Trying Out Vista Can Be Trying

Looking before you leap is always a good idea with new software releases, particularly those from Microsoft. But some readers who have been taking Windows Vista and/or Office 2007 for a test spin are encountering some interesting problems. "I visited my local Staples the night of Vista's Jan. 30 release to use a coupon and acquire a copy of the Business edition for testing purposes," wrote one reader. "What I sa

Looking before you leap is always a good idea with new software releases, particularly those from Microsoft. But some readers who have been taking Windows Vista and/or Office 2007 for a test spin are encountering some interesting problems.

"I visited my local Staples the night of Vista's Jan. 30 release to use a coupon and acquire a copy of the Business edition for testing purposes," wrote one reader. "What I saw really has me wondering. All of the packages on several displays were of the full retail versions of Vista -- not an upgrade in sight. I asked a sales person who said he'd check in the back to see if they had any. He returned shortly with the upgrade version in hand. To add insult to injury, he then tried to tell me that the upgrade version didn't include the "free" thumb drive promotion, contrary to the company's ads and web site. On the way home, I began to wonder what was really going on. Since Vista has very high and picky system requirements, I think that almost every machine capable of running Vista is likely to be licensed for Windows 2000 Pro or XP, and is therefore eligible for the upgrade package. Anyone with an older machine is likely to have to purchase a new machine in order to run Vista, and that machine will most likely come pre-licensed for some version of Vista and be eligible for upgrading if necessary. From that, I conclude that the real market for the full versions should be exceedingly limited, and that the heavy display of the full license packages at numerous retailers is to pump the market by luring the unknowing and unsuspecting into paying far more than necessary, unless they're buying something that they really can't use at all ... and won't be able to return once they've opened it."

Another reader ran into a problem getting Office 2007 to work properly. "We purchased Office 2007 Standard Version via Open License to do a trial for our company. We're mainly using Office 2000 now and were thinking of finally updating all our systems to the latest version. I installed the software and updated it. Tried out Word and Excel, worked fine. Tried to open Outlook and it gets as far as the opening splash screen and then freezes. Tried opening it in safe mode, same results. Called Microsoft for initial support and guess what. They won't even talk to you unless you pay them their FEE. (Or you can use the self help on the web for free). Well, I can tell you, as far as I'm concerned, I'll not be updating to Office 2007. We'll stay at 2000 or move to Open Office over the next year. I can use the big bucks I budgeted for Office on other things. None of which will be Microsoft products."