Are you ready for Windows Vista?

After years of development Microsoft's new operating system is here, Windows Vista. Microsoft has been under heavy fire the last few years, facing competition from Google and Apple in particular. Each time missing the bus only to try and play catch up. Google comes out of no where and redefines the way we search on the web, so years later Microsoft releases Windows Live. Microsoft defines Windows Live as a 'new' way to search, is it really? Try it for yourself. They took a great idea wanted it for their own so they took their money and made a copy. MP3 players have been around for years but Apple releases the iPod and redefines the way people carry their music. Microsoft's answer; the Zune. Nothing new here. The trend is that Microsoft has not come up with any new ideas, simply recaching what is already out there, slapping their logo onto it. So what does this have to do with Windows Vista? Well Microsoft is still the top dog when it comes to operating systems, love them or hate them they are the leader ... by far. The road to Windows Vista was not a clear and easy one, its been in beta for years and suffered many details, major features have been removed (winfs?), until was finally released this week. I've beta tested Windows Vista and did not have a great experience with it, however that is why they have beta testing, to find and work out these problems. At one point Microsoft's own MP3 player was not compatable with Vista, they've come a long way from that point. To start out there are some really neat things about Vista you should know, even if you don't plan to upgrade right away (which is recommended) its still good to learn what is coming down the line.

     If you do want to upgrade to Windows Vista your first choice will be what version to get, as of now there are currently five different versions. But wait, before you even think about any of them you need to check your current computer. Think your computer can run vista? You may need to check, the minimum requirements for Windows Vista are much higher than Windows XP. Even then the minimum requirements will not display certain features such as the Windows aero glass theme, which is absolutely incredible looking. Giving the appereance that your Windows are transcluent, a great feature but it comes at a cost; a higher process and memory requirement. That is not to say that you will need to upgrade your entire computer to enjoy Vista and the visual themes but you will want to have at least 1gb of RAM to use vista and perferably 2gb of ram with a dual core processor for optimal performance.

Ok so now your computer is good to go but what are some of the neat feautres of Windows Vista; ie, 'Why do I want it?'.

Integrated Sidebar

     Following Google's Desktop's trend, Windows Vista has a built in side bar that allows you to add an inifite amout of data right onto your desktop. If you are familiar with RSS feeds you can add them directly to your sidebar. Want to see weