This isn't about which OS is superior.  It's about whether Vista is a truly usable OS.  For some, yes.  For too many others (and I spent last night reading hundreds of horror stories), a big definite no.

For instance, you mention the superior disk read/write.  I've read just the exact opposite - that something in Vista is making it slower for disk reads/writes compared to XP.  It could be drivers, but either way that doesn't help.  Tons of gamers are dropping it because games don't work (se above for validation).  There are problems with Outlook.  Vista is just as vulnerable as XP - but you do get that nice DRM and lock-down feature if you change your hardware too much.

Unfortunately, the entire planet isn't going to go out and upgrade their computer hardware just to use Vista.  If Vista requires 2005 or later hardware, M$ isn't going to sell many (and the real sales figures agree here - they aren't selling!).  Since Vista was released, I've actually seen Windows XP restocked on the shelves.  That must mean that Vista is that great - big sarcasm.

C64, Amiga, Sun, Apple, Windows PC, various Linux OSs.  I've done them all.  I program in about 10 languages and run my own web and ftp server.  I build my own PCs.  I'm not an IT person - nor would I want to be one. ;)

YMMV, but I can't risk hoping that upgrading my OS won't introduce problems.  Yeeks - when I tried to upgrade to Windows ME from Win95, I immediately decided that I could live with whatever limitations were present in WindowsNT and went that direction.  The OS was unbootable - and when it could (in Safe Mode), it was disaster after disaster.  Some people still swear by Windows ME.  But I think that you'll agree that history falls completely on the side of - it was crap!  And Vista is pretty much the same - not as bad, but close enough.  Maybe SP2 will rectify all of this - but I doubt it.

And, to be fair, this isn't just about Vista.  MacOS X Leopard isn't fairing extremely well either (and why I haven't upgraded to that either).  Both of these OSs need a truckload of TLC (i.e.: updates) before they work as advertised.  And it is better to be late to the party after Uncle Schtook has left than to be early and suffer the lampshade over the head.  Good Ole' Uncle Schtook hasn't left yet.

C makes it easy to shoot yourself in the foot. C++ makes it harder, but when you do, you blow your whole leg off.

 -- Bjarne Stroustrup

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