"Download": True Story of the Internet; on Discovery Channel

Well that's my experience with it.

Hi, Brian.
You're right. Majority of PC's sold come with Microsoft Operating Systems.
That's what they call a "captive market".
Since Vista is new, there's a lot of tweaking that has to be done.
Microsoft is coming out with their first Service Pack for Vista (SP1) in order to fix all the flaws that they've found (so far).
XP on the other hand, has been around for quite a while, and after availability of SP2, many major problems were eliminated. Security updates are, of course, a regular thing. So keeping the Automatic Update ON is imperative.
Still, there is NO NEED to upgrade from XP to Vista.
For those who want Vista, it is best to just wait till they have to buy a new PC, so they get Vista with it.
Arnie

I just bought a new (used) laptop from a gentleman on Ebay who indicated he could supply it with either Vista or XP. I said please give me XP because I have two others operating on XP, and things are going reasonably well. Plus, I thought it might be nice to keep them all the same.

A little research lead me to the conclusion that Vista was just another way for Microsoft to suck in new money and make old systems obsolete eventually. And many of the new computers it was being installed on didn't really have the specs to fully appreciate all the extras of Vista...so eventually one would have to upgrade their computer's capacity...sort of a self-serving salesjob by both Microsoft and the computer manufactures.

I even resisted downloading SP #2 for the longest time as I had heard it could create problems with some peripherals. In fact not long after I downloaded SP2 my Netgear WG511T wireless card stopped operating. When I visited this site, I was informed about this failure to connect after installing a certain 'hotfix' offered up by Microsoft:

http://kbserver.netgear.com/kb_web_files/n101214.asp

...problem is I can't find that 'particular hotfix' on my computer per the instructions provide?? As I said, I'm a computer illerate. It appears as though the wireless card has been 'damaged' by the Microsoft software??

Brian,
I don't think the wireless card was damaged by the MS software.
I could be that you only need a new/updated "device driver" specific for your wireless card to run using Win XP.
You can try this:
1. Install wireless card into laptop.
2. Pull up IE browser.
3. Click on HELP, then "Windows Update".
4. Choose "Custom" then go ahead and let the MS Update program scan your computer for needed software updates. It will scan for both software and hardward driver updates.
5. If results show a new/updated driver for your wireless card, Download it and Install, as per instructions that will come up after downloading.
Good luck!
Arnie

Arniev,
It only came up with two updates
1) Malicious Software Removal Tool
2) Internet Explorer 7
...and nothing about the NetGear equip and/or wireless card

...and I allowed Explorer 7 to install, and am unsure as to whether I should have?...is this another Vista type piece of work?

Brian,
The only alternative is the one suggested by Netgear, which is to REMOVE the Windows XP Hotfix (SP2) Q815485 by using the Add/Remove Programs utility.
I don't think removing the Hotfix will cause any major problems.
Don't forget to REBOOT your laptop after removing the Hotfix.
Arnie

*no* operating system should require 1GIG of RAM to run.
Secksy? yes. Nice interface.

Once XP goes to EOL, I'll make the rest / final transition to Unubtu or another Linux distro and be 100% free of MS. I refuse to use any of their other products. the only product I use currently is XP.

Thunderbird - Email (open source / free)
Firefox - Browser (open source / free)
Open Office - Office suite of applications. (open source / free)
Google Apps - Endless applications for collaboration, sharing, applications, etc.)
along with a host of other open source / non-proprietary applications for anything else I need. (mp3 player, image manipulation, fax / VoIP, etc. etc.)

Get yourself out of the strangling effect of MS.
MS is a way. It is not *the* way of life.

Brian,
To Remove the Hotfix
1. Click Start > Settings > Control Panel > Add/Remove Programs.
2. Click Windows XP Hotfix (SP2) Q815485.
3. Click Remove. You might see a message that programs won't work if the update is removed. Ignore it, and click Yes to remove the update.
4. Restart your computer.

If you can't find the file using the above procedure, use the Search function.
Click on START, then SEARCH, then For Files/Folders, then Files and Folders. Enter the filename and click Search. The resulting window will show you where the files are, and you can remove the files accordingly (Right-Click on filename and then click DELETE, then Yes).

You also have to reinstall the Netgear Device Driver, which can be downloaded from the Netgear website.
http://kbserver.netgear.com/release_notes/d103209.asp
Install as instructed.
Then Reboot your laptop.

Arnie

Vista with SP1

A short note for Microsoft Vista users who recently (or intend to) download and install Service Pack 1 (SP1) for Vista:

Microsoft as come out with a list of software that may not work on pc's with Vista SP1:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/935796