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Windows Vista is out and what was once the future of Operating Systems is upon us now.
For home customers Vista was released on January 30th, 2007 and for businesses on
November 30th, 2007. The major computer companies have begun to ship most of
their new models with Windows Vista. The release of this operating system has
begun to force consumers to make tough decisions about their computer and their future needs.
There is a lot to think about when it comes to upgrading your existing
computer vs. buying a new computer.
The minimum system requirements (Microsoft calls it “Vista Capable”) are as follows:
- 800 MHz processor
- 512 MB memory
- graphics card that is DX9 compatible
- 1 GHz thirty-two bit or sixty-four 4 bit processor
- 1 GB memory
- 5 GB hard disk space
First off, installing Vista and multitasking should only be done with a Vista Premium Ready system.
The operating system takes a little more memory and hard drive space than Windows XP does, so if
Windows XP runs “OK” on your current system you may be better off not upgrading to Vista.
However, if your Windows XP runs great now and you meet the Vista Premium Ready recommendations,
then you can always buy an upgrade to Vista.
If you plan on using Aero Glass and some of the other goodies Vista contains (see “The Goodies
Inside of Vista” below), you will definitely need a Vista Premium Ready computer or better.
To find out if you computer is Vista ready you can
download the
Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor.
If you're buying a new computer now, the biggest consideration is whether or not your software
will work on Vista. Dell is still offering XP computers if you buy from their
small business section. Most
of the new computers in stores and low-end online computers
come with Vista.
Before you buy, make a list of the programs that you use. Go online to the manufacturers’ website to be
sure that all of your software is compatible with Vista. Some programs need patches to be Vista
compatible, and other older programs just may not work. Programs that are
unsupported or were made by companies now defunct may not work on Vista. No one
wants to buy the upgrade and then find out some of their software will not work and is now unsupported.
If you upgrade, be sure to also list any of the hardware that is inside of your computer. Driver
compatibility is something that is currently being addressed; however,
not all manufacturers have Vista compatible drivers out yet. In some cases
you may have to wait a month or more for those drivers to become available.
Windows XP came in a number of different versions – the ones that most know about
are XP Home, Media Center, and XP Professional. Microsoft has upped the ante: there are
4 versions available to most consumers (Vista Basic and
Enterprise are special versions). Below is a table that
outlines which features each version has.
Online Microsoft Comparison
| Windows Defender & Windows Firewall |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Instant Search (Live Desktop Search) & Internet Explorer 7 |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Aero Glass UI |
|
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Windows Mobility Center (formerly Activesync) and Tablet PC Support |
|
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Windows Media Center |
|
Yes |
|
Yes |
| Windows Fax and Scan |
|
|
Yes |
Yes |
| Remote Desktop |
|
|
Yes |
Yes |
| Windows DVD Maker |
|
Yes |
|
Yes |
| Windows Movie Maker |
|
Yes |
|
Yes |
| Upgrade License |
$100 |
$140 |
$200 |
$260 |
| Full License |
$200 |
$240 |
$300 |
$400 |
Microsoft sells Vista in full or upgrade versions. So if you have a
legitimate copy of Windows XP (Home, Professional, or Media Center)
or Windows 2000 (standard and professional), then upgrading is the best way to go.
Any other scenario will require the purchase of the full license.
Here are a few interesting features of Windows Vista:
Aero Glass:
This theme allows for the edges of windows to become partially transparent,
so you can view whatever is behind the window.
You need a video card with at least 128mb of ram to run Aero Glass.
Front Panel Flip Screens
This is a gadget that will be influencing how Notebooks
and Tablet PCs will look in the near future. Like cell phones, screens
will be built-in on the lid of a laptop.
Asus W5Fe
Windows Sidebar:
Vista users can add personalized gadgets that show up on the desktop. Some of these include a calendar, newsfeeds
from your favorite news source, a second-hand clock and a
miniature slideshow.
Windows Sidebar
and Gadgets
The key to Vista is figuring out how much you need, how much “horsepower” your computer has,
and what your computer will be used for in the future. Vista is definitely not something
that anyone should be afraid of; as a matter of fact a lot of it looks like Windows XP.
It may look alike, but the feel is different – Vista is definitely more glossy and refined than any of its Windows predecessors.
If you can run it and are willing to make a change, then go for it. This piece of software is the future for
computers running Microsoft operating systems. The real question is not if you will
jump on the Vista bandwagon, but when you will jump on the Vista bandwagon.
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