Can it be that Microsoft has finally got it right with Windows Vista? After all, we learn more from our mistakes than from our successes, and Microsoft has had a tumultuous history with its Windows operating system.There is no doubt that the software giant has pulled its act together with Vista and you get to see this right from the start when you install the operating system.Once you pop in the Vista DVD and restart your PC, all it takes to get the installation going is the serial key. Unlike Windows XP, the installation process will not stop halfway to ask you stupid questions.The installation roughly takes 25 minutes and after that Vista takes another five minutes to benchmark your computer.The benchmark rating will help you buy software as Microsoft is encouraging vendors to label their applications with similar ratings.This, of course, will be a lot easier than trying to remember how much memory your computer has or how fast your processor is, and comparing it to the minimum system requirements of the software.
Looking lovely
If you have read previews about Vista before, then you probably have heard about its Aero interface, as this has been one of the most talked about improvements.Aero looks really nice, modern and stylish – I don't think anyone will hate it but it is not as breathtaking as we expected it to be.Still, we have to be thankful that it is not tacky as Windows XP – I still hate the green Start button, which thankfully has been replaced in the new OS by the Vista logo.But the Aero interface is not just a superficial cosmetic makeover, as Microsoft has revamped the design of almost everything, including the views of folders, Control Panel and the Start menu.The first thing you will notice when viewing folders is that there is no longer a menu bar, and surprisingly I didn't miss it that much because most of the useful functions are within reach from the new toolbar.And the left task pane now displays a tree view of the folder you are viewing and favourites – you can customise this to include folders you frequently access.The other noteworthy improvement is Windows Sidebar, which allows you to install Gadgets – tiny but useful applications such as a clock, calendar, performance monitor and such.Whether you find Windows Sidebar useful or not will depend on how big your monitor is – if you have anything smaller than a 19in monitor, it is going to look really cramped.On the other hand, if you own a widescreen monitor, you are really going to love the Gadgets as it will make great use of the extra space you have on the sides.
Superior security
Contrary to popular belief, Vista is not based on the source code of Windows XP but rather on the more secure Windows Server 2003 operating system. This alone makes it a lot more secure than Windows XP.Then there is the User Account Control (UAC), which will prompt you to approve any system sensitive actions like running an application that wants access to the inner workings of the operating system or even creating a folder in the Programs Files directory.UAC might seem to make Vista behave a little paranoid but it is something that you have to learn to live with because it is a very unsafe world out there.Without question Vista is definitely built much tougher than Windows XP but that is not going to be enough because Windows has always been avery popular target among hackers.Like it or not, some hacker is going to find a flaw in Vista sooner or later – it is just a matter of time and how big the flaw will turn out to be.
Compatibility concerns
With any new operating system, backward compatibility with older software is going to be a problem. In this case, a lot of applications will work fine under Vista but there will be some that just won't install or will behave quirkily.Earlier versions of Nero and Diskeeper, for example, won't even install but new versions that are Vista-compatible are already available online.Some programs will install without a hitch but won't be fully functional due to the higher security level of Vista. For instance, I had problems saving the settings on Reget, a popular download manager. Usually, running apps in administrator mode solves the problem.And if you are a gamer – hey, if you don't play games, you should be using a Mac – then there is a lot to look forward to as Vista comes with the DirectX 10 game engine, which will not be made available to Windows XP.There are no DirectX 10 games right now, but if the screenshots of the upcoming games are any indication, then things can only get better. Much better.Games like Crysis look absolutely gorgeous when rendered using DirectX 10 and look unusually datedwhen rendered with DirectX 9.Although the new games will still support the older DirectX 9 engine, they just won't look the same anymore.However, to play these games you will also require a DirectX 10-compatible graphics card and so far only nVidia has them and they are not cheap.Also, games run a bit slowly on Vista than on Windows XP but this could be due to poor drivers as nVidia and ATI are still struggling to come out with better ones.
Various versions
One of the big complains is that Microsoft has six versions of Vista for you to choose from – Starter Edition, Home Basic, Home Premium, Business, Enterprise and Ultimate. Is that too many and too confusing? Not really.If you are playing to deploy Vista on your home computer, the choice is a simple one – go for Vista Home Premium unless you are a hardcore user.You can forget about the Starter edition, which is not available yet, and is really meant for very niche markets.
