I Miss You Windows XP

I have only spent about an hour with my new computer, which came pre-loaded with Windows Vista on it. Maybe it is because I was not ready for a change or maybe I really love my royal blue taskbar, but I feel like I miss an old friend. When it comes to my computer, I like things the way it took me five years to settle into. I like the silly icons I downloaded and how my Microsoft Outlook plays an "ohhhh" sound when I get an email.

When I was in college and I went to the computer lab and all the pcs were taken and all that was left was the Macs. I sat down at this "cool" looking Mac computer and I was completely annoyed. Where was my taskbar? Where was my Microsoft Word? Where was my blue e that led me to Internet Explorer? Where oh where was my _, two square boxes and X in the upper right hand corner? Once I opened a program, I was not able to close it. I felt so lost and so confused. It was like visiting another world. Another world that claims it is cooler, but it is not, it is just more confusing and difficult. When I was interviewing for jobs and found out that there was a possibility that Macs could be used in some offices, I felt like all of those years I spent learning how to use ALT + Tab and how to make formulas in Excel were for not.

Now I buy a new computer and it was after January 2007, so it came with Windows Vista. I have been playing with it and I am not exactly sure how to feel. I try to remember if I felt this way when XP came out, but that was so long ago. But I feel similar to when I sat down at that Mac. There are a lot of cool features, but I am not sure if I like the change. One thing I found a little bothersome is that when you need to delete all of the stupid stuff that comes on your computer, it asks you three different times for permission to delete the "get AOL free" icon. But when I go to shut down, it does not give me that last option of shutting down, restarting or standing by. One click and poof, my friend is gone. There is the sidebar option that takes up the right side of the screen (or wherever you want to put it); there are gadgets to choose from and you can have them up at all times. Right now I choose the weather, headlines, a calendar and notes. I think I like it. I am not sure if the novelty will wear off or if I really need this information constantly be starring me in the face. Also strange is the fact that you can choose the Windows classic view if you want, but there is no option for Windows XP.

Well for now I cannot afford another copy of Vista, so I will still run XP on my laptop. So I have the option of going to visit an old friend anytime I want.