On 2007-04-04 04:52:36 -0400, Sjouke Burry
said:

R.W. Behan wrote:
Suggestion: stick with your Nobeltec and DUMP THE ##@&%%*)^ VISTA.

I recently bought a new Dell desktop--with Vista aboard--and spent 2
days trying to get my old files transferred and everything working.
Impossible. I returned the computer to Dell, admitting the problem was
the OS, not the machine. But they sold me a product I could NOT use,
and I said I expected a full refund. Dell, bless their weird bones,
complied.

We're running Maptech gear on our boat, with Windows XP. When its time
to replace the onboard laptop, I'll go with a Mac if I have to in order
to avoid Vista.

I lay this wholly at Microsoft's feet. XP has been working fine. It
is fairly stable, hence reliable. But Microsoft had to pump its
profits by force feeding a new OS on the world at large.

Anyone care to join my one-man boycott?

What makes you think its a one-man affair???

Definitely ain't one-man...

Just had to rebuild my machine (danged disk-drives) and loaded NO
MicroS..T products on the machine.

--
Jere Lull
Tanzer 28 #4 out of Tolchester, MD
Xan's new pages: http://web.mac.com/jerelull/iWeb/Xan/
Our BVI pages: http://homepage.mac.com/jerelull/BVI/

On Apr 4, 9:46 am, "Keith" wrote:
Nobeltec says on their website, and in an e-mail to their registered
customers, that VNS wasn't ready to use with Vista. There are a lot of
problems with using Vista on a computer, not the least of which it
needs to contact the mothership (MS) on an ongoing basis, or it shuts
down. Not a good scenario when you're out cruising and not plugged in
all the time. My nav computer is dedicated to that, and never connects
to the internet. I can't and won't use Vista.

Interestingly, the latest fix for the animated cursor flaw required me
to allow MS to install the "call home ET" function on my XP
machines... I had been refusing that particular download for some time
but now MS refuses to download the fix if you do not give Billy
unlimited access to your machines... While all my machines have legal
copies of XP/2003 on them it is still annoying...
And I am building my retirement boat and the OS not being able to
"call home" an issue I will have to address in the near future...
There may be an Apple in my future...

denny
denny

Wow. Thanks for that great posting. It sure generated a lot of replies with
even more support and useful insights. Seems evident that MS has shot itself
in the foot with Vista Dog. They sure don't seem to play well with the rest
of the others.
Len

--
Eliminate "ns" for email address.


Or maybe they dumped me? Has anyone else been faced with the problem
that Nobeltec VNS is unusable and downright destructive on a Vista
system-and that Microsoft has forced their vendors to only offer Vista
now on new computers. Nobeltec appears to be unique in the charting
software world by simply refusing to deal with it. Since it finally
bit me, I sent them the email below, although I don't really expect
anything from them. I use charting software for planning and
replanning trips, and had continued to use VNS for many years because
it has most features and I was comfortable with its foibles. Now
forced to go to Plan B. Just a warning to others using VNS.

Why I am dumping Nobeltec "I am a long time user of Nobeltec VNS since
the original Navtrek days. We are currently in Mexico, preparing to go
back to California. Have been using VNS 8 under Windows XP, with only
some minor glitches (like unable to download routes and waypoints from
a Raymarine). Had a computer die, only replacements available run
Vista OS. Nobeltec does not run at all under Vista-most of your
competitors do. Tried installing, got error messages. When I removed
it completely, it took a lot of other (non-Nobeltec) programs with it,
so I had t spend time reconstructing stuff. Ordered a copy of Maptech
Chart Navigator Pro (Vista compatible), which someone will carry from
the states to me. In the interim, using a free program called
SeaClear, which works fine under Vista, processes AIS, but lacks the
planning tools of the majors. Things like OziExplorer, Fugawi, etc.
Also run fine under Vista. Nobeltec abandoned us in Mexico, so time to
find someone else. If you still have your support files, you will find
this is not the first major support issue I have had with Nobeltec.
Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, ... "

"Denny" wrote in message
oups.com...
Interestingly, the latest fix for the animated cursor flaw required me
to allow MS to install the "call home ET" function on my XP
machines... I had been refusing that particular download for some time
but now MS refuses to download the fix if you do not give Billy
unlimited access to your machines... While all my machines have legal
copies of XP/2003 on them it is still annoying...
And I am building my retirement boat and the OS not being able to
"call home" an issue I will have to address in the near future...
There may be an Apple in my future...

Denny - I am running XP (SP2) on my laptop used for navigation purposes
onboard the boat.

I just downloaded the fix for the animated cursor flaw yesterday and was not
aware that it allowed MS to install the "Call Home" function... so I need to
get rid of that as my boat is not connected to the internet... what is the
proper technical name for that function - and is there any way to disable it
short of "rolling back" the software to the previous state???

Claus

"Denny" wrote in message
oups.com...
And I am building my retirement boat and the OS not being able to
"call home" an issue I will have to address in the near future...
There may be an Apple in my future...

A Mac Mini makes a fine navigation computer...

Meindert

This is a pretty good overview of the issue:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Genuine_Advantage.

-- Tom.

claus wrote:

Denny - I am running XP (SP2) on my laptop used for navigation purposes
onboard the boat.

I just downloaded the fix for the animated cursor flaw yesterday and was not
aware that it allowed MS to install the "Call Home" function... so I need to
get rid of that as my boat is not connected to the internet... what is the
proper technical name for that function - and is there any way to disable it
short of "rolling back" the software to the previous state???

Unfortunately you cannot rollback. If you were using automatic updates and this little POS got
installed, you can't un-install it. The only solution is to fdisk-format-reinstall, which of course
leads into the same "upgrade" hell cycle you've just completed. If you're not willing to go Mac or
Linux, you're simply going to have to starts whistling "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life".

In article l,
"Meindert Sprang" wrote:

"Denny" wrote in message
oups.com...
And I am building my retirement boat and the OS not being able to
"call home" an issue I will have to address in the near future...
There may be an Apple in my future...

A Mac Mini makes a fine navigation computer...

Meindert



As Well as a "Fantastic" DVD and Music Player, and a bunch of
other computing functions......


Bruce in alaska
--
add a 2 before @

....
Unfortunately you cannot rollback. ...

According to the wiki you can roll back by "removing the reference to
WGALOGON.DLL using HijackThis appears to effectively de-activate this
update, to the point where it will be offered again if it has not been
marked "do not show"".
Or your firewall may be able to block access to wgatray.exe. FWIW, I
strongly recommend checking custom when doing updates and then reading
each description carefully. Microsoft does not have your best
interests at heart.

-- Tom.

"the_bmac" wrote in message
...
claus wrote:

Denny - I am running XP (SP2) on my laptop used for navigation purposes
onboard the boat.

I just downloaded the fix for the animated cursor flaw yesterday and was
not aware that it allowed MS to install the "Call Home" function... so I
need to get rid of that as my boat is not connected to the internet...
what is the proper technical name for that function - and is there any
way to disable it short of "rolling back" the software to the previous
state???

Unfortunately you cannot rollback. If you were using automatic updates
and this little POS got installed, you can't un-install it. The only
solution is to fdisk-format-reinstall, which of course leads into the same
"upgrade" hell cycle you've just completed. If you're not willing to go
Mac or Linux, you're simply going to have to starts whistling "Always Look
on the Bright Side of Life".

My maiin concern is that the operating system would stop functioning if my
PC is not connected to the internet while I am out cruising...

Or am I misunderstanding Denney's post?