don't install every damn thing that tries to install on there PCs (read: spyware). For me, it's an annoyance so I just turned it off.

However, there are many cool things with Vista. Because I have RAID on my PC and 2 gigs of RAM, it loads in about 30 seconds. Second, EVERYTHING is a million times faster than my old PC, I don't have to wait for anything on this one.

 

[downtime]

I am using Computer Associates Anti Virus, Office 2007, and also gotten around the user control issues. I am unclear as to why Vista would care about your cable modem?????? I'm sure you have a router between the cable modem and your computer (hardware level firewall) so I do not understand why the cable modem would be an issue at all. Can you clarify?

 

[HEMI6point1]

I am not using a router, I'm directly connected.

I found out that the PPPoE / DNS clients built into the older modems may not work right with Vista. Don't know why either but that's the way it is!

 

[downtime]

Ahhhhhh. How come no router?

 

[whyisthisarequiredfield]

...I found out that the PPPoE / DNS clients built into the older modems may not works right with Vista. Don't know why either but that's the way it is!

That doesn't make sense. If your Internet service is via your local cable company (i.e. Time Warner [RoadRunner], etc.), PPPoE shouldn't be an issue. As long as your cable modem supports DHCP (which it must if you used it with XP), it shouldn't be an issue.

Have you tried doing the factory reset on your cable modem? It sounds like it just hasn't released the MAC address it was attached to with your old machine. Pretty basic.

g'luck

 

[whyisthisarequiredfield]

Ahhhhhh. How come no router?

No need for a router if his machine is the only one using the Internet connection.

 

[WB_Strip]

2. For the first time, unless I can get a crack that works I may have to pay for my Antivirus software. Grisoft removed x64 support in the free version of AVG so I am using the trial of Internet Security.

3. My warez copy of Office 2003 magically gave errors when trying to install it, so unless I can get a crack for the trial I am going to have to shell out for that too.

Why would you come on to a public Forum and post that you use stolen software

 

[willy]

No need for a router if his machine is the only one using the Internet connection.

I would always suggest a router..much better security with a hardware firewall.

 

[HEMI6point1]

Why would you come on to a public Forum and post that you use stolen software

A little bit ago, someone in the "Anti-virus" thread posted that he used a hacked warez version of an internet security tool.

I have not met a person that buys every piece of software they own. The only piece of software I'll gladly shell out money for is an O/S, in this case Vista, and it HAS to be the OEM or acedemic version, never retail.

 

[whyisthisarequiredfield]

...I have not met a person that buys every piece of software they own. The only piece of software I'll gladly shell out money for is an O/S, in this case Vista, and it HAS to be the OEM or acedemic version, never retail.

Note to self: Pick up all tools when this guy's around.

 

[The Counterfeiter]

I have not met a person that buys every piece of software they own. The only piece of software I'll gladly shell out money for is an O/S, in this case Vista, and it HAS to be the OEM or acedemic version, never retail.

Congratulations! You have now met that person! The people who developed the programs you refuse to pay retail for spent huge amounts of money to produce a saleable product. I am sure a casual home user can get away with this.
If you are using programs to produce something you sell (especially in interstate commerce), you had better hope you never need technical support!

 

[HEMI6point1]

Note to self: Pick up all tools when this guy's around.

Are you implying I would steal your tools?

 

[HEMI6point1]

I have not met a person that buys every piece of software they own. The only piece of software I'll gladly shell out money for is an O/S, in this case Vista, and it HAS to be the OEM or acedemic version, never retail.

Congratulations! You have now met that person! The people who developed the programs you refuse to pay retail for spent huge amounts of money to produce a saleable product. I am sure a casual home user can get away with this.
If you are using programs to produce something you sell (especially in interstate commerce), you had better hope you never need technical support!

You make a good point, if I was running a business I would shell out the cash.

 

[willy]

Sam..you're not going to win this one.

You have it..someone wrote it..they should be compensated.

I'm no saint..and when Microshaft is involved..I will bypass that process to not contribute to his $64,000,000 a week paycheck..but everything else..shareware, etc..I pony up.

I worked for a small software company doing utilities for the Mac..so I will always give it up to try and help what little I can.

I've found that most anything I need is available for free..anti-virus, etc.

But I buy my software..Paint Shop Pro, CompuPic, ArcSoft..and my Audio stuff is free..Audacity, CDex and such.

So I wouldn't spend much time trying to justify the warez or key generator sites..just do your best to compensate when able..simple as that.

 

[downtime]

All of the software I use is legitimate. I have been a "partner" with MS since the days of DOS. As a computer person I am pretty emphatic about using legitame copies of software. I belong to programs by Computer Associates, Symantec, Microsoft, Novell, and many other vendors and believe strongly in buying legit copies of software through auhorized channels.

That said, there have been time throughout my 20 years in the industry when "authorized channels" simply did not provide any viable solution for a single user or small business. Somewhere I have on 5 1/4 floppy disk a copy of Lotus 123 version 1.1a which I needed in order to retrieve a customer's data many years ago. I viewed my creation of this floppy as keeping with the intent of the original copyright agreement as I was working to retain an existing Lotus customer and never utilized the program for my own benefit. Although my actions did not adhere to the letter of the law, I believe they conformed to the spirit of it.

I will not work on software that is less than legal. If someone wants my sertvices they need to either provide me legitmate licenses, or produce documentation to prove the software cannot be made legitimate, such as a ten year old word processor that was made by a company that is no longer in existance and therefore licenses cannot be obtained.

