Vista hard to use?

[pitz]

Here's the story: my 89-year-old grandma's Windows98-running laptop has a broken backlight and she *relies* upon the thing to surf the Internet and to retrieve and send emails with Outlook Express.

We're (her family) getting her a new laptop.

Her friends and the local computer shop in her small town tell her that "Vista" is much harder than WindowsXP to use, that Vista is horrible, etc., etc. But its hard to buy a laptop with XP on it these days, and even so, why buy an outdated product?

Now, I've been running Vista on my Dell laptop for almost a year, and don't find it to be any different than WinXP whatsoever in terms of ease of use. In fact, some things are easier to use.

We'd be getting her probably a business Dell, ie: a Latitude D630 or a D830, with 2gb of RAM, etc. Properly configured, not some 3 year old T5500 with old h/w that someone tossed Vista on to sell at Best Buy.

Anyone here agree or disagree with my grandma's "other" advisors that XP is much easier to use than Vista?

[goofball]

In your case, it's just a matter of how you set it up. There's no Outlook Express in Vista, you're using Windows Mail now, which is close to OE but also has a bit of Outlook-ish look to it as well. Not hard to get used to, it's not a totally new package.

In terms of IE, IE7 is a bit of a change with the tabbed browsing and all but it's not something that she couldn't get used to if shown the small differences, I imagine.

Change the display properties and you can get it to look pretty close to Windows 98.

[slim_shady]

In fact, one might argue that because Vista is apparently more stable and has more security features it might even be better for your grandmother (who I'm assuming is not very knowledgeable fixing computers)

[pitz]

Yeah my thoughts exactly -- but try convincing someone who's 89, and has had a dose of small-town nonsense infused into her brain (she lives in a nursing home and is the only one in the entire building with Internet access..) that Vista is somehow 'difficult'.

I guess, worse comes to worst, we could buy a Dell with a Vista Business license, and call up Microsoft and ask for the key to downgrade it.

[Cyber6]

Yeah my thoughts exactly -- but try convincing someone who's 89, and has had a dose of small-town nonsense infused into her brain (she lives in a nursing home and is the only one in the entire building with Internet access..) that Vista is somehow 'difficult'.

I guess, worse comes to worst, we could buy a Dell with a Vista Business license, and call up Microsoft and ask for the key to downgrade it.

Have you consider buying from Dell outlet ?? I am sure they have business laptops with XP installed.


http://dfsdirect.ca/directory.cfm?CategoryID=13 < --- first one has XP pro




C.

[matkun]

I would quite definitely say Vista will be easier for her to use, if not at least for the larger fonts and accessibility settings. Turn off User Account Control and make her an Administrator and she won't see any 'scary popups' that she didn't see with Win 98.

[sickcars]

I would have to agree with the computer techs on terms of Windows XP Being better. ease of use will be about the same since she was using 98 before and not going from xp to Vista.

But I would say stick with Windows XP because even though XP is older it is a better product when compared to Vista. Dont fall for all that BS that Microsoft says about it being a better os and all that crap, its all advertising to push product. Another reason why Vista is compared to Windows ME and not to XP or even 98, look it up and you will see Windows ME was the worst OS MS ever made.

Anyways I say stick to XP the techs know what they are talking about.

[eedok]

XP will take her just as long, if not more time to get used to than Vista, seeing as how she's coming from windows 98.

[Zero1]

XP will take her just as long, if not more time to get used to than Vista, seeing as how she's coming from windows 98.

At least with XP it is a closer feel towards 98 than vista provides with the "lastest and greatest" graphics shown.

Vista being all new and bugs still have to be fixed and the extra load of crap they installed on there it isn't worth it. XP is the best option for her.

[matkun]

At least with XP it is a closer feel towards 98 than vista provides with the "lastest and greatest" graphics shown.

Vista being all new and bugs still have to be fixed and the extra load of crap they installed on there it isn't worth it. XP is the best option for her.

You do realize Vista has the same options to turn off the graphics to make a basic windows feel as XP does? Have you actually used Vista enough to be able to comment on it?

I do agree with getting rid of bloatware, though I didn't bother reimaging my fiancee's Inspiron laptop with Vista. Just uninstalled 4-5 things and that's it.

[sPiKyAZN]

Surfing internet and outlook are pretty much the same in Vista as XP. I also find Vista relatively stable. The only time I am disappointed with Vista is with gaming, namely older non-DX10 games. But I'm guessing your grandma isn't a gamer. Props to her for being 89 and using the internet and e-mail!

[Zero1]

You do realize Vista has the same options to turn off the graphics to make a basic windows feel as XP does? Have you actually used Vista enough to be able to comment on it?

I do agree with getting rid of bloatware, though I didn't bother reimaging my fiancee's Inspiron laptop with Vista. Just uninstalled 4-5 things and that's it.

I know and it is a secondary option. I have used Vista but it was when it was buggy (early release).

Besides its the whole 1GB install vs the 4GB install.

It's my opinion. Just thought I would state it.

[Keas]

if you think vista is too much for her then i would buy a copy of xp fast and you can chose it to run in classic mode which is like 98. i have used this mode with some adjustments since xp came out since i really dont like the way xp or vista for that matter looks as your trying to figure out how to find things.

guess i am getting old too - my vcr is flashing 1200 all the time!

[Lava]

They aren't that much different, for what she is doing it is mostly dependent on the software, not the OS. Vista i find is a lot easier, with the search in the start menu, and all that.

If you set it up properly, i don't think she'll find it hard to use either XP or Vista, it is mostly dependent on what you install for her.

[chinese zzz]

OMG... this is so easy.. !!! Windows 98.. :D

Why do you change the vista's style into windows 98's looks.. :cheesygri

There the grandy can see better now.. :)

IF this won't work well, get her a old laptop... :idea: saves more $$ :cheesygri

[dighn]

They aren't that much different, for what she is doing it is mostly dependent on the software, not the OS. Vista i find is a lot easier, with the search in the start menu, and all that.

If you set it up properly, i don't think she'll find it hard to use either XP or Vista, it is mostly dependent on what you install for her.

Agreed. The differences in the OS itself isn't gonna affect her at all. IE7/E-mail still work the same way. I doubt she's gonna go and change all sorts of OS-level configurations, and even those are not bad at all if you just spend a little time with it to figure out where things are moved to. Vista works just fine with proper hardware. Most of this anti-Vista talk is nothing than FUD.

[sfu_lifer]

Cool grandma. That's impressive she's able to email and surf the web on her own.
Vista isn't hard to use, just different. I personally hate it but that's another matter :cheesygri
Just configure it and keep training her on what to click etc, and it should all work the same despite the screen looking a little different. A few lessons should do the trick.

TIP: set up remote desktop access in some way so whenever you get that trouble call, you can talk on the phone and show them what to click.