Microsoft's New Software

[Wizard]

I don't know how many of you have downloaded Internet Explorer 7 Beta 2, MSN Messenger 8.0 Beta, and switched to Windows Live Mail... but I've done all three.

And I must say I'm very impressed with what Microsoft is doing.

I feel pretty confident I'll be buying Vista and Office Live when they are available.

PS - My the whole rest of my family uses 2+ Apple computers, I am the only one using ONLY Windows. I like Microsoft's products, what can I say.

[InfiniteNothing]

I use both OS X 10.4 and XP. I'll only buy Vista if it costs $150 or less preferably for the pro package depending on how much more it gets me. If I can get an upgrade for around $80, I'll be happy too.

[ArkiStan]

So what do you like about messenger 8? I'd like to upgrade, but I hate how they tack on more and more stupid stuff. I just want to talk with my friends.

[Wizard]

No new stupid stuff added, just changed the look/feel of the design. Also you can send offline messages now. Overall just UI enhancements. I've had it do weird crashes a few times never taking down my whole system though. From what I've noticed the main problem comes in when minimizing/closing the window. This has only happened like 2 maybe 3 times max over a week + of usage.

I think what has me most impressed is the package as a whole, all the software/websites really seem to fit together perfectly. I'm used to seeing it in OSx but on windows not so much.

[zero2dash]

Vista will be something I definitely pick up - if the hardware specs (under Aero) stay modest; if they raise them and it requires me to upgrade - I'll stick with XP Pro. Also depends on price...if it costs more than XP Pro I'd probably also play the waiting game.

The one feature more than anything that I'm looking forward to in Vista is 'user' account by default (with admin authentication prompt like *nix and every flavor of it including OSX).

Office 12 looks nice but I'm a little turned off by the gaudy circle Office icon/logo in the upper left corner. Then again it's Office...most of the time, Office upgrades don't add too much (at least that I've ever been able to tell).

I'm brave...I'm still IE6sp2. I ain't skeeeerred of holes.