windos 2000 pro vs xp, or.... paying the man
I am pondering the purchase of Virtual pc. The only computers that I own are Macs.
For business purposes, it would be of considerable help to me to be able to access our county land maps, which I unfortunately cannot now do with my Mac. I have talked to the folks at the county, but so far, unless they have made recent changes, even when I have used internet explorer, I have not been able to get the map software.
So, I have had some windos folks tell me that 2000 is better than xp.
Are there some views here on this? I don't think 2000 is realliy supported any more. Is xp more buggy, or less reliable than 2000? It should be the same basic os, with some interface differences. I think the appearance can be changed on xp.
I have resisted this for quite a while, really about fifteen years, buying windos, but it just means that I go without a few things that I really need to have. I suppose that I could get a desktop with windos on it.
Thanks for your considered response.
For business purposes, it would be of considerable help to me to be able to access our county land maps, which I unfortunately cannot now do with my Mac. I have talked to the folks at the county, but so far, unless they have made recent changes, even when I have used internet explorer, I have not been able to get the map software.
So, I have had some windos folks tell me that 2000 is better than xp.
Are there some views here on this? I don't think 2000 is realliy supported any more. Is xp more buggy, or less reliable than 2000? It should be the same basic os, with some interface differences. I think the appearance can be changed on xp.
I have resisted this for quite a while, really about fifteen years, buying windos, but it just means that I go without a few things that I really need to have. I suppose that I could get a desktop with windos on it.
Thanks for your considered response.
Comments
Originally posted by theapplegenius
ive heard that Win2k is the fastest on VPC.
Well, that is one thing to consider. What ever can help expedite progress is desirable.
When I go to the map viewer on my Mac, I just get an absolute ZERO for viewing anything. I tried with Camino, FireFox(just downloaded this week), with Mozilla, latest version, with internet explorer, too. Nothing for maps the rest of the information is there, but the maps are needed.
Windows XP has only crashed on me three times this year; last year it crashed four times and almost put me in the unemployed statistics.
I'm led to believe that it is more virus prone; less stable; more interfering and demanding (talks to Microsoft behind my back).
Years on Windows 2000 I never had any problems...but then I wasn't using high-powered internet applications such as FTP and Outlook Express coupled with three different virus checkers, an external firewall and internal firewall with a registry wipe.
The most stable Windows OS I have is Windows 3.1 and I have it on my laptop - it has never crashed once in 10 years and I'm not giving up on it
Based on those premises, get Windows 3.1.
Joking aside, whether you go for XP or 2000 depends on your applications and intensity. 2000 is better reputed for stability - I followed the upgrade trend and regretted it, yet it's too much to try and turn back to 2000 now. Switching to an Apple - the emancipation from Windows Viral Neurosis is fantastic! Unfortunately the only safe way to run Windows is by being neurotic or turning it off.
Good luck.
Ah, you brought up something that is troubling, the fact of windos talking to redmond behind one's back. 2000 is not supported, so far as I can see, how much it talks to ms I would not know. I have met programmers from the Ukraine who use 95, as since it is not supported, it is off the radar screen. There is a great underground economy in the East. I do not take part in it, but hearing of life in the Eastern countries is interesting.
Back on topic, having a windos is for a business purpose, a map viewing software. I do not plan to use windos for many other purposes, I suppose if I get in to AutoCad some day, that would be another, and I like the OED, which is not available for the Mac platform. There is also the fact that Google Earth is also only for windos now, although they say that they are working on a Mac version. Anyone who cares about this, please tell Google to make it happen.
So you are using xp on your Mac? What firewall(s) do you find to be useful, and how needful is that if you are using virtual pc on a Mac? A friend of mine who is in oil over in the middle East(Unix and windo user) just uses Norton and likes it well for his firewall. I read that ms refused to include 2000 users in its later security additions, or service packs. (and yes, I am cognizant of the fact that this is what is meant by no support) Crums.
I am thinking that if I do get virtual pc windo for my Mac, that 2000 may be less unappealing to me.
that's correct - Windows 2000 does not relay information about your computer back to Microsoft. There is a way to block Windows XP from doing so - at least to some extent, and that's tied up with the latter part of your post
.
Nowadays, the cost of Win XP from a popular auction site is as good as that for Win 2000. I run Win XP and Tiger OS on seperate machines: nothing remotely to do with Windows is allowed to contaminate my lovely green Apple
A virtual pc on a Mac will bring all the free presents that come with Microsoft, so be prepared for Christmas. IMHO, Norton Systemsworks is totally inadequate: this is qualified by my reliance on it over 5 years. I'm running Norton 2005 and I still contract back-door viruses.
