It does make me laugh sometimes when people slate windows just for the sake of it
I have skim-read over this thread so forgive me if i'm re-treading tracks someone has already laid.
Right, vista is a HUGE improvement over XP. The added security features some mentioned which make moving files a 3-click process or whatever which supposedly aren't in more secure operatings systems can be turned off if you wish.
On that point, I take it that you haven't used a more secure operating system? Try installing new software in Ubuntu (flavour of linux) or any flavour of linux without specifically going into sudo mode or logging in as root. I think you'll find the principles are the same, windows has just caught up in that respect
Not sure if the problems with hardware/software has been brought up but thats the usual slating step.
Yes, it is annoying, but who's fault is it? Windows released the API framework for their system circa 9 months ago. Why do some soundblaster cards not have full functionality? SB couldnt be arsed to fully migrate/re-write drivers for them in time.
Why should they need to change? New framework (not entirely, but new technology and capabilities requires re-writes of areas. Believe me as a programmer, if windows didn't need to re-code parts of their framework and API, they wouldn't!
For the record I have vista 64 ultimate. The only problems i've had with it has been with lightroom. Its a good OS, but all new OS's take time to be supported by enough hardware and software developers.