Windows Vista - The Next Generation
If you pay any attention to computer-related news, you've probably seen mention of the next version of Windows - Windows Vista.
Vista is the next generation of Windows, that's going to replace XP in early 2007.
Microsoft has started to release more information about this next version, and I have little doubt the news and press coverage will grow over the next few months.
Is A Vista Upgrade In Your Future?
Vista has a lot of new features, many of which are part of the "user interface", or what you see on the screen.
Microsoft has made Vista a lot flashier than Windows XP. It's got redesigned menus, button, windows and much more. Even switching between programs looks better. Instead of just showing the icons for each program when you switch tasks, you'll see previews of the window for each program.
If you don't know what I'm referring to, it's the Windows task switcher...
When you have more than one program open in Windows, holding the Alt key and pressing Tab will let you switch between them.
Will My Computer Run Vista?
Microsoft hasn't made the official requirements for Vista available yet. At this point, they just give a general list of requirements, which includes:
- a "modern CPU"
- 512MB RAM minimum
- a video card that supports the "Windows Display Driver Model"
What does this mean in plain English?
Pretty much any computer bought in the last 12 months should have enough power to run Vista. The "modern CPU" is basically a Pentium 4 or AMD Athlon 64 and the video card would include any recent cards from ATI or NVidia.
If your computer is over 18 months old, you might be able to run Vista but not take full advantage of all the new features. These requirements will likely be finalized in the next few months.
Should I Upgrade?
When a new version of Windows is released, there are inevitably some problems with older versions of other programs, drivers for things like printers and scanners, and other existing equipment. Upgrading from an older version is sometimes asking for trouble.
Personally, I usually wait for at least 6 months after a new version comes out to make sure the kinks are worked out.
Having said that, Vista does have some great-sounding features.
One of the biggest improvements is security. Without getting into the technical mumbo jumbo, the way that Vista runs other programs is being changed to make it much harder for spyware and viruses to infect your computer and spread to others.
If it's as good as Microsoft is saying, this alone will make an upgrade worthwhile. If I can save time and hassles by not dealing with spyware and viruses so often, I'll happily upgrade.
The other big feature that Microsoft is promoting is the built-in search features. Vista will have a MUCH improved search function, for finding files, email messages, pictures, music or any other information you have stored on your computer.
If you've ever used the "search for files" function in any current or older version of Windows, you'll know how slow and inaccurate it is.
If the Vista search upgrade is as good as it sounds, it will make it a whole heck of a lot easier to keep track of things you save on your computer.
So that's a brief overview of Vista, as things stand today. I'll update the site with new articles as new information is released, so be sure to sign up for my newsletter if you want to get notification of new articles as they're posted.
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Click here to read more about Windows Vista on Microsoft's website