Windows Vista is still slow enough to spark complaints

QIn past columns, you have complained that Windows Vista boots slowly and that it is incompatible with some software and hardware. Is this situation improving?
AMicrosoft says neither complaint affects most users, and that the minority of cases where they do is being whittled down steadily. I expect that the incompatibility issues, at least, will diminish over time. But I am still receiving reader complaints about incompatibility, so I have to assume that this issue remains real, at least for some people.
The slow start-up issue will be harder to cure, as it involves factors like add-on trial software, called craplets, that are beyond Microsoft's control. Officials at a number of Windows PC makers tell me they are beginning to get the message that people hate craplets. But I am still observing slow boot times in new Vista PCs I test and still see plenty of craplets.
Q: If I run Windows on a Mac, do I need two copies of antivirus software, one to run in the Windows environment, and one to run in the Mac operating system?
A: You need only one copy, to run in the Windows environment. Macs have essentially no virus problem, and thus don't need antivirus software. However, some Mac users install it to be extra safe, or to kill viruses that they fear might be passed on via e-mail or over networks to people