Is Vista really that bad?

Vista wasn’t very good at launch. It still isn’t particularly good.

So what’s going on and what can you do about it?

Last year we wrote an article about the shiny and new Windows Vista. It had just been launched after $10billion Microsoft dollars had been spent developing it (Plus who knows how much on the launch, but hey, it’s like Monopoly money to Bill). It looked so pretty, just like Apple’s MAC OSX which was a pure coincidence I’m sure. We were all sucked in.

Now before this turns into too much of a rant I must say that all operating systems are rubbish when they first appear. It is down to all of us to test in the real world before they can iron out the rough spots. That takes time and is fair enough. However, 18 months later and a full service pack (bunch of software updates to make it more reliable and secure) and the experience is not far off what it was when it first appeared.

I won’t go into full details as I don’t think you want/need to hear them but suffice to say; it is not quicker, it doesn’t give us anything of real value that XP doesn’t (Is very pretty though), it is not necessarily more secure AND it demands 3 times the space, lots of memory & the latest hardware to run anywhere near smoothly.

Remind me why I upgraded again? Oh yes, I have to as I work in IT. We need to understand the nooks and crannies so we can give you valuable advice, BUT I would argue that you don’t. I imagine most people want their PC to ‘just work’.

Is Apple MAC OSX any better?

It’s not the panacea we would all like and if you want seamless connectivity with 98% of the rest of the business community then no, it is not any better.

What about Linux? Or any other flavours?

Same answer as above. Windoze is our only ‘easy’ option for the now.

We recommend that if you want your computer to ‘just’ work, stay with Windows XP and let’s see if Windows 7 (Vista’s successor) is any better.

However……Here are some simple Top Tips should you do want to try Vista…

1. Buy powerful hardware with decent graphics capability

2. Install at least 2gb RAM (4gb better)

3. Learn how to use System Restore & Backup regularly!

Computers – Art or Science?

Why do computers crash? If software can’t wear out why does it need maintenance? Why can’t IT be simple?

These questions can be answered at a top level by asking another: Is computer science really a science? Or part art?

It’s a science surely? After all, you get a computer science degree (BSc) from University with the other thrifty dressers sporting an unhealthy Playstation tan?

Well perhaps it’s not so clear cut and I will get on to why that’s relevant in a minute.

The history piece is that only a few years ago simply having a business computer was enough. They were glorified typewriters, barely connected to each other. The internet was used by governments and laptops were the size of 3 house bricks and weighed twice as much. Things were simple.

10 years later with 3 million small businesses (<50 people) and 42 million internet users in the UK it’s a different story. The capacity of the average PC now surpasses the average need. They create more, store more, and share more. It’s also worth noting that the average PC in a smaller business is often treated like a home one, or the same unit (How many of us hook our iPods into our PC at work?).

Most people won’t dispute that humans are still evolving, and at a base level we can argue that computers go through a similar process in a smaller way. For example, when you turn on your PC there are so many processes going on that things don’t always work as planned (Most often for worse but sometimes better).

Perhaps computers can evolve without human intervention? Every setup is unique and they can now effectively self medicate, repairing themselves through updates over the internet for example.

You’re possibly wondering what I’ve been smoking? Here’s a practical experiment to prove my point:

I built 5 Laptops from the same manufacturer with the same operating system, the same office suite and used them in the same way for 1 hour. I started the PC, opened Word, created a document, printed, went on the internet and browsed to bbc.co.uk.

Each one behaved slightly differently as expected but one was dog slow for no apparent reason, taking an age to open files and get on the web. (Spooky question, and slightly geeky, but does this constitute personality?! If so, at what point will a computer become conscious? Was it just grumpy? PS after a restart, a little chat and some chocolate it was fine)

So what’s the point, how does it affect you and what should you do?

Well first off we need to be patient with IT as it is still is in its infancy. I would also like you to challenge the ‘fear and loathing’ normally associated with it.

Our thoughts

The divide between computing as a science and an art is (and has been for some time) blurring

Computers don’t always do what they say on the tin

Sometimes there is no simple answer to why equipment fails. The real solution is to have a process in place that minimises the fallout when it does

IT cannot always be kept simple. However, it is a steep and short learning curve to understand the logic behind computing and you don’t need to be a tech propeller head to ‘get it’

Get some IT training and/or coaching so you can help yourself

If a computer works, leave it alone! It is sometimes not worth upgrading to the latest and greatest

We can now buy really powerful IT equipment for very little cash so the focus for successful IT solutions in small business is shifting from ‘content’ to ‘context’. In other words, it’s not what you’ve got but how you use it that counts

So is computing part art and science? Maybe there’s no distinction? da Vinci didn’t think so.