Vista, Microsoft’s replacement for XP, has been many years in the making, but after all the hype and promises, it is finally here. Much of the talk of the latest version of Windows has centred not only around what the new operating system has to offer, but the number of versions there are to choose from.
We’re going to concentrate on the three versions of most interest to the home user Ð Home Basic, Home Premium and Ultimate. We’ll discuss the differences between these versions soon, but let’s quickly look at one of Vista’s key benefits.
Vista looks similar to Windows XP, but after a short while, it soon becomes clear that Vista works in a very different way. The redesigned Start button all but eliminates traditional pop-out menus – click on the All Programs group and the contents expand in much the same way as a folder in Windows Explorer. While this saves on screen space, helping to keep things neat and tidy, it is something that is going to take some getting used to.
Similarly, navigating folders is also somewhat different to the XP method. Users of Internet Explorer 7 will be aware that the menu bar has disappeared. And this extends to Vista.
Buttons at the top of folder windows provide access to common tasks while others are accessible from a right mouse click. Menus can be re-enabled by pressing the Alt key, though.
The address bar provides an excellent means of navigating around your hard disk, and you’re no longer restricted to using the folder tree structure to jump from one location to another. If the address bar reads C: > Users > Bob > Documents > Work, it is possible to click on the word Bob to jump straight to Bob’s other files, or Documents to return to the equivalent of the My Documents folder. Click on the arrows between folder labels to view a menu containing a list of sub-folders for selection.
Despite scare stories about massive hardware requirements, Vista will run on any relatively modern computer. 512MB of memory is a minimum requirement. A reasonable graphics card is needed for the visually impressive Aero interface to function correctly, but any features Windows deems will slow down your system too much will be disabled.
The different versions
The question for any potential upgrader is which version to opt for. To answer this, let’s take a look at which features are missing from the various editions.
Starting with the bottom package, Vista Home Basic includes all of the essential tools such as Internet Explorer 7, Windows Mail for e-mail, Defender to protect against spyware (software surreptitiously installed to monitor a computer’s use) and the enhanced image viewing and editing tool Windows Photo Gallery.
Many of the new Vista special effects are not available in Home Basic – there are no transparent Windows, 3D Flip view or live taskbar thumbnails. Anyone buying this edition of Vista can use the Anytime Upgrade facility to upgrade to Home Premium or Ultimate at a discounted price.
Move up to Home Premium and Aero has been fully implemented. There are a number of extra programs includes too – such as Windows Media Centre, Movie Maker, and DVD maker. Realistically, this is the version the majority of home users will buy, unless they feel like splashing out on Vista Ultimate – although this will also be available as an Anytime Upgrade.
Vista Ultimate is comparable with XP Professional and includes all the new operating system elements as well as the unique Windows Ultimate Extras – exclusive downloads and add-ons available only to Ultimate users. In addition to this, there is Drive Encryption and Bit Locker for secure file storage.
Ultimately, Vista is an operating system with security in mind. While there are various new tools and effects, with the exception perhaps of Media Centre, no one feature is enough to warrant switching from XP. But viewed as a whole, upgrading to Vista is something you should seriously consider. It should also be noted that buying a new PC with Vista pre-installed is the best-value way to upgrade as Microsoft is giving manufacturers incentives to sell Vista PCs.
Far from revolutionary, Windows Vista is more like a better implemented version of Windows XP. The enhanced security is a key selling point, but upgraders could have a hefty bill on their hands.
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