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How I use Ideamason - and why
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Posted by Kenneth Rhee
Oct 29, 2006 at 12:26 PM
Graham Smith wrote:
>
>I seem to approach this from the other
>direction, unless you know that XP will solve a specific problem I cannot see why
>anyone would want to upgrade.
>
>Graham
>
Graham,
This is quite interesting indeed. I can only speak from my experience, but having used Windows XP (SP2) and Windows 2000 in the past and present, there is no way I would ever want to use Windows 2000 ever again . . . For me, ClearType, availability of drivers (or built-in drivers), stability (I used to get more BOD with Windows 2000 are a few reasons why I would prefer XP over 2000. However, as you suggested, everyone’s mileage may vary, and people may not know the advantages unless they have experience in using XP.
This is not to suggest that XP is the best OS available out there. As a matter of fact, Vista is neither, but upgrading software/hardware seems to be a fact of life these days.
Posted by Graham Smith
Oct 29, 2006 at 01:23 PM
Kenneth
>This is quite interesting indeed. I can
>only speak from my experience, but having used Windows XP (SP2) and Windows 2000 in the
>past and present, there is no way I would ever want to use Windows 2000 ever again . . .
I think this is one the problems when trying to derive any general concusions from personal experience.
I have been running XP on my Thinkpad for about 2.5 years, while running an almost identical set of programs on my desktop running WIN2000 for the same period. When not out and about, the Thinkpad sits in a docking station and shares a 19” Vewisonic monitor with the desktop, which has dual monitors.
I have had several annoying software problems with the Thinkpad ( the most money I have ever spent on a computer) and XP and not a single problem with my home built PC running WIN2000. I have never had a BOD with WIN2000, but the Thinkpad has had a whole series of driver issues, the USB ports have issues, the Windows update often fails, but has never failed on WIN2000, indeed a whole list issues.
Having said that, my previous home built PC running WIN98SE also worked flawlessly. It is only since I have had XP computers that I have started to have problems. I know this is unusual, and I have just been lucky, but that has been my experience.
Of course there could be many reasons for this, but my new University computer (XP of course) is also having problems. I am not in way suggesting that WIN2000 is better, but my personal experiences prevent me from getting enthusiastic about XP. Long term of course I will upgrade all my PCs to XP or even Vista, as I will have no choice, but I am in no rush.
>ClearType,
This gave me purple fringing around closely spaced letters and I had to switch it off as it was annoying me so much
>This is not to suggest that XP is the best OS available out there.
Everyone knows that is Linux :-)
Graham
Posted by Kenneth Rhee
Oct 29, 2006 at 02:33 PM
Graham Smith wrote:
>This gave me purple
>fringing around closely spaced letters and I had to switch it off as it was annoying me
>so much
>
>
>>This is not to suggest that XP is the best OS available out
>there.
>
>Everyone knows that is Linux :-)
>
>Graham
>
Strange. Have you tried to tune ClearType? It’s not apparent in the OS, but you can tune your ClearType to suit your preference. The symptom you describe is typically what people see first time you turn it one w/o tuning it.
I personally prefer the Mac, but stuck in the PC world.
Ken
Posted by Graham Smith
Oct 29, 2006 at 02:41 PM
Ken
>>This gave me purple
>>fringing around closely spaced
>letters and I had to switch it off as it was annoying me
>>so much
>Strange. Have you tried to tune ClearType? It’s not apparent in
>the OS, but you can tune your ClearType to suit your preference. The symptom you
>describe is typically what people see first time you turn it one w/o tuning it.
I did get some help with this problem and followed various bits of advice on fine tuning settings, none of which helped.
Indeed I annoyed some of my helpers who, havng had it brought to their attention realised they were suffering from the same problem, which they hadn’t noticed, but now couldn’t avoid seeing.
Graham
Posted by Kenneth Rhee
Oct 29, 2006 at 03:03 PM
Graham Smith wrote:
>I did get some help with this problem and followed various
>bits of advice on fine tuning settings, none of which helped.
>
>Indeed I annoyed some
>of my helpers who, havng had it brought to their attention realised they were
>suffering from the same problem, which they hadn’t noticed, but now couldn’t avoid
>seeing.
>
>Graham
That’s weird. I have no problem with my system (laptop running 1600x1200 with 32bit color).
I couldn’t go w/o ClearType since it’s make the screen so much more legible in my system.
Ken