Sony's head is somewhat parked up their own ass

I bought a new Sony VGN-FW465J/H laptop for development last weekend to replace my aging Dell D620. It wasn't the optimal laptop available but I could buy it from Amazon without paying sales tax and it carried a $100 rebate, so basically I saved about $180.

However I found that I needed to "upgrade" it from the Windows Vista Home Premium x64 OS to Windows Vista Ultimate x64 in order to run Microsoft Virtual Server 2005 R2.

That required reformatting the hard disk drive, which of course erased all the the good and bad Sony utilities. So, upon going to Sony's site to download their utilities I discovered that because this particular model (VGN-FW465J/H) isn't sold with Vista Ultimate x64 that many of their utilities will not work under Vista Ultimate.

Of course this is total corporate bullshit.

One, why would you write drivers that only work under one particular version of Vista? Sounds like more work than just writing the driver normally.

Two, some but not all of the programs work under Vista Ultimate anyway, despite what Sony's site states.

Three, what I lack now is the ability to use the special keys for volume control and the built-in webcam which is a real pisser.

Four, Sony somehow makes it impossible to reach the BIOS on their systems.

Five, Sony seems to ship a different notebook model everyday and finding system RAM for this laptop has been a real pain it in the ass. I need to upgrade from 4 gb to 8 gb and hopefully the Patriot RAM I ordered from Amazon yesterday will work. ($75 cheaper than Crucial's RAM)

Six, there's no cable lock opening on this laptop, so if I am using it in a coffee shop and have to use the restroom, I will have to pack up the laptop and take it with me as there is simply no way to secure it.

Seven, will my next laptop be a Sony? Based on this experience, probably not.

Eight, it's not like I haven't spent money with Sony. I have two Sony Blu-ray players and have purchased 2 Sony PCs for my daughter, a Sony VAIO VGC-LS30E Desktop PC and a Sony VAIO VGN-FW290. I also have a Sony stereo, a Sony LCD TV, a Sony telephone, a Sony cell phone and probably a Walkman and God knows what else kicking around.

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