When Windows Vista got released, I bought a retail copy (from a real store!) to install on my daily-use XP laptop. I'd heard that it was a very different way of doing things, and because I was doing some freelance computer support around that time I felt I should spend some quality time using and understanding it.

It seemed better than Windows XP in just about every way. Other than an absolute fight getting a driver installed for a Prolific USB to serial adapter (PL2303, maybe?) that had previously been working well, I didn't really experience any issues.