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 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.”

A third reader’s beta testing of the 64-bit version of Vista already had him sold on the product, but he has found actually acquiring it to be a major challenge. “I have used the 64-bit beta of Vista for the past six months or so and liked it. Nice clean reliable OS. So I preordered Vista from Amazon. It arrived today. I tried to install it as an upgrade to the beta version. No can do. The DVD that is provided from Microsoft doesn’t have the 64 bit version on it (the beta DVD had both 32 and 64 bit versions) and in tiny, tiny print on the bottom of the very unique and hard to open Vista Professional box/housing/vault it says in about 6-point gray on black type: ‘Includes 32-Bit DVD and information on obtaining 32-Bit CDs and 64-Bit DVD, additional fees may apply.’ What the heck!? Amazon had no information on this when I ordered it, and now I gotta pay more for what I already paid for?”

“So, I look in the tiny instructions that came in the big hard to open and very uniquely shaped box, and find a website to go to in order to get the 64 bit version. I go there. I select United States as the country and press the “Order Now” button — and go to limbo. I get a blank Explorer screen and that’s it. I persisted — spent three hours trying to get though their screens. Each screen took a long, long time (30 minutes or so) and multiple tries to get to the next page. Finally I got to where I could tell them my credit-card info and click that I want it. I click that button — and nothing — blank browser screen again. I checked on ‘Help with your order’ — it suggests to contact them to use the contact information on the receipt page. I never got to the receipt page. Classic Catch-22. So I tried again. Same results. Started at the beginning, went through all the screens, and fails on the receipt page.”

“At this point I have no idea if I’ve ordered it or not,” the reader wrote. “I’ve been on the phone listening to bad music from Redmond for the past hour, and still haven’t found anyone in Microsoft who can tell me if I ordered it — or how many times I ordered it. I usually don’t Micro-Bash, but hey, Microsoft, get a clue! It just ain’t right charging for what people already paid for, and it might behoove you to have in place a way that WORKS for them to get what they already paid for.”

The 64-bit Vista fan added an update to his plight. “Finally got through to someone in orders at Microsoft — a nice young lady. She tried looking it up to see if my order(s) had been placed. Nothing found, but she said they don’t see the on-line orders for a minimum of eight hours and a maximum of twelve. She suggested I call again in the morning. It’s almost as if someone has to walk the order down from someplace … wonder if they’ve given any thought to using Linux for their operating systems? I sure am. I just downloaded Sun Solaris 10 — free, no charge. Zilch. I’m making the installation DVD for it. I’m gonna try it and Open Office for a while. Since I can’t seem to get my Vista Professional, might as well do something constructive with my time.”

There does seem to be a bit of a pattern here, don’t you think? If you’ve been testing the Vista waters, let us know whether or not it’s turned you into a Linux and Open Office fan. Post your comments on my website, write me at Foster@gripe2ed.com or phone my voice mail at 1 888 875-7916.

Read and post comments about this story here.