Here's the options:
1. Kaspersky Lab - top notch highly rated anti-virus kit. A lot of programmer friends recommend this one. The main prob. is that it is very memory intensive, so it may slow your Windows down. http://www.kaspersky.com/
2. McAfee Virus Scan + F-Prot. McAfee Stinger is fine and has more sensitivity than Norton for some viruses. Sometimes Norton can detect, but fails to clean - then the user has to go into safe mode to remove the offending item. F-Prot is free software from the net. It's helpful.
3. Norton Systemsworks [Virus checker + Personal Firewall] in conjunction with locked down internet settings + external router + Zonealarm [net-free] + CleanCache [net-free] + Microsoft Spyware [free-with a catch hidden in the cache] is what I use:
http://download.zonelabs.com/bin/pro.../turbotax.html
Cleancache requires Microsoft Framework 1.1 [free] to be downloaded, so that will talk to Microsoft and install an asp.net account on your computer if you are running Win XP. It is possible to block Microsoft items [i.e.Word, Windows media player] by configuring Norton and Zonealarm to stop any information from leaving your computer - the number of times Zonealarm flashes like a red light district when Win XP tries to talk to Microsoft makes me think Bill Gates is a hooker....erm, peeping tom. Er yes...that's it. Cleancache that thought. Cleancache wipes out everything from your registry, that wiping temporary internet files fails to do. It prevents 'tracers' being left on your computer, in the same way that Spybot software [free] also removes any implanted spy satellites in your computer.
See what I mean about being neurotic? Easy-going and Windows do not go hand in hand
The most important Windows defence is probably an external router + locking down your internet settings: abandon Netscape and Internet Explorer. Download Mozilla firefox [free] http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/ and avail of a free registry wipe. I'd definitely recommend separating my Apple from the Windows OS - maybe that's just because I've missed out in the 15 years you've been using Apples (I had a Sinclair ZX81 16Kb computer then!) and coming from the opposite end, I'm quite happy to close the door on the Windows.
I'm at least on Service Pack 2 or 3 at the moment....one advantage of Windows XP is that I've managed to build my own 250GBG SATA dual drive with the latest Pentium processor and liquid cooling fan unit and an ultrafast DVD writer for video applications with a modified stereo sound chip for a fraction the cost of a G5 Powermac - for less than half the cost of my Apple powerbook. It's absolutely brilliant! When eventually I get it working, I'll show you! I'll show them all!
<Sigh> Windows.....
If it doesn't...
I've heard that any sentence starting with these words can safely be ignored.
As much as I like Linux, I can't use it due to it's crippled software availability. Other Linux-main users have great options - they can open up Windows software within their Linux OS and run Windows software and programs. But first, they need to have the savvy to operate Linux, in order to manage.
"I've heard that any sentence starting with these words can safely be ignored."
I dunno - I guess I tend to value others opinions when I have none of my own. When I have my own, then I tend to value er, what I hear, filtering it across some of my own.
Originally posted by Justin
[B]Gene - I'd be surprised if GoogleEarth is available for Linux
Is that all he needs?
Linux has fewer software options than Apple.
As much as I like Linux, I can't use it due to it's crippled software availability.
Sure...
Other Linux-main users have great options - they can open up Windows software within their Linux OS and run Windows software and programs. But first, they need to have the savvy to operate Linux, in order to manage.
The savvy to operate Linux? It's not a battleship, you know.
Anyway, it was just a suggestion. He can install GoogleEarth through WINE or CrossOver Office and it will run at native speed.
Oh well...
I began to feel my belly turn as I read through what one finds necessary in running windos. Some times I meet these college students, geeks at best buy(which began to get some business from me after they began to sell iPods, in contradistinction to before, when they discriminated against Mac software). I was surprised at what they found needed in keeping their machines safe.
Now I am thinking that I may not so much want to get any windos.
Mr. Gene Clean has a good thought here. I know the land records guy there in our county likes open source. Perhaps they may have gotten the mapping software to work with linux, as of last conversation, it had not, but they were working on it. Very good thought, Mr. Gene Clean, and I thank you for it.
It is something to see the mapping results from aerial photos, and how property lines, section lines, vegetation, watersheds, waterways, etc may be seen altogether, and with some decent enlargement. The forestry administrator showed me what those guys all have available to them. I asked if they may make me some of this, but... The general public has much more for goodies available than used to be.
Yes, I will do this, and see if a linux will achieve visibility of what I wish to find. I hope Ubuntu linux, or SuSE is workable on virtual pc.
I still think about a windos, as I like the OED, and Google Earth seems like a remarkable project. There is an address to write to if you look for it on Google, an email address. They say that they are working on a Mac version. So one thinks about some way to access these things, without having to wait for years. For twenty years, I have wished to see a good 3D atlas of the earth be developed that we can use to see things. It is not to that point, but the Google Earth project is more like an atlas.
