Drivers? That's a vendor issue that will be resolved by...the vendor. Don't knock Microsoft for that.

Network connection? I'm sure that will be resolved given how important network connectivity is and how easy it is for them to test on their own without involving thousands of beta testers. Actually, I wouldn't be surprised if it was intentionally crippled in order to prevent beta testers from using the RC1 build as their primary OS after the final version is released.

I have done some of my testing using an Intel DG965MS motherboard with Intel's 965 chipset. On the motherboard box it states "Microsoft* Windows* Vista* Ready" - wrong! The driver cd in the box is not for Windows Vista. By trial and error the motherboard worked with Windows Vista x64 after downloading and installing driver and firmware updates. Drivers are the vendor's responsibility, but they are still a headache for me.

Here is some help finding a Windows Aero compatible video card: http://www.microsoft.com/technet/windowsvista/evaluate/hardware/entpguid.mspx

I am annoyed by one thing. Serial ATA (SATA) hard drives work fine in Windows Vista, but my SATA optical devices do not. I am referring to a Plextor PX-712SA DVDRW SATA drive I tested with Windows Vista. The drive would not be listed in Windows Explorer or in Device Manager by default. Every time I booted the computer and wanted to use by dvd burner I needed to open Device Manager, right-click my computer, and select Scan for Hardware Changes. The hardware device tree would refresh and list the dvd burner. Then the burner works until the next boot and I would have to do the same thing again.

You have got to be joking about this article .....RC1.... that was long ago. Vista is now in RTM mode, why do a write up on RC1 when so many releases have happened since.
This is a classic example of a big headline and NO substance !

Neil has a wonderful point. You know lately I have become very discouraged with the journalism with this site. This is the second article in a row that has about as much nutrition as a fresh glass of sand!

Mary Jo, where the heck are you?

Hey you know guys, I am evaluating Microsoft's new beta of Windows 3.11 with MS DOS 6.22 and I will let you know how well this works.

I have to agree - not much point in moaning about RC1 on November 1st. However, I wanted to say that I have been running RC1 (32bit) as my main OS on my home PC with no problems. I haven't gone to RC2 as it's such a short wait until RTM.

RC1 worked with my Radeon X1600 immediately - no extra drivers needed (indeed the ATI Catalyst drivers are flaky to say the least) so I got Aero on the first start and a performance index of 4 (with a modest 3.2 P4 and 1Gb).

Networking - no problems whatsoever, it's certainly not crippled. These releases are intended at least in part for testing, so what would be the point in crippling basic functionality?

All my apps work, including Nero 7 on its latest version. I'm also running Office 2007 Beta. I have tried ALL the previous Longhorn/Vista builds but with RC1 I've been able to switch to using it as my primary OS. Looking forward to the Gold! (I'm an MSDN subscriber so I should get it soon)

Good luck!
Paul

This new team, is killing this site, it was a must, now its just boring

I agree. I have been a beta tester also and have had great luck with hardware detection and driver loading. You are a Microsoft basher by the fact that you are doing an artical on RC1. We have had sevral intrim releases and RC2.

Have to agree that moaning about RC1 is inappropriate.

Also, 64-bit may not be ready for prime time, but I'm running the same Plextor SATA DVDRW drive that Brandon is, and it has been flawless and effortless in installing both Beta 2 and RC1. I've had no networking problems, and the Intel 945 drivers for XP have worked fine for the pieces that required them under Vista (mostly audio).

The major reason that I haven't gone production is that I can't install Photoshop, but that's ano Adobe problem. Their upgrade installer won't even try to recognize previous release media in a DVD drive, and for some reason it can't find an old (and eligible) version of Photoshop that's already installed. But there's no reason to hassle Adobe about this more than once; I'm waiting for the RTM version before doing the infinite hold with their customer support.

For those who miss Mary Jo, she's over at ZDNET blogging on Microsoft, and posting much more often than she did here.

Scot - If you are going to write and comment about software then at least write about current software. RC2 is the current version and RC1 was released in September with other intrim releases, but you would know that if you really read Jason's articles.

