A quick look at Microsoft Vista
Published 1:29 pm Tuesday, September 2, 2008
“The ‘Wow’ starts now” is how Microsoft touts its first new version of the Windows operating system in five years. “Wow” might overstate the case for Windows Vista, but for all intents and purposes, it is a very solid operating system. Time will tell how secure it really is, but no major security holes have been found as of the time of this writing. In comparison, Windows XP has fought security holes since its release in late 2001.
The first attribute users notice when Vista starts is that it is visually very attractive, thanks to slick new Aero graphics. Menus and window borders are semitransparent and appear to float above one another. A lightning-fast search utility lets the user find files and programs by just typing in the first few letters of the name. The “Start” menu is much less cluttered and doesn’t fill the screen.
Microsoft added a nifty new feature called the Sidebar. As the name implies, it resides at one side of your screen and contains very small programs, called “Gadgets.” These Gadgets can display stock quotes, clocks, photos, news headlines and much more. Vista comes with a dozen or so Gadgets from which to choose, with hundreds more available online for download.
One of the biggest complaints heard around the water cooler is that Vista tries too hard to protect us from ourselves. For example, if you want to change a setting or install a program, you will get a pop-up window warning the action you’re about to take can be dangerous and asks permission to continue. This can become annoying.
Accessing data on an external storage device repeatedly incites a message stating “you don’t currently have permission to access this folder,” yet clicking “continue” gave us another window saying “Windows needs your permission to continue.” Clicking “continue” gave us access to the folder. This concept gets old rather quickly if you’re an experienced user. For inexperienced users, the feature can be downright scary. The good news is this User Account Control feature can be turned off — if you know how.
Vista’s great Aero looks don’t come without a cost. Microsoft recommends “support for DirectX 9 graphics with WDDM Driver” and “Pixel Shader 2.0 in hardware” along with a beefy video graphics card and lots of system memory (RAM). These requirements may challenge a computer’s capabilities to the point that it may not reap all the benefits of Vista.
The Vista Web site carries the caveat that “some product features are only available in certain editions of Windows Vista and may require advanced or additional hardware.” Microsoft does offer a tool on its Vista Web site called the Upgrade Advisor that can help you decide which of the four versions of Windows Vista will run best on your computer.
The bottom line is:
1. Windows Vista appears to be a great operating system if you are buying a new computer. Just be sure to buy the best graphics card and the most memory you can afford.
2. If you have a computer running Windows XP presently and you’re not having any problems, there is no compelling reason to upgrade.
Sven Mogelgaard is the owner of Mill Creek-based Byte Slaves Inc. and can be reached by calling 425-482-9529. Will Rutherford is the owner of Bothell-based Computer Concepts and can be reached by calling 425-481-3666.