We all draw our own line as to how far we can go with "bending" the rules. For me it is in treating each piece of software like a book. Only one reader at a time... I think that generally adheres to the intent of copyright protection. I also think it is wrong to intentionally install software that supports a "gray" market.

Oh yea.... I recommend getting a hardware based firewall/router.... It is a very good security tool and I will not install an internet connection without one. Modern marketing suggests a software based firewall can be installed on the machine you wish to protect. The truth is that a firewall is, by definition, supposed to be installed between the machine you wish to protect and the internet. Since most people do not have a secondary computer doing nothing but running a software based firewall, a hardware based product is the preferred method of basic security best practices.

Think of a hardware based firewall as having a lock on the outside of your car door as opposed to having your car doors open and a "club" on the steering wheel.

 

[HEMI6point1]

We all draw our own line as to how far we can go with "bending" the rules. For me it is in treating each piece of software like a book. Only one reader at a time... I think that generally adheres to the intent of copyright protection. I also think it is wrong to intentionally install software that supports a "gray" market.

If what you're saying is basically "one copy for each PC," It depends on what type of user is going to be installing/using the software. If it's a business then yes they need to get the proper license per PC. If it's a home user that has, say, 3 PCs then there should no reason why that user can't take the same CD and install it on all 3 PCs.

Which is why I despise Micro$oft and others for coming out with "product activation," if I have 3 PCs (I don't, but I'm just saying....) I shouldn't be forced to buy 3 copies of the same program if my PCs are going to be used for private, non-commercial use.

 

[downtime]

"Back in the day" some companies used a type of installation routine that only allowed three installations from the original media. This created problem if there were other "issues" and multiple re-installs had to be performed but essentially it wasn't a bad system.

I understand what you are saying as commercial use is far different than home use in terms of the generally different goals of the user, however the software took just as much effort to create regardless of use.

I would favor educational pricing for "home use" an simply hope there are enough honest people in the world to buy legitimate software at reduced price to offset the revenue loss from the current full price oem market.

"Home use" imp,lied non-commercial purposes but that is a gray area as many people have small sidelines they do out of their home. If I buy a book for "home use" I pay regular price for that book. If I decide to give the book to three people as a gift, I need to buy three copies. I suppose I could stand for three days at a photo copy machine for two of those gifts oif I really wanted to do that, but it would not be the right thing to do, in my opinion, even if i could make it physically look the same.

The fact that we can open, activate, copy, and otherwise reproduce software by pressing a button or entering a code simply reduces the amount of time it takes to create more copies than other types of "things". I see no reason why a cd should be treated with any less copyright priviledge than an expensive table or chair, or painting, or book, or other otem that takes much longer to physically copy/create.

I share with you a strong dislike for pricing/licensing practices by many software vendors and I spoent many years of my life using any product I could find by any vendor other than Microsoft. However it is simply a case of reality that this is one battle that isn't going to be won by saving a few bucks on a licence code and risking a ten thousand dollar fine per violation.

I subscribe to the Microsoft Action pack as a dealer which enables me to basically have about ten licenses for most Microsoft products, plus a few support calls, and quarterly updates. The subscription is a few hudnred bucks per year and i get all their server software, XP, Vista, Office, Project, Vision, and most everything else I could possibly use for my business and home use.

The tradeoff is I am the first line of support for my customers but since I charge for that support it works out just fine. Part of my agreement with microsoft is that I won't work on any non-certified software (don't worry, I'm just talking and not working when I am on a message board)

We all make choices. Just because the there is no physical loss of product doesn't mean there is not an associated revenue loss for the company that produces it.

 

[The Counterfeiter]

Fortunately, we only installed Vista on one of our six PC workstations. We are having HUGE problems printing to our two digital presses and Mitsubishi DPX plate imagesetter. I know it's frustrating to have problems at home, but when MicroSoft's newest product prevents professionals from producing items for sale, it really P$$$$ me off!
I wish we could just use our macs, but MicroSoft has convinced the public that S$$$ like Publisher, Word and Powerpoint are real graphics programs.
And . . . of course, older versions of these programs do not work with Vista, forcing us to spend $400 for professional version of Office on each computer with Vista installed.
Do I hate MicroSoft? - you bet your A$$ !!!!!

 

[willy]

Microsoft has had the professional community by the short hairs for a long time..hence the $64 million a week revenue.

I love the Mac..and everything is better on the Mac from a professional standpoint. Audio..Visual, etc..Mac rules.

You can't do it all on Mac, Jim??

 

[downtime]

Fortunately, we only installed Vista on one of our six PC workstations. We are having HUGE problems printing to our two digital presses and Mitsubishi DPX plate imagesetter. I know it's frustrating to have problems at home, but when MicroSoft's newest product prevents professionals from producing items for sale, it really P$$$$ me off!
I wish we could just use our macs, but MicroSoft has convinced the public that S$$$ like Publisher, Word and Powerpoint are real graphics programs.
And . . . of course, older versions of these programs do not work with Vista, forcing us to spend $400 for professional version of Office on each computer with Vista installed.
Do I hate MicroSoft? - you bet your A$$ !!!!!

My understanding is if you use the MS volume licensing program (5 licenses will qualify), you can use legally install one "legacy" OS, like 2000 or XP, in addition to Vista (not home or home premium), in virtual pc express. This will allow you to continue to use your existing configurations to avoid putting Vista directly into a production environment (which I would not yet do as evidenced by your problems).