Pricing issues
The standalone editions of Vista are not cheap – Home Premium costs RM1,020 and the Ultimate edition costs RM1,700. That is a lot of money to spend on an operating system.But if you already have own Windows 2000 or XP (all editions) then you can save quite a lot of money by opting for the upgrade editions. The Home Premium upgrade costs RM690 and the Ultimate upgrade costs RM1,020.However, you should keep in mind that to install an upgrade edition of Vista you must have an earlier version of Windows on your PC. If you don't, Vista will not install.Also, depending on which flavour of Windows you own and version you are upgrading to, you may be able to upgrade in-place, meaning you can install Windows Vista and retain your applications, files and settings,Or you may have to do a clean install – in other words, Vista will wipe your hard disk clean before it installs but you can still use the Windows Easy Transfer tool to automatically copy all your files and settings to an extra hard drive or other storage device.After the installation of Vista is complete, Windows Easy Transfer will reload your files and settings on your upgraded PC. However, you will still need to reinstall your applications.Also note that if you want to reinstall the Vista upgrade edition after a hard disk format, you must first go through the tedious process of installing the earlier version of Windows before reinstalling Vista.According to some online reports, there is also a risk that the Vista upgrade edition will fail to work because it will wrongly identify a licenced copy of Windows 2000/XP as an illegal copy.To solve this problem, there is a workaround that goes something like this:Boot the machine using the Vista DVD but refrain from entering the serial number. Instead just leave it empty and click Next and ignore whatever warning messages you receive.You will then be prompted to choose the version of Vista you purchased – do that and compete the installation and Vista will run with full functionality for 30 days.Now insert the Vista DVD again and choose to upgrade. This time, enter the Vista key you purchased and it should install and activate properly.
OEM option
The third and cheapest option is to get an OEM version of Vista, which is supposed to come pre-installed with new machines.Although Microsoft clearly states that an OEM copy must come pre-installed with a machine, you can easily get an OEM copy on its own.If you are tempted to go down this path, here is a little-known fact about OEM versions of Vista – once you install it on a machine, the licence is non-transferable.That means Vista will be tied to the hardware it is on. While it will accept minor upgrades to the machine, if you ever change the motherboard, it will no longer work because Vista will then "see" it as a new machine.So, if you are the type that changes hardware often, you might want to get the full edition instead.
Vista verdict
There is a lot to like about Vista as it is easily the best (if not best-looking) operating system to ever come out of Microsoft's labs.It is very easy to use and very customisable – unlike previous its operating systems, nothing is forced on you and you can change almost everything about it.On top of that, it packs a lot of features – most of which you will only discover when you have a need for it such as the hard disk partition tool or the improved screen capture tool.Of course, there is a fair amount of relearning involved as some functions that you could easily access before on Windows XP are nowhere to be found on Vista.However, there are two easy ways to find them. The first is the excellent Instant Search function, which locates not only files but also Control Panel functions. When you feel lost, just type away and more often than not, it will locate what you need.The second method is to revert to the Windows XP look.So, why isn't everyone going crazy over Vista? It is because it doesn't come with a killer feature – there is no single feature that you can't live without as Microsoft pulled out some of the more interesting features during the development cycle to meet the deadline.Also, a company like Microsoft, which has excellent financial standing and industry backing, could have done a much better job with Vista.As it stands, Vista is a good operating system but not great – it just doesn't break any new technological boundaries.Ultimately, whether most people choose to upgrade or not will probably hinge on how new their PCs are.If your machine is older than two years, chances are it is outdated for Vista. Finding drivers for your computer will also be a problem.To run Vista comfortably you will need to have three important ingredients: A fast processor, ample memory and a dedicated graphics card.A machine with a dual-core processor, 1GB or more RAM and a graphics card with at least 128MB of video memory should be just fine.I tested Vista on a PC with an Intel Pentium 4 3GHz processor, 1GB RAM and an nVidia GeForce 6800 card and it had no performance issues.So if you bought a computer recently or have been upgrading it over time, what better way to make better use of it than by installing Vista?
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