What should i do???

[SufferWell1396]

Should i just wait for Windows Vista to be released or should i get Windows XP?? im tired of primitive operating systems. I am probably getting a new system for Christmas which features an Athlon XP CPU @ 2gHz, 2 gig ddr, and i dont know what much else, what do you think i should do??


EXTREME NOTE:I am very cheap, this will be my first offical upgrade, besides my monitor, which i purchased, everything else is from friends. When i get that computer, and if i buy Vista or XP, should i shoot it on the Compaq and/or eMachines?

[mjc]

When i get that computer, and if i buy Vista or XP, should i shoot it on the Compaq and/or eMachines?

Are you joking...neither one of those would barely handle XP...don't even THINK of doing Vista!

I bet if you came within ten feet of one with a Vista disk it would start whining...five and it would smoke...put the disk in the drive and it would burst into flames and melt.

[Erik]

Sersiously you might get away with XP on the Compaq if you up it to 1GB of RAM (if it will even handle that much). Other than that I wouldn't spend my time and money on either system. Just get a nice new computer and start fresh with XP. I have been playing with Vista for a few months now (and Office 2007) and am not all that impressed. I will be sticking with XP for some time after Vista is released. As far as I am concerned Vista is a lot more graphical stuff dumped onto XP.

Now I must admit I have a few low spec systems like those you have around for various reasons. My main PC though is a powerful Pentium D @ 3GHz with 2GB of RAM, my backup PC is a PD @ 3.4GHz /w 2GB RAM. Having older systems around can be handy for a variety of reasons, but you need to know the limits and stay within them. So using one as a Linux based firewall is fine. Trying to cram XP or Vista onto it isn't. Simple as that.

[mrmomaz]

Should i just wait for Windows Vista to be released or should i get Windows XP? It is my understanding that Vista will be released in new machines first (now), then corporations, then general release for the public to purchase. Your wait to purchase will be a long one unless you purchase a new machine.

[saphalline]

The only legitimate reason for upgrading to Vista right now is if you play the latest games and need WGF 1.0/2.0 and D3D 10.

If this does not apply to you, don't consider Vista until mid-2007 at the earliest. Probably more like late 2007 when the first Service Pack is expected. WinXP Home/Pro SP2 and MCE 2005 will all be supported for another 3 years or so. I don't expect the latest security software to require Vista-only for another 2 years or more.