XP in five years...

[Smoolean]

For someone who buys a new computer once every 4-5 years, and uses the OS that was installed on it (which would be XP today) would it be smart to buy a new computer right now? With Longhorn on the horizon, how much longer will XP still be... completely usable with new software, etc...

The last time I bought a computer, it was about a year before XP came out, and 2-3 years before I noticed a lot of software not supporting Win98.

I do not want a repeat with my poor buying time decision. My computer that I have now is rather pathetic, but if I have to wait another year or so before purchasing to ensure that I can make a wise investment, I will.

Basically, with my 4-5 year usage pattern, if I bought a new computer today, would I be likely to regret it?

 

[Duckzilla]

Does your computer do all that you want and need it to do? If not, then buy a new one. Otherwise, wait and get more for your money later.

I can afford to build a new PC, but this old P3 still does what I need it to do.

 

[Smoolean]

That is part of my question... How much longer would I have to wait until Longhorn is out and preinstalled on all new computers?

 

[kamper]

That's anyone's guess. You might end up waiting much longer that anticipated as Microsoft isn't very good at meeting their declared deadlines. You're kind of stuck in a bad spot in the cycle, but would it really kill you to just buy the update pack when longhorn does finally come out?

 

[Smoolean]

Originally posted by: kamper
But would it really kill you to just buy the update pack when longhorn does finally come out?

No, it wouldn't. But isn't Longhorn really going to push the specs needed to run it, I assumed higher performance PCs might come down in price. I really don't know much about Longhorn, do you think a mid-high end computer today would be able to handle it smoothly?

 

[minofifa]

i am under this impression:

that longhorn is just gonna be microsoft's quick cash grab in the meantime. the real improvement over XP will be the later OS: blackcomb. Is there any truth in this or am i mixed up? I heard many of the improvement features are being pushed back to the blackcomb OS cause MS couldn't get it togher in time. fair enough, wouldn't want a non-functioning OS (no linux comment on this).

 

[drag]

Longhorn will be on all new PCs once it comes out.

Which wouldn't be suprising since Longhorn is the same operating system as Windows XP. Just like Windows XP was the same operating system as Windows 2000.

It just has some updates and a new GUI setup, otherwise it's pretty much the same and most of the new features will end up being backported to Windows XP to boost acceptance.

Keep your computer, Longhorn isn't going to do anything much more then W2k or WinXP does. It's a Operating System. It's sole purpose in life is to provide a platform to run applications on. It's those applications that determine the functionality you get out of the OS. Once people start releasing Longhorn-only software and/or Windows XP support is dropped then it would be time to upgrade. Or you buy a new PC and you get Longhorn with it.

That 3rd reason is why 90% of people will end up upgrading.

 

[Nothinman]

that longhorn is just gonna be microsoft's quick cash grab in the meantime. the real improvement over XP will be the later OS: blackcomb

Blackcomb is the code-name of the next server release, so most likely it'll be a slimmed down (hopefully) version of Longhorn.

I heard many of the improvement features are being pushed back to the blackcomb OS cause MS couldn't get it togher in time. fair enough, wouldn't want a non-functioning OS (no linux comment on this).

Whoever you heard that from is an idiot, a quick google would tell you that Blackcomb is the successor to Server 2003 and not XP. Although technically it's to both since the core is the same between the two. If Longhorn is versioned at NT 6.0 then Blackcomb will either be 6.0 or 6.1.

And I'm not sure why you even mentioned Linux, unless you're implying that you can't use it in place of Windows but that would be a problem caused by your own unwillingness or inability to learn something new and has nothing to do with what MS is working on releasing.

 

[Smoolean]

Drag, when you say "keep your computer" are you talking to others who are already running XP? If you're talking to me I'm confused. You made it sound like XP will still be usable for quite some time, which would mean it's not too bad of a decision to upgrade to a new computer now, right?

 

[drag]

sure.

Don't let Longhorn put you off getting a new computer if you need one now. It may be more interesting to wait and get longhorn since it will just be something diffferent and you'll get a chance to play around with Eye candy stuff a bit more, but aside from curiousity I see no compelling reason to wait on Microsoft. It's going to be almost a entire another year before it gets released and probably many more months after that till the device drivers get as stable as they are in Windows XP.. (I am guessing.)

If you take Windows XP's historical lifetime into account, it'll be 2-3 more years AFTER Longhorn gets released before applications start to be very Longhorn centric.

 

[Link19]

XP should be usable for a long time yet still?? What do you think?? I don't think there should be a rush to upgrade to Longhorn once it comes out.

But if you were running Windows 98/ME when Windows XP came out, I think they should have forced people to rush and upgrade because Windows 98/ME were flat out POS. But Windows 2000/XP are still quality operating systems, so they should still be supported and kept around for a long time.

 

[Smoolean]

Originally posted by: Link19
But if you were running Windows 98/ME when Windows XP came out, I think they should have forced people to rush and upgrade because Windows 98/ME were flat out POS.

I am still running 98 . I'd just hate to see me buy a new computer with XP, and within a year or so have XP be the new "98." I'm liking what you and Drag are saying though .

 

[spyordie007]

Which wouldn't be suprising since Longhorn is the same operating system as Windows XP. Just like Windows XP was the same operating system as Windows 2000.

It just has some updates and a new GUI setup, otherwise it's pretty much the same and most of the new features will end up being backported to Windows XP to boost acceptance.

No it's not; it's roughly the same differance as 2000 was to NT4. XP was relitivily minor, Longhorn is a major revision to the windows product line.

I really don't know much about Longhorn, do you think a mid-high end computer today would be able to handle it smoothly?

Yes, most new computers (today) will have no problem running Longhorn when it is released. Some features may be more limited (i.e. the directx based GUI) however the core OS will certainly run at an acceptable level.

You made it sound like XP will still be usable for quite some time, which would mean it's not too bad of a decision to upgrade to a new computer now, right?

He's right; XP will still be "usable" for some time to come. The OS should not be the driving factor when it comes to computer upgrades; it should be the applications that you are running.
Does your current computer run all the applications you need? If the answer is yes than you really dont need to upgrade today. If the answer is no than get the new machine that meets your application needs; if there are features that you need out of Longhorn (either directly or because your application needs change) than you should consider purchansing an upgrade license at that time.

Longhorn is still over a year out, so it really shouldnt be your deciding factor.

-Erik

 

[Link19]

I am still running 98 . I'd just hate to see me buy a new computer with XP, and within a year or so have XP be the new "98." I'm liking what you and Drag are saying though

I can understand your concern. However, my opinion is that Windows 98/ME should have been rushed to be phased out right when Windows XP came out. However, I still think Windows XP should have mainstream support by hardware and software vendors for a long time after Longhorn comes out. The reason for that is Windows XP is already a very good OS, where as Windows 98/ME were not. I would have loved to see Windows 98/ME dead right after Windows XP came out. I mean, I hated the Windows 9X fmaily of opertaing systems. Horribly unreliable.