And Another Thing…

…about Windows Vista. OK, so we are still working with pre-release software, but there are five pieces of hardware in my system that the hardware manufacturers have so far failed to even produce beta device drivers for. And I’m not confident that in some cases they ever will.

 

Then there’s Creative Technology, which is in a class of its own. The hardware may be fine, but the software is dreadful. We are now just four months away from Microsoft releasing Vista, and yet the beta drivers for Creative’s products (when they exist, which is not usually) are a huge steaming pile of ordure. This is nothing new as far as Creative is concerned, it’s always had a shocking reputation for its inability to write decent software and release it on time. Just a quick visit to its discussion forum for Windows Vista shows that. My experience with Creative’s beta drivers for my Audigy 2 soundcard is mixed. After a BSOD and some other error messages, the soundcard limped into action. But the 5.1 surround sound is still just stereo, and many features of the hardware just don’t work. Ah, the joys of beta software.