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Site Map +1 214 234 9283 | Send Email |
This month we have an advisory on downloading and installing Windows XP® Service Pack 3. Also articles on how to purchase a computer with XP Pro still and thoughts on the Mac vs. PC debate. Finally, an advisory for a Vista® performance improvement tip.
Computers with automatic updates turned on have already downloaded all of the changes introduced by Windows XP Service Pack 3. But if automatic updates are off (and there are good reasons for doing so) or one ever reinstalls Windows XP from scratch, one should download and install SP3 manually.
To download XP SP3, perform the following steps:
Visit the download page for Windows XP Service Pack 3.
Click the Download button.
Save the file to disk in a known location. The desktop is one place, but it may be better to save this file in a folder specifically for downloads in case the file is ever needed again.
Double-click on the file and follow the prompts to install the software.
Note: this software must be installed and run in administrative mode. We mentioned in a previous article that one should not normally run in administrative mode.
Do this for all XP based computers. But don't download the file each and every time. Instead, copy the file named:
WindowsXP-KB936929-SP3-x86-ENU.exeto a CD or USB stick and run this copy on other computers.
Microsoft has officially discontinued the Home Edition of the Windows XP operating system. One cannot purchase a new computer with XP Home installed.
We still have reservations about Windows Vista, even with Service Pack 1, and recommend customers avoid this operating system where possible. The question now is, how does one purchase a computer with XP these days?
Well, the short answer is XP Pro has not been discontinued! So there are multiple ways to purchase a computer with XP Pro:
Purchase a computer with XP Pro at retail. This can be done either in-store or via mail order through MicroCenter.
Purchase a computer XP Pro installed and a Vista Business upgrade CD. Then upgrade to Vista if or when it makes sense for you.
Purchase a computer with Vista Business installed and an XP Pro downgrade CD. Run the install CD for XP Pro before installing any other programs. Make sure the computer's manufacturer includes a CD with XP drivers if necessary.
Note that the ability to downgrade from Vista to XP depends on support from the computer manufacturer. Some brands allow this option and some do not. Check the manufacturer's web site before purchasing to make sure this option is available to you.
Oh, and Vista Business requires two gigabytes more memory to get the same performance as XP Pro. So even though purchasing XP Pro costs more money then Vista Home, one can save money on hardware resulting in a break-even trade.
If you haven't seen an Apple® "Get a Mac" ad with humorist John Hodgeman and actor Justin Long, you haven't been watching much television. Or you're watching shows not well suited towards attracting a large demographic of potential computer buyers. Running since May of 2006, these ads suggest the average consumer would be better off with a Macintosh® instead of a "WinTel" computer.
Is this really true? Does Apple make better computers? For the most part, yes, and for the following reasons:
Margins: Apple's gross profit margin on the sale of hardware is in the range of 50%, or at least that's what some pundits on the web theorize. Most WinTel manufacturers are lucky to gross half that, and most gross only 15% or so. Consequently Apple can afford to (and does) spend more money per capita on product design, integration, and testing.
Coupling: On a WinTel system, applications, data, and the operating system are tightly coupled. If one reinstalls the OS from scratch, one must also reinstall all applications. And there is a not insignificant probability that data files may get lost or overwritten during this process.
On a Mac, however, all of these are loosely coupled. Install or reinstall the operating system and the applications will still work. And the probability of data loss during such a system change is far smaller.
Efficiency: The Mac uses a memory mapped architecture with user interface support in the computer's read-only memory. This means hardware can access external devices such as disk, keyboard, and mouse more efficiently and programs consume far less memory and disk space.
Support: Apple customer support personnel have excellent communication skills. They are trained to listen. And they do not keep one waiting on the phone for several minutes at a time without attending to the customer.
Are there significant disadvantages to the Mac? Unfortunately yes:
Cost: The initial cost to buy a Mac is higher then that of a WinTel box with equivalent hardware performance. Note however that purchase and ownership are two different cost parameters.
Environment: Apple designs its computers for the consumer market. This is a detriment to some business environments. Some programs, such as Microsoft Access and BlackBerry synchronization, are not available on a Mac.
Growth: In general, it is easier and less expensive to upgrade a WinTel computer since most are housed in boxes that are half empty. Macs by comparison use very compact chassis designs without expansion room.
In general, we feel that customers should seriously evaluate purchasing a Mac when warranted and focus on the total cost of ownership. This includes costs associated with computer down time, including the cost of repair and lost opportunity. Bear in mind that some of the high initial purchase cost can be mitigated by purchasing refurbished equipment directly from Apple.
So you've got a Vista system with two gigabytes of memory. And it's a slug. Even opening and closing dialog boxes takes forever compared to XP. Is there anything that can be done to improve the system's overall performance?
The answer is yes: turn off the Aero interface. That's the fancy graphic style where title bars and other parts of the screen are semi-transparent, almost like smoked glass. With Aero turned on, Vista requires about 2.1 gigabytes of RAM to fully load.
How does one turn Aero off? Here are the steps:
Right click on a blank area of the desktop.
Select Properties from the resulting menu.
In the resulting dialog box, click on the Appearance tab.
Change the Windows and buttons style from Vista Aero to Vista Basic.
Click Apply, then OK.
With Aero off, you'll notice an immediate performance improvement. Not quite the same as XP, but not dog slow either.
Just contact us with any comments, concerns, or questions about items contained in this document. Or IT issues in general. Or call us at the telephone number below.
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