Vista and Ubuntu

So Loki (my Aria mini-atx box) managed to completely FUBAR on registry corruption.

I've managed to lose my XP install disk (checking with MS if I can get a replacement, since I actually have 10 licenses for the damn thing).

In the meantime, I've managed to install Vista business and ubuntu on the box, both things I'd meant to do and never got round to.

It has to be said it is pretty much a draw. Both recognised a lot more of the internal hardware than XP ever did, although drivers for both were a little shaky without extra web rummaging. The linux drivers for my laser printer were hard work to configure, although the scanner worked first time (reverse Vista).

Video was a little choppy, although unlike Vista, I could actually play video out of the box (this one confused the hell out of me - friday lunchtime DVDs are a regular and I can't understand *not* including it, even in a "business" OS).

Only one of them played city of heroes with any sort of success :)

Neither played the other MMO I currently have installed.

Ubuntu's package manager is absolutely awesome, especially if you grab metaverse + universe.

Sudo (as implemented) pisses all over UAC from a great height. I've read some of Russnovich's explanations/justifications (not that he wrote it but he's worth reading) and quite frankly I don't care. Compared to how Mac OS and Ubuntu do it, it just feels intrusive and annoying.

Somethings Vista has improved on - I particularly like the 'remind me in 4 hours' (NOT every ten minutes until I let you reboot).