Add my voice to those who have a far different experience than the reviewer.
While the earlier releases were problem plagued, with RC1 and later versions, the problems (at least with current hardware) seem to have disappeared. One thing that kept crashing my system was the Trend Micro firewall that installed with the recommend TM Anti Virus. Again, not a Microsoft issue, and it hasn't happened in a while.
I'm particularly impressed that they've got drivers out for the 64 bit version for most recent printers, including my Canon photo printers that I couldn't use under XP x64 edition.
I am waiting for the RTM code to make it my primary OS also, but I'm running the 64 bit Vista (including the Aero Glass interface) on my new Gateway laptop with the Turion64 x2 processor and everything works without intervention. (It is much smoother with 2GB of memory than with one) I haven't found anything that doesn't work that I use (including the new Firefox browser release, and several favorite plugins, and my current favorite utility, Roboform2go! Even the portable apps (http://portableapps.com) I run from the thumb drive I use Roboform2go on (http://roboform.com) seem to work fine.

Bear

I have to agree with "Douglas S. Taylor" since Mary Jo this site has NOT been half as good, and this article just proves that !
This sites writer's should NOT be writing articles just for the sake of it !
Mary Jo Foley wrote articles that were "up to date" and factual, the current crop of articles (since she left) are not really up to the same standard at all !
Microsoft Watch should hang their heads in shame over this sort of jounalism, write the factual truth not OLD NEWS, and then present it as current with big headlines which DON'T tell the proper story.

Come on, guys! RC1 was, what, build #5600? The latest build number is #5920, so that's 300+ builds since RC1. Or 300+ service packs to use the lame analogy of Peterson. Gotta agree with the other posters. This site as devolved into just another MS gripe site instead of offering real insights into what is going on within the company.

I don't think the OS is at fault, more like the user is putting it on a system with conflicting hardware or software.

I have been running Vista for quite a while. I am so pleased that here in RC2 all my DVD burning works so sweetly. I really like the fact that I can now burn ISO DVD images to disk with nothing more than the OS itself. Sweet. I don't see my self getting rid of my Roxio but it is nice to know I will be able to burn ISO images on anyones box.

Vista has so many great surprises. And it seems pretty damned stable to boot. No YAST required. Just watch it install itself. Coolness to the nth degree.

We all hope that you, Scott, can finally afford to upgrade that old 486 to a modern Pentium III. And you could think about getting yourself 128 megabytes for it and upgrade that hard disk to 40 meg. Then you might wanna review an operating system that was geared for your obsolete hardware.

Um, I can't believe you would do a review of an OS version that is outdated. If you had installed RC2 and had these issues, then perhaps your article would have some credability.

RC1 had missing drivers which affected many things in the OS. RC2 is when drivers were added from TONS of manufacturers including DELL.

I have been running RC2 for quite some time and I am writing this using RC2. I have no problems with the exception of the sound driver that doesn't unmute and the touchpad, which is missing extended functionality. This is not Microsoft's issue, it's Dells.

Perhaps Vista isn't right for you, but that doesn't mean you have the right to tell the world that Vista is somehow broken because you chose NOT to install to the version the RTM was based off of.

Perhaps I should write an article on how I won't use Office because Beta 1 crashed.

Hi

What worries me is the report I have heard of games, antivirus and other applications that will not work. It seems that Vista may be have major issues with compatibility with software that works ok on XP. I will be putting off any thought of upgrading. My major other concern is the availability of drivers. With XP you could use Windows 2000 Drivers but I don't think you can use XP drivers with Vista.

As a former Microsoft employee, and one of the engineers that worked with Dave Cutler on the original NT, I have to say the product is nowhere ready for primetime. I have been testing Vista since early alpha days. And the 5840 and 5920 builds I recieved the other day was worse than 5400. 5920 fails on some of my systems, and when it installs it takes more time to install than XP, and in every Vista build, there are still no SATA Raid drivers, or if you have an SLi chipset, you have to manually load an old XP driver. Hm, oh TV tuner cards, well most dont work with Vista Media center, control panel shows devices installed and Media Player doesnt see them, and most Media manufactures of tuner cards etc, rely on Media player 9 or 10, and now the API's have changed totally and very little works. ADO, if you want to do database or any development you'll need new software or extreme workarounds, ADO was totally changed. I could go on, and be more technical, its a nice step but just not ready.

