Windows Vista v.s. Mint Linux

Ok got a new laptop for traveling yesterday, a little Toshiba R500 <1kg job, so got first real exposure to vista. Afraid as after function not glitter so cant really see much in new Aero UI. Once turned off all the pointless glitter system as a lot more responsive and was happier may be better then XP but still liked the simple 2000 interface better . Cant really see a reason to upgrade any existing systems, as appears the same odd system with a repaint and new dice on the mirror.
May be a little harder to find stuff, but this is simply due to moving things around. With each new version the bits I use as developer simply appear to move down a level and become a little harder to find (Environment variable, services, folders in file manager etc).

Had to spend a few hours watching it configure, update and reboot its self a number of time as found and installed my tool set, SqlYog, Enterprise Architect, NetBeans, Firefox, Skype, Mysql etc. All worked got a little board of now going to do xxx dialogs. All worked, but cant understand were the 780 mb or rams gone before installing any applications!. End results 4 hours work to get to a usable state and most of my environment build.

Finally got bored to put in Mint 4.0, my main desktop,and installed. The difference was shocking 10min later was installed and working . A simple selection package later and was up in working. As use crossover even the windows application installations worked faster and easer then under windows. Basically about 20 minutes later was up and running. Only real difference it computer simply appeared more responsive and faster.

End result it have not rebooted into vista again, will keep it around in-case get a nice .net C# project but otherwise Mint got the edge for my usage and just makes the computer appear faster!
Afraid believe role of a operating system is to run application for me not use all the processing cycles its self. Afraid vista appears to forget this, Linux remembers.