I'll bet some vendors would pay for these statistics. You should market this to help pay for TR's bandwidth.

I'm betting most of the 16:9 people are actually 16:10 and don't know any better.

I didn't realize so many people had X-Fis. I only have mine because I record music, why does everyone else have it?

#98,
I prefer using an OS that does what I want it to do. This is exactly where Vista excels
How I should take this afirmation? I don't want to sound as a Linux/Unix/GPL/whatever zealot, but your statement is amusing at best.
OTOH, how does XP not allow you to do whatever you want?

Disclaimer: If someone is wondering, I'm not attacking Vista.

I'm surprised so few of us use *nix as our primary OS.

I've been using Linux as my primary OS for a good three years now. Sure, I have a XP install, but I just use that for gaming; why else would I want to use it over Linux? Maybe I just simply found a distro that clicks with me or some of you guys do a lot more gaming or non-wineable WinOS app usage?

there is no reason to use windows xp 32-bit with xp 64-bit available. Try it, its one of the most stable oses you'll ever use.

How exactly do 25% of the voters run 1280x1024 resolution but only 7% use a display with 5:4 ratio (at the time of posting). Are people running 1280x1024 on non 5:4 displays? If so, why?

I can't believe how many idiots still use XP.. The whole "Vista Sucks" myth lives on I guess. Amazing.

I am incredibly surprised just how many people have already switched to Vista.
I expected to see maybe 10-20% but it's near 40% with XP hovering at only 50 or so (when I checked)

I tried Vista and won't be switching to it, EVER unless they fix the poor explorer interface, simple folder navigation is essentially harder, period - not happy.

Wow Asus is cleaning house!!

I am surprised there are so few large (>24") displays in the midst of all this other high end hardware.

15% spent $400+ on a video card, but only 5% are running a big screen with it.

Dang why is Mac OS so few?

22% have 1280x1024 displays, while only 6% have 5:4 monitor aspect ratios?

looks like 16% need to learn their math.

What would be most interesting for the data is to statistically clump users together. For example:

1) Average system spec, say 2yr old dual core, 1-2 Gb mem, etc. + 8800GTS/GTX/Ultra or ATI 3870 card...see if there is a statistical significance. Call this crowd (if they exist) the "budget gamers", the crowd that invests heavily in the GPU and neglects other less-important parameters for gaming.

2) High end processor (Q6xxx or better), 3+ Gb mem, monster storage, say 750Gb plus...call this group the "media enthusiast", people who put $$ into machines for video/audio/photo manipulation.

TR puts their hardware and editorial expertise behind making recommendations for many different groups...what I'd like to know is if buying patterns (as witnessed by system specs) reflect these recommendations. I don't think the data, as collected, can tell us that. This is not a complaint at all, it is still a valuable and fun survey.

haha.. I loved voting for being clinically insane. I love my 4 monitors and projector :)

Heh, this has persuaded me that it's really time to be upgrading from my Athlon XP :(
About the only place where I'm keeping up is with my 2GB of RAM and 1280x1024 resolution :P

I am slightly miffed that there is no Secondary Optical Drive category. My DVD Burner is my secondary optical drive. The DVD drive is the primary.

So apparently we can't have 8GB of ram, just 7.99GB or more than 8GB... >.>

I just wish you had asked "how many of us that now use XP had tried Vista"!

Then again some members, like spuppy (see #119), would have been so offended. What was that saying about "throwing stones" when you live in an "Aero-Glass" house?

Windows XP is still the most common OS among TR readers? I'm genuinely surprised, especially given that majority of readers own DX 10 class graphics cards.

Not bizarre... just cheap. Cost-cutting, mostly. And smaller 17" 1280x1024 monitors are harder for students to hide behind than 19" or 20" or later monitors. The cost delta between 15" and 17", OTOH, is pretty small.

More dual-monitor setups! I can't work with just one anymore, even though the second is an old 19" CRT.

Wow...for an OS that ostensibly sucks, Vista has a strong showing.

#154,
Couldn't agree more. The tools are there, but people don't use them. Vista provides most of these security enhancements right out of the box.
In the end, any OS can be secured if you spend a little time. And XP SP2 is a fine OS.
#161,
Expensive way of getting optical output, eh? I call it the "Creative tax" ;)

You know you can clear cookies and vote again. It wasn't like that before.

#134,
Vista does offer a decent ROI solely for its superior security features in the IT world.
I know about the security features and I thank Microsoft for thinking in security for the end-user for the first time.
But most of the security features are available in XP (with the big exception of ASLR) if you use them:
- DEP.
- LUA w/ Su Run (elevating privileges the Linux-way)
- SRP.
- Third-party tools.
- Etc.

I've got a Linux install with a 64bit kernel (so I can use my 4GB of RAM) but a 32bit userland (same install I've had since 2000), so I clicked 32bit.

#139
Well at least it streamlines them instead of relying on third-party applications and tools.
Limited User Accounts and Data Execution Protection are built-in into every XP install. Software Restriction Policies are only available if you got XP Pro.
Very few third-party tools are need (mainly to replace "Run As" which is a dud)

#112,
Vista does offer better control over processes, services, access privileges over XP.

It is MS's first successful attempt to mimic *nix crowd at those areas.
OK, that makes sense.
#119,
I can't believe how many idiots still use XP.. The whole "Vista Sucks" myth lives on I guess. Amazing.
I'm so sick of Vista fanboys refering to XP/2000 users as idiots.
You should know that for a fair amount of smart people, Vista offers a near zero ROI.
Thank you for showing us the asshole you are.

Core 2 Duo, integrated graphics, i965GM, OEM board, 2 GiB RAM, 120 GB hard drive, DVD burner, integrated sound, one 12.1" 4:3 1400x1050 LCD, running XP32 Tablet.