Ten months with Vista HP - no problems, no crashes, very few instances of irreconcilable incompatibility with less than ten year old software. Of course, by even writing that down, I've increased the odds it will crash mightily tomorrow....

There has been a learning curve, especially with figuring out some of the sound issues which seem to have to do with making the brand new HP computer's multiplicity of usb ports actually admit to being connected to anything at all. I suspect that has more to do with HP than Vista, though, and combined with my lack of knowledge as to what I'm doing.

Example: husband bought cheap mp3 player. I've yet to manage to get Vista to recognize its existence no matter what slot I plug it into. But - I have never owned an mp3 player of any kind, and have to guess at what might work - the thing came with no real instructions and its website, Nextar, is utterly useless. Am waiting for a teenager to pass by, at which point I will snatch him or her off the road and demand that they use their phenomenal modern tech skills to help me out here.