Hi Cliff; I think Service Pack 3 is now available for Windows XP. There is a link available from Microsoft whereby you can request them to send you a CD free of charge for Service Pack 3. I am waiting for my techie to send the link to me. Let me know if you would like that link and I could post it to the group. Sharon ----- Original Message ----- From: "Cliff Lamere" <clifflamere@nycap.rr.com> To: <NYALBANY-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Friday, June 13, 2008 4:04 PM Subject: [NYALBANY] Windows XP versus Vista >I would like to point out something that could be important to some list > members who, like me, are on the verge of buying a new computer. I have > bought only Dell computers in the past ten years, so I have only > researched that brand recently. > > Next Wednesday, June 18, is the last day you can get a computer from > Dell that is loaded with Windows XP. After that, you will receive > Windows Vista from Dell. I don't know if you can still get XP from > other computer manufacturers or how long they will have it if they still > sell it. > > I have been told by various people that Vista will not likely work with > my older genealogy program where I keep all of my data. It will not > work with LOTS of programs, I am told. It may not work with genealogy > CD's, but I have not read anything about that. Microsoft came out with > a Vista Service Pack 1 to help ease the pain, but a friend told me that > Vista is very unlikely to work with my printer or scanner, and perhaps > not with my camera dock that plugs into my computer. > > I read online that I might have to contact the manufacturers of my > hardware to see if I can get drivers from them for Vista. Most > companies make new drivers for relatively new hardware, but not for > older versions they no longer sell. Manufacturers usually do not make > old software compatible with new operating systems, so if you are > working with an old, but favorite, program, you should be concerned > enough to at least make some inquiries. Perhaps some knowledgeable > person on this list can comment on this topic. > > I don't want to scare anyone, and I certainly am no authority on this > subject, but I will be buying a new computer with XP by June 18. > > I am not trying to promote Dell, but I would like to make some > comments. In this month's Consumer Reports, Apple was rated best for > best for both laptops and desktops. Dell was second for desktop > computers and third (after Lenovo) for laptops. Their support is > supplied by Phillipine technicians who spoke much more clearly than > those who support my antivirus. > > Dell has a system called something like Go To Assist. It saves both you > and the company a lot of time. With your permission, they take control > of your computer and do everything for you. Recently, I couldn't > install an antivirus because my computer couldn't download the required > XP Service Pack 2. The Dell employee not only installed that program, > he also installed the antivirus for me. All I had to do was put the CD > in the drive. I was impressed almost beyond words. His accent was not > a problem, but I also didn't have to worry about it anyways because he > wasn't telling me each step that I should make. > > Dell has one other thing that I think is wonderful (other computer > manufacturers may have something similar). It is called DataSafe. A > program comes with a Dell computer that will allow you to automatically > back up your important files daily, weekly, etc. The backups are > securely stored on the Dell site where a house fire or theft will not > cause you to lose your backup. DataSafe comes with some low end Dell > computers free for the first year, but the service can be purchased for > any XP or Vista computer purchased from Dell (a Dell salesperson did not > know that). > > The cost is an incredibly low $9 per year for 3 gigabytes of storage > (which is all I would need), or a higher fee for more storage space. I > am writing a book and I add research to my genealogy program daily. I > back it up on a separate external hard drive, but I don't think of it > often enough. I like the Dell feature because it is automatic as long > as your computer is online. > > I will benefit in no way if you buy a Dell computer. I just wanted to > let you know about the Vista problem, a deadline for getting XP from > Dell, and some of the Dell features that I find so important. > > Cliff Lamere > > > > > ====NY-Albany Mailing List==== > Check out the mailing list's website > at:http://www.connorsgenealogy.com/Albany/ > Add/check your Albany surnames on the Surname Registry. > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > NYALBANY-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message