Since the Microsoft Vista Operating System has gained such a bad reputation among the technically savvy, I'm suggesting Microsoft rename it to the "People's Operating System" (or, "POS") so that the rest of us regular folk don't judge it unfairly just because the elitists who understand technology say it's bad.

Unlike other Operating Systms like the Linux OS, you don't have to do install the Microsoft POS - all you have to do is buy a new PC or laptop and the POS comes pre-installed. It's not free like Linux OS though - you pay for it as part of the cost of the computer.  That's a big advantage though for the majority of users who are happy to have Microsoft's POS.

There are a few special features of the Microsoft POS that you should be aware of:

• It tends to crash more often than other OS's, and you can't always close your software applications (even if you're a competent Windows administrator - Microsoft's POS doesn't always allow you to kill locked processes). That's a handy feature that helps us recognize and deal with our control issues.
• It frequently loses wireless connectivity, then the wireless tools lock up.  The only option is to close all of the work you might be in the middle of, and reboot.  Sometimes you have to reboot more than once.  That's OK though.  That forces us to take time out of our busy schedule to chill while we wait for the POS to boot - sometimes more than once.
• You have to buy commercial anti-virus software and a good firewall if you want to secure the Microsoft POS.  If you're running Microsoft's POS on your computer without these third-party add-ons, odds are you are infected with several viruses.  That's Microsoft's way of giving back to the community - spending money on 3rd party software that wasn't included in the POS helps stimulate our economy.