I use computers running on Mac OS X and Windows XP. I fully intend on upgrading to Leopard when it launches, however, I’m staying away from Vista for the time being. I was planning on going into a full-on diatribe of why, but Computerworld/PC World managed to pinpoint all of the reasons I do not plan to buy and upgrade to the new Windows OS.
Writer Mike Elgan nails everything that irritates me about the launch: the high pricing (Home Premium is $239, $159 upgrade; Ultimate costs $399, $259 upgrade), XP is not dead yet (though Microsoft wouldn’t mind if you thought it was), upgrading and setting up Vista promises to be a very time-consuming project, Vista is not fully cooked for general use or gaming and you’ll need new hardware for decent performance (that 18-month-old PC just won’t do).
Finally, if you’re looking to buy a new computer anyway, Elgan suggests Vista is a good reason to switch to a Mac. The fact is, OS X already does most of the stuff Vista does, and has for some time now. Unless you’re dependent on a Windows-only piece of hardware or software that there is no Mac equivalent for or you’re a hardcore 3D gamer, it’s worth investigating a switch to OS X. Leopard promises to be pretty outstanding and if Apple follows the pricing it has in the past, it’ll only cost $129 to upgrade when it rolls out.