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More fun:
Vista and its companion programs, Office 2007 and Internet Explorer 7, offer precious little Windows users want beyond what's in Windows XP, but plenty they don't want.
A confusing new user interface. Vista actually reduces user productivity according to a consulting firm's study (V7).
Blamed for so many security problems, Microsoft has placed security responsibility right where it doesn't belong, squarely on the shoulders of the average user. Confusing security pop-up dialogs are so common users get used to just hitting "Yes" automatically to everything, including malware.
Most existing software is not compatible with Vista. You will have to purchase upgrades to almost all the software you run and many programs will never be upgraded to Vista.
It's an exercise in frustration to try to upgrade an XP computer to Vista. Few Vista drivers are available except for new devices designed for Vista, and manufacturers don't plan any.
Even many current printers don't have Vista drivers, and many never will. Developing Vista drivers and getting them approved by Microsoft is just too expensive.
Vista is effectively a Windows price increase. Vista Home Basic, shipped with lower cost consumer market computers, is rather minimal, This often forces a $79 upgrade to Home Premium (equivalent to Windows XP Media Center) or Ultimate for $139. Vista's built-in Anytime Upgrade handles that - have your credit card ready. Actually all versions are on the machine but must be "activated".
Vista Activation is a hassle and failure prone, but Microsoft says they'll be turning the screws down even tighter due to rampant piracy already taking place. This does little harm to the pirates, just to legitimate users (V5).
Vista Activation, should it fail or be aborted, phones home to Microsoft with enough details to identify your computer and possibly your location (V3).
Vista's much ballyhooed security has already been shattered in various ways, and Microsoft's One Care, intended to protect Vista from malware, has scored at the very bottom in independent tests of anti-malware programs (V2).
Microsoft's draconian DRM (Digital Rights Management) features not only interfere with your enjoyment of entertainment media you have purchased, but force you to have a much more powerful and expensive machine just to achieve XP level performance (V14).
Windows Update is now mandatory. What's wrong with that? You have no defense against patches that break other stuff. Worse, Microsoft has promised the media moguls they will cripple your computer if any DRM problems are found with your computer's hardware or drivers - this by Windows Update, of course (V14).
Microsoft president Steve Ballmer said Vista was so good a service pack would not be needed. Service Pack 1 went into "critical" development even before Vista's public release at the end of January. There are flaws aplenty.
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