February 3, 2007 - Got Vista? Didn't Think So…
On January 30, 2007 Microsoft released the newest version of their operating system called Windows Vista. Most computer users most likely won't see Vista for some time as the hardware requirements are quite steep and the upgrade price is not worth it. As far as businesses go, Vista upgrades aren't going to be a priority as it means hardware upgrades all around for minimal performance increases. Personally, I know many of my clients won't ever upgrade existing workstations, and will only run Vista on newly purchased computers.

The new interface takes many features that Mac's have had for ages. It is less utilitarian and has a more slick and has a graphically intense desktop (hence the higher hardware requirements). Other features include more security layers, parental controls, better seach capabilities among many other new abilities. The Alt-Tab feature is really neat in the way it rotates windows 3-dimensionally to flip between programs. Another area Microsoft is really expanding on is the idea of the all-in-one entertainment center. Vista includes a better photo organizer, media player and other multi-media additions.

There are also more versions of this operating system than previous releases. Vista ships as Vista Home Basic (pretty much useless), Vista Home Premium, Vista Business & Enterprise, and Vista Ultimate. The pricing starts at around $100cdn for the Basic and $400 for the Ultimate version.

The question many people are asking is if they need to be looking at upgrading to Vista. If you are still running Windows 95 or 98, then maybe it’s a good to buy a new computer with Vista. But if you are running Windows 2000 or XP then you still have a couple years before being obsolete. If you are buying a new computer, I say get Vista (or get a Mac) as the new features and interfaces are worth it.

• More Information and Reviews about Windows Vista
• Watch a Video on Windows Vista on YouTube.com