Wow. I got the "whatever" comment from somebody because I made a perfectly reasonable, correct, and logical argument. I'm honored. That only happens here when you are iron-clad correct and you catch somebody with their pants down.
On another note....
TD, I agree with you and understand what you are saying. However, that isn't the point of this lawsuit or this thread. The point of this lawsuit is about noobs who walk into Best Buy, without doing the right research, and don't understand what the term "capable" means before buying a new comp., and/or upgrading the OS without knowing what they are doing. And then trying to hold someone else responsible for their mistake.
It isn't about businesses buying new machines and all of the associated problems that go along with new OS releases. That's what IT deparments are for (I'm in IT like you, so you know we're on the same page as far as that goes - you're preachin' to the choir on that suff). The problem of how businesses that need new machines are going to deal with Vista is valid. However, my take is that if business really need new machines at this time and Vista is the only choice, they need to be going with large manufacturers who have the resources to put out machines with Vista compatible drivers for the installed hardware. If I need 50 new machines right now, I'm not going down to Joe's Computer Shack and buying comps that his pimply faced son built. I'm going to call up HP (or similar) and get their business class machines that are tested to work with Vista Business edition. I don't know that realistically there are heaps and mounds of businesses anyway that have directly connected periphs (as opossed to networked resources) where Vista driver availibility is going to be a huge issue. Either the machine runs Vista or it doesn't - my networked printers/NAS/whatever don't care what the OS is that is trying to hit it. But again, I do agree that specialized businesses with specialized hardware are going to have trouble.
----------------------------------------------------------------
As far as the word processing thing mentioned by one poster (typing letters? - I'm guessing word processing here)...well that doesn't have anything to do with the OS and never has. MS office doesn't come with Vista - in any version- and it didn't come with XP, 2000, NT, ME, 98, etc., etc. Upgrading to Vista Ultimate from Visa Basic won't fix your problems. You need to buy MS Office just like everybody else. Or use Open Office. It's free and has become quite robust in most of its parts. It is true that many times when you buy a new computer they (the computer manufacturer) will throw in MS Works which includes MS Word, but they don'thaveto. This isn't a Vista issue.
No offense, but you have made my point about users not knowing enough about computer these days. This is a "distinguish between the operating system and the installed applications" type of question you would get in a very basic, entry level computing class. Or hell, just the guy in the blue shirt at Best Buy could tell ya that to. Just got to ask questions first. Thus my original comment that people need to keep up on their computing knowledge or get left behind anymore. Please don't misunderstand, I understand why you are confused about that issue, but still, it isn't Microsoft's fault there. I also don't think anybody needs to be a computer geek to understand any of these issues that are going on here. My 80 year old mom woulda' given you the same answer (in her own way) as to why the OS doesn't have a built in application suite. She is, without a doubt, not a computer geek. Without a doubt. Heh.
If you do want to get Open Office, which, as I mentioned is free, just google it and download the appropriate version for whatever operating system you have. The word processor and spread sheet modules are very good. The other modules are in various stages from being usable to sucking bad. But hey, it's free. I can help you with finding it if you want me to or have questions.
Laters everybody
LDB
