Seven Reasons why you should revert back to Windows XP.

Earlier this year I participated in an online Microsoft conference in which I was awarded a free copy of Vista Business. All year I have been using this operating system, but finally I have had enough, last night I reverted back to Windows XP, here are the seven main reasons why.

1 - Where is the 'WOW' factor.
Microsoft don't set your customers up to see something amazing, only to install the operating system and the only visual difference is a useless 3-d scrolling image of your open applications. Has it really taken five years to get to this? I like many other people were expecting an apple-esque slick visual OS that responded intuitively to our OS tasks. Not, as what we received Windows XP with a see through title bar and one useless 3-d effect.

2 - Speed
I am typing this in Windows XP and the screen is responding beautifully, words appear as I type, windows close when I click close, no annoying UAC panel popping up five times after I first authorised its use. Windows with a Vista skin would look like an improvement. Why when I copy files to my USB wire connected hard drive does it take 1 hour to copy 4Gb of files?

3 - Not fully tested.
Why on a fresh install of an operating system on my first and subsequent use of Windows Calender, should I received the calendar is corrupt message? Why cannot I sync my Windows Contacts using the Windows Mobile Device Center to my Windows Mobile PDA? Take a look at how Apple's software hardware works and then use this philosophy when designing software. IT SHOULD JUST WORK NO IFFS OR BUTS!

4 - User Account Panel
Ok Ok Ok I can't complain about extra security it is a needed feature in this overly attacked operating system, however why can't the various windows processes talk to each other. I access an Administrator Privileged application and I have to click accept about three times. How about fixing this so I should only have to click it once. How can the worlds biggest software company not think this is not going to be annoying.

5 - Windows Media Player and Media Management
Have you seen iTunes, admittedly it has flaws, but compared to WMP it is light years ahead. Why when I click on an image does it not show me the image, but opens WMP and displays some random page.

6 - Windows Explorer
OMG - it looks like they took the old Windows Exporer and bolted various things to the edges, that are not intuitive, not sure why they are there, they seem to slow everything up. The folder panel looks unfinished with the folders and your links.

7 - Nothing New
There is nothing new about Vista, a renaming of folders, crappy slow visuals, and the documents and settings folder has moved. Is that really worth $400?