Windows Vista

Questions that one of my family members recently asked about Vista:

1. What is it?
   
2. Should it get it?
   
3. What are the benefits?
   

As a desktop release manager for our company's largest LAN (57,000 workstations), I have been on the Vista project team evaluating and planning for Vista. By the end 2007, we expect to have 15,000 Vista workstations. By the end of 2009, probably every workstation will be on Vista. Additionally I have had a Vista workstation for several months.

Here's my answer:

1. Its just an operating system! But since Windows is on 90% of all PC's, if one continues to have a Windows system, sooner or later you will have Vista.
   
2. Older, unpatched operating systems are a risk to anyone who values the data and function of his personal computer. If you have Windows XP, Microsoft will continue to support that operating system (with regular patches) for several more years (I'm guessing three more).
   
3. Philosophically, I get a new operating system when I buy and new PC and never put a new operating system on that same PC! So my two Dell laptops that have Windows XP will not get upgraded to Vista. One is three and a half years old (and I expect to replace it later this year), the other is two years old. These will not be upgraded to Vista.
   
4. Vista is cool, it is colorful, it has better security and some new functionality, but all that comes with a price. My company recommends 2 gigabytes of real memory, and a 128 MB video card (to experience the Vista Aero interface). So if one is buying a new computer today (better yet wait a couple of months and have Vista preloaded by the manufacturer), you had better have this threshold of computing resources to support Vista
   

Here are some helpful articles (from the current issue of PC Magazine):

1. Vista Needs a New Machine
   
2. Does Vista Matter?
   
3. Vista, at Last!
   
4. Microsoft Office 2007
   

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