Aye, the beta version of a release is generally there for people to experiment with it so they can find any problems they have with it back to Microsoft. It's completely unsupported but if you report an interesting or serious enough problem they issue a new version to see if it fixes it.

I would only recommend it if your installation of Vista is driving you up the wall and you absolutely have to have an alternative operating system.

Or just make a new partition on your HD, install the Beta, try it, if you don't like it, just delete the partition.

I used a beta of internet explorer for more than a year on my old pc, I actually like that beta version better than the official release that came out later...

Mr Darkhorse also recently switched back to XP (from Vista) on his main computer. As ‘nice’ as Vista Aero is (visually), going back to XP was like putting on a comfy and well-worn pair of shoes. The computer is running much faster, not using as much processor power or RAM, and I think he is very happy with the way things are running now (due to a mishap with Vista, he has also invested in a large external hard drive for storing all his files on and just running his software from his computer – those 2.5” external hard drives are OK for carrying files around, but not as a workhorse).

Having said that, when he is bored he is tinkering with Windows 7 (Beta). Rather surprisingly, it seems to be using barely more processor and RAM resources than XP, which is a good first sign! No doubt the air will turn blue if his favourite apps don’t work on Windows 7 yet.

Yellow Dog linux?

Bow-wowhaus art?

I'll be quiet now...

i run xp with a vista skin.. you cant actually tell its not vista (apart from the fact it actually works)

yep! i formatted back to xp! vistas blows camels brain