So, this informative post from Justin will be helpful to me as I think about the best way to go.
The county has its own map viewing software, I don't know who developed it, but I have met some of the GPS people. Remarkably, even the woman who takes the GPS information and prepares it for the counties(plural) mapping use was not able to access my county's map site, as she had a service pack that was too recent. How odd a world it is.
In forestry, you like to have a good idea of where the lines are, and the modern mapping provides vegetation maps that may be overlain with property and section lines. It also gives you an idea of what there is by way of description, the written word, since not all seasons have been photographed. You do not wish to cross over on to someone elses property, let us treat others respectfully. The maps give you a good idea of where you are, but lines must be run before any forestry is practiced. It is just that in cruising timber, having a good map helps you to get a good idea of what is where.
Enough about this.
Google Earth is something that I just became aware of.
Gene - all I can remember from my year using Linux is : "Kill ALL"
On the political side of IT, I'd prefer open source material too, although perhaps my conviction isn't as strong as my technical ability to master Linux. All that I recall from my year using Linux is: "Kill ALL". Apple Mac has been the only real viable alternative to Microsoft for a Windows numbskull like me. I wasn't kidding about spending all my time after girls instead of attending IT classes at college - really pretty brunette too. The PC didn't compare...
Nordicman - glad to be of help. I like life too much to enjoy my 17" of powerbook to an obsessional degree. There are many students who happily use Windows with a fair degree of promiscuity - a lot of spyware is harmless, and many an average user can manage with Windows + Norton absolutely fine, until they find out that they need to do a complete PC format at the end of the month to restore their computer in a virus-free state.
Maybe a Windows PC to run the GoogleEarth with limited internet connectivity might be a safe way to maintain the PC.
Good luck
On different versions of windows, I personally had bad luck with SP2 in XP Pro, so if you run XP be willing to use SP1; SP2 slowed it down to nearly unusable and I ended up reinstalling windows (I may have missed something though). I personally haven't tried Win2K, but the consensus here seems to be the same as anywhere else I checked: 2K runs faster.
I AM *NOT* SUGGESTING PIRATING WINDOWS. With that out of the way, your best bet is a little trial and error, which if it is only for a trial you can find a friend(s) who has both vers of windows, try each for a day or two in VPC, then buy the one that works best for you.
If I've missed something I'm sure someone will correct me, I'm no expert.
EDIT: On any Windows machine is use or set up my combo is: AVG Anti-Virus + MS AntiSpyware (or Spyware Blaster) sometimes with ZoneAlarm depending on the situation and user(s) (vs. using windows built-in firewall), FireFox can be a plus but some people wine. Good success so far (~1 year, three separate machines, XP Home & Pro, always on connections)
$.02 USD
Originally posted by octane
....
On different versions of windows, I personally had bad luck with SP2 in XP Pro, so if you run XP be willing to use SP1; SP2 slowed it down to nearly unusable and I ended up reinstalling windows (I may have missed something though). I personally haven't tried Win2K, but the consensus here seems to be the same as anywhere else I checked: 2K runs faster.
....
Every copy of VPC 7 that was bundled with Win XP was bundled with XP SP2. The only way that you can get SP1 on VPC 7 is to install your own copy or to capture a VPC 5/6 disk image.
Originally posted by Mr. Me
Every copy of VPC 7 that was bundled with Win XP was bundled with XP SP2. The only way that you can get SP1 on VPC 7 is to install your own copy or to capture a VPC 5/6 disk image.
I bought VPC by itself as I already had XP Pro, I stand corrected.
(maybe when windows update patched it to sp2 something went wrong, or maybe it was something I did, who knows!
My reference machines are:
1) Rev A Titanium PowerBook G4-400 with 384 MB RAM
2) G4-800 PowerMac with 1.5 G RAM
Windows 2000 Pro is the fastest operating system with VPC 7.03.
Originally posted by pubguy
In response to your initial inquiry, yes, Windows 2000 is the fastest operating system for use with Virtual PC. I've got a Windows 98, Windows 2000 Pro and Windows XP Pro SP2 installed under VPC and Windows 2000 Pro (SP6) is the most responsive and itegrates nicely with OS X via VPC.
My reference machines are:
1) Rev A Titanium PowerBook G4-400 with 384 MB RAM
2) G4-800 PowerMac with 1.5 G RAM
Windows 2000 Pro is the fastest operating system with VPC 7.03.
Thanks for your reply. Some of the other fellows here reported what they like to use with their windos for protecting themselves. I will not use it for regularly browsing, would not have a need to but for the few purposes I mentioned. What do you like to use, or do you go on to the web with w2000?