Second you obviously have not worked in an enterprise situation before with roaming profiles, computer and user policies. All of these things load BEFORE the user can even see (not to mention use) the desktop. Also remember things like scanning software for viruses/spyware also cause slower logon times. Add to this the time that is increased for logins when there is increased traffic on the network like everyone is coming in at 8:00 etc.

The joke always used to be that you press the power button on your PC, you go talk at the coffee station/take a shit, wait 15 minutes or so and when you come back your computer is ready.

Don’t try to give your “thoughts” on something you have absolutely no idea about.

[Note: Snipped an unnecessary expletive at the end. - cgh]

Damn straight. I have no say in what gets installed. I have to launch the applications needed to do my job, and wait for them to load. Windows XP, Norton antivirus, Word 2003, Outlook 2003, custom processing module, Firefox Portable (oops, did I really say that?) keep the antiquated hardware crawling along for a 5-10 minute boot. Hell yes, we take a smoke break or get coffee. It’s multitasking, since we have to sit there and wait for it, may as well get something else done while we wait.

Also, these short-sighted United Healtcare types forget that, in many instances, work time is not necessarily computer time. Checking voice mail, reviewing the papers that need to be processed, reading love notes from the hot babe in the mailroom (OK, so I wish) happen during startup. And there are non-computer items that are still business related that happen during the day as well. Is that “down time”, when I’m discussing something with a co-worker that is relevant to how we’re dealing with the latest situation caused by incompetent management? Not bloody likely.

http://dotnet.org.za/codingsanity/archive/2007/12/14/review-windows-xp.aspx

If and when I can actually afford a new system (I’m drooling over the new i7 processor), I’ll buy it without an OS and also pick up an XP Home or Pro disk and install the far superior OS myself.

I have two Vista machines. The desktop still has the dreaded Norton installed. It is much slower to finish loading up when powered on. My laptop, with nearly identical hardware specs, doesn’t have Norton. It is much faster to load, and is also much faster in normal usage. I wonder if Norton is the cause of the difference… If I hadn’t already paid for a subscription to Norton, I’d remove it and look for an improvement.

I run Linux on the desktop in a dual-boot setup, and it is much faster than Vista.

My Vista laptop is quick to start up.

I venture to guess that such a lawsuit won’t make it too far.

Except my referrer logs, which I keep in (gasp!) Lotus 1-2-3.

I’m branded a Luddite because I refuse to “upgrade” to the 2007 incarnation of Office. (We’re a Microsoft campus).

I’m sorry, but when they put on so many bells and whistles that it takes me five minutes to find out where they’ve hidden the “SAVE” command, that’s too much.

It takes my computer maybe 45 seconds to boot up. Just long enough for me to remove my coat and stow my purse and lunch. (Then again, if I started complaining about all the things I did that I didn’t technically get paid for, it’d be a long list. I think it’s rather…petty of some one to gripe about waiting 15 minutes at the start of the day. Don’t they still have water coolers in the office where you can go and talk about sports or something?)