Experience the 'WOW' of Windows Vista

Welcome to Windows Vista

Introduction
Microsoft's new Windows Vista contains a wealth of new features and improvements over Windows XP. From the basics of the operating system to the way the users interact with it.  It also comes in new versions which again are divided into Home and Business users with the Home version being subdivided into a Basic and Premium editions. A new expensive, so called Ultimate version combines everything into one edition.  Each version is available as complete or upgrade retail version and an OEM version sold with a new computer.  Prices range from £55 to £350.

The new Aero glass interface
Vista comes with two display schemes: Vista Basic and Vista Aero. They look similar superficially, but Aero has more translucent and 3D effects and hence requires a more powerful system with an advanced 3D graphics capability.  All windows in Aero are semi-opaque so you see a blurred image of the underlying desktop or window through the menu bar at the top of each window.  Aero also has a few tricks to help you find the window you want by using thumbnail views and Flip 3D (Windows key and Tab) which throws your windows into 3D space above the desktop. 

Start Menu makeover
Vista comes with a new-style Start menu which has moved things around again. At first glance it is not that different to XP, the Start button has been replaced by the new Vista Windows logo and on the left you will find a list of the recently used applications, and on the right some handy short cuts to frequently used items such as Documents, Computer and Control Panel.

However hover your mouse over the All Programs button at the bottom and you are in for a completely different experience.  Gone is the large, sprawling, hierarchical menu that stretches across your desktop.  It has been replaced by a tidy collapsible menu that fills the left-hand pane of the Start menu. Click on each folder and it expands to help you find the application.  Fast easy access to the function you require.

Improved search
With Vista, slow searches are a thing of the past.  Vista's new Instant search accessible from the Start menu means you can find files, documents, applications, commands, etc. in seconds. You can save searches and use them elsewhere for example in Windows Explorer.

Windows Sidebar does more on your desktop Up-to-date information available to you at the side of the screen. An area which allow you to customise with 'gadgets' that display real-time information such as time, calendar, news feeds, weather, etc.  Also you can leave notes for yourself. Flexible User Accounts The enhancements to the User Account has made it able to protect you from infecting your computer with viruses, spyware, rogue applications and the like. XP's frustrating so-called Limited user account has been converted to a Standard user account which now asks for the Administrator's password before applying system-wide changes or installing new applications.  It is so simple, it is hard to believe that User Accounts didn't work this way before. with the Note gadget. Security and maintenance XP's Security Center has been enhanced and the antispyware applet Windows Defender has been added as standard.  Windows Vista does not come with anti-virus though Grisoft's AVG 7.5 can be added, free for domestic use.  Vista now automatically schedules hard disk defragmentation and it is easy to add disk cleanup too.

  Windows Photo Gallery
Microsoft's new Vista includes an enhanced photo manager and simple digital image editor.  It gives a time-line approach to sorting your photos and allow classification tagging.  Photo Gallery also allows you to apply quick fixes to your files without having to resort to a dedicated graphics application.  Adjust the colour and exposure, crop and fix red-eye functions are available.

Windows Calendar
The new Windows Calendar provides an quick and easy way to keep track of appointments, birthdays, meetings and tasks.  Similar functions that have always been in Microsoft Outlook are now available with a loose collaboration with Windows Mail, the revised Outlook Express and include Windows Contacts too the new Windows Address Book format.

Parental Control
Microsoft has put some thought into helping parents decide what their children can or cannot do when running Microsoft Vista.  It is possible to place restrictions on how long they can spend on the computer, block games, and restrict where they can go on the Internet.  You can also generate an activity log.

Advice on Microsoft's Windows Vista
I do not recommend you upgrade your present PC to Windows Vista, the costs can be high and the enhancements are probably not worth it. 

The only reason to upgrade would be to legalise Windows XP with a £55 copy of OEM Windows Vista Home Basic and would also require at least 1Gb of memory together with; either a separate hard drive or a repartitioned one. 

However, a new desktop PC or laptop should be delivered with Windows Vista.  This ensures support from Microsoft for the useful life of the PC whereas support for Windows XP is going to end in April 2009.

In any case make sure your critical applications are able to run on Windows Vista and any peripherals such as printers, scanners and broadband modems have compatible software drivers..

For more information, the following Microsoft website provides further detail about some of the new enhancements and features: go Microsoft's Windows Vista homepage