Windows Vista & Windows XP

[#1]

On the issue of Toshiba providing drivers for XP, there are two ways to look at it, either the consumer must be responsible for checking that the machine supports their preferred OS or the manufacture should support all current popular OS versions.

Things get a little difficult on both sides, if the responsibility rests with the customer, then we assume that everyone is a tech guru or more lightly we resign ourselves to a Windows only world.

If we place the responsibility with the manufacture, how do they decide what to support, would there be any  kind of standard across manufacturers.

Clearly this is a sticky gray area. In my opinion since this discussion was started prior to the release of Windows 7, windows XP was still very much main stream and should be supported. However my experience is that they will only support the shipped OS.

As in my frustration with a Toshiba P505D., there are no Linux drivers for the RealTek wireless card, so I am unable to make a clean break to Ubuntu 9.1  unless I give up wireless.

Probably the sad truth is that the overwhelming majority use Windows and will simply purchase a preinstalled version such that the manufacturer does not really need to spend time and resources supporting anything else besides a legitimate upgrade and even upgrades may be an issue for those whose machines were not listed as Windows 7 ready.

[#2]

Kernel,

SO, I just wanted to give youa thumbs up. I have been having problem after problem after problem with my machine. If it isn't one things on comes another.

I was about to create a dual boot menu to boot into XP, soulie so that I can transfer video off of a Mini DV. Windows 7 and Vista don't support a USB connection from the camcorder. However, XP does. I even tried running XP as a virtual OS. No such luck.

I've had drivers update from Windows 7 for other things, and the Toshiba just doesn't like them. SO, rolling them back and ignoring the updates has become a daily occurance.

Toshiba also doesn't want to warranty my Mic not working properly. I have had the machine for 40 days, and called the first week I had it to complain. After a week of waiting, I finally got the box they want me to ship the machine in. Funny, how it looks just like the box it came in.

All in All... Something has happened in the Wonder World of Toshiba. This being my 4th Toshiba laptop, I thought I couldn't go wrong with brand loyalty. In the end, I feel screwed out of 1500 bucks. That's a lot of money for a computer, and if people are going to pay that much, they should get a product AND A SERVICE that is worth it.

Any, how. There is my rant.

I just want to transfer some video off of a camcorder that uses a digital tape, and I can't. not even possible.

Kernel is right, the XP drivers are bunk for this machine, I have tried everything to do what I need to do.

Thanks, Jared