As a former Microsoft employee, and one of the engineers that worked with Dave Cutler on the original NT, I have to say the product is nowhere ready for primetime. I have been testing Vista since early alpha days. And the 5840 and 5920 builds I recieved the other day was worse than 5400. 5920 fails on some of my systems, and when it installs it takes more time to install than XP, and in every Vista build, there are still no SATA Raid drivers, or if you have an SLi chipset, you have to manually load an old XP driver. Hm, oh TV tuner cards, well most dont work with Vista Media center, control panel shows devices installed and Media Player doesnt see them, and most Media manufactures of tuner cards etc, rely on Media player 9 or 10, and now the API's have changed totally and very little works. ADO, if you want to do database or any development you'll need new software or extreme workarounds, ADO was totally changed. I could go on, and be more technical, its a nice step but just not ready.

It is not ready, and won't be.

Try it six months after it's premature release!

I used to absolutely love this column. Now we're seeing reviews for RC1, when 2 public builds have been released since that point? The reviews are 1, jumbled-together paragraphs with VERY little insight? Gah. Off my RSS feed. Get some legitimate writers.

RC1, are you kidding me? What happened to this site. Good bye forever.

Have to say reviewing a product that is several revisions behind is poor research and even worse editing.

However I've been running Betas, RC1 and RC2 for the last 4 months now on my day to day system, and I have to say I'm not impressed at all and reverted back to XP. As an IT pro, it's just too slow and the networking too dumbed down. I visit several customer sites and frequently have to change IP and network settings, this is just too much of chore with Vista. The search functionality is god-awful, slow and inaccurate. I could go on with by bitching of this OS, but MS have really blown on this one. Have to say, Vista won't be going on my production PC until service pack 2 at least!

Jeesh, why not go ahead and review Beta 2 while you're at it.

Holy crap! What the hell has happened to this site? Is something the matter with you guys? Didn't any of the writers here take any college-level classes in journalism?

Well, this is a first for me: reading an article about OLD SOFTWARE. I mean, really, what's the use of it? Give me your address, Scott, and I'll send you my RC2 DVD. Might even send you the more recent builds I've downloaded. Jesus, I might as well read Douglas S. Taylor's article on Windows 3.11 and MS-DOS 6.22. Maybe even the benefits of moving to the 8086 processor and Microsoft BASIC.

Please, please, for the future of this site, write about something with more relevance and if you do manage to do that, please write it well. Not like some fluff piece that we can read from high-school level students.

I can only speak about conversations I have had with other IT professionals, but nobody is interested in getting on this Vista band wagon. The tolerance for the world according to MS is reaching its limits. The reversal of MS's licensing for Vista is too little too late I believe. Bottom line XP Pro is stable, reasonably secure, and does most everything that end users want...so why exactly would those people move to another operating system, and other set of MS problems. Sorry but...there is no business reason to use Vista for at least 1 - 2 years from release

Two questions...

1. Where is Mary Jo?

2. How do I unbookmark this site?

Guys, I just heard a rumour that some university drop out is writing an OS for big blue. As soon as its out I will gopher the review.

This article has got to be a joke... right? I have also become very discouraged with the quality of journalism on this site.

Funny, I emailed Scot Petersen sa soon as I read this article, and have not yet recieved a reply. You know, just because you hate Microsoft and want to unfairly bash them, doesn't mean you can ignore comments from your readers!

Anyway, running RC2 on two machines - my Mothers and my own, I even play games on my RC2 machine. Maybe you should stop trying to use homemade video cards and cardboard box printers (sarcasm).

Is this article a joke ?
In order to do a good article, take good journalist ...

One question. Where is MJF?
This site will get one more chance - any more articles like this one today, and it's off my RSS feed.

I'm a Mac user and was appalled that RC1 was the subject. I scrolled down in search of mention of a more recent build (some of the language suggested we might see it), but I quickly hit comments.

I do have to take exception with Brody and others, though. ZD has a pretty solid history of taking one of two positions: Bash non-MS or bash all with equal fervor, stupidity of articles (and comments punctuated by Captain James T. "felipel" Kirk) notwithstanding.

Do us a favor Jim Rapoza and Scott Patersen, go back to community college. You guys need to retake the English in the 100- level courses.

I'm sorry, this is not the review and BTW RC1 is an old build right now. You should do a review in RC2. No wonder its a joke.

Microsoft Watch site has been taken off of my bookmarks/favorites list. I really hate to see this site going down hill to the bottom.

Now the ULTIMATE indignity has occured, this supposed review was posted on the 1st of November for Windows Vista RC1 right... well Mr. Scot Peterson it has gone to RTM on 8th of November.
That either happened really quick or you did an OUT OF DATE review that did not really matter at all.
Or was just an opportunity for you to MS bash ! !
I am neither PRO nor AGAINST microsoft, but you have with this article shown that you are either one of two (maybe three) things STUPID (or you think we are) or a MS Basher !

Neil, even if you have a point there is no reason to be so aggressive.

I definitly agree with the conclusion of the article although a missing driver does not prove anything except that the video card manufacturer is not very dynamic.

Vista is not ready for the simple reason that it was not code-complete in September (Microsoft was still making changes to UAC) and you definitely need more than two months to test and debug in order to bring a complex system like Vista from code-complete to RTM.

What is up with you Jacques ? RC1 was widely acknowledged as being a little buggy and yes it did have some drivers missing as well.
But all ended after "RC2" and since then (RC2) there has been even greater improvement !

This review done by Scot Peterson is ridiculous, why are you sticking up for him Jacques, MS had so many people working on Vista, of course they were able to do it!
MS would not want release a "buggy" OS on the world and then it not sell, it would be the ruin of MS if it did, and they know it.
So all of this discussion over a review done "out of date" is ridiculous and you know it yourself.

In fact if it came down to it I would agree that RC1 should not be released to the general public, BUT IT'S NOT RC1 it is an RTM you idiot !

LIEK LOL OMG

TEH WINDOWS ISNT READY

FFS FLAME WAR HAR HAR AHR

CAPSLOCK CRUISE CONTROL FTW LOLLERSKATES

Bring back Mary Jo or bring down the site... My grandmother can write better articles....

I almost forgot...

Most of you people could just as well exchange their microsoft-watch bookmark with this one;

http://blogs.zdnet.com/microsoft/

Well, if you want to know where Mary Jo has gone, she's over at ZDNet. Check out the Blogs.

I thought some of the ZDNet stories were slanted against MS, but looks like they're the height of balanced coverage compared to this.

I used to check this site all time, it has nothing but crap on here anymore. Now I remember why I stopped frequenting it so often.

who the fuck is Mary Jo?

hey scot you look like a travesti in that pic! looool

One has to be a journalist here so it seems. At least, that is what some posters said.
I for one am not. The only thing I discovered is that - in my humble opinion of course - Microsoft has made an commercial error by spreading out the RC1 or RC2. I was under the impression that "the first impression" was an important American-way-of-life thought. With these releases a lot of potential customers will be scared off. If you have a give away, please be so kind to make it work for them; it will be more than worthwhile when it works fine. After all, there is no better advertisement than a happy customer telling you that this is (or will be) state of art software. Of course, minor failures will be forgiven but in this case, when SATA drives are not detected (it's the manufacturers issue someone said), sound is not working fine, games will not run and so forth, where is the fun of trying it? You cannot make me believe that I am the one who should take care of that: all I want (and that goes for 90% of complainers) a fine working piece of software which it's only goal is: make me buy the final version when it has been released or am I mistaken?
Mr. Gates, see to it!

doesitcare? Yes it "bloody well" does ! I am an Aussie (and proud of it), I am NOT a journalist and feel in cases like this one, thank god for that !
It is not just "American-way-of-life" for first impressions mate, we have them too!
But this article "stinks" when a "so called" journalist who specializes in the computer industry can write a lot of dribble like this story and call it "NEWS", betas are NOT perfect from ANY software company and "Release Candidates" aren't either, all they are suppossed be are steps on a ladder to an ultimate goal (in this case the RTM of Windows Vista.
But to write about RC1 when RC2 was current and the RTM was only 7 days away is bloody stupid !
Either that or Scot Peterson thought that we were !
Now if the "End result" of Windows Vista won't do the things you want it to do... Yes then criticise it BUT NOT ON RC1 like this idiot did !!

Good news!.. I'm a Mac user.. No problems.

Actually, I have 4 Macs and a PC. My Core2Duo PC seems fine with XP, but as finicky as it is at that, I'm afraid to go Vista... I use it for very few tasks as I do not find it reliable.

I recently had the misfortune to experience Vista on a brand new Laptop with amazing specs.

The unit at the time had 1/2 an hour battery life and the owner wanted me to restore some pictures from thier old hard drive which I now had in a 2.5" USB enclosure. On XP this detects in seconds and is usable.

On Vista it recognised the drive easily enough but ran out of battery power before it allowed the drive to be accessed.

I do hope Microsoft are kidding, Vista runs as slow as a Wet Week and is a complete Joke.

Please Microsoft - keep XP, its stable, its lightweight in comparison.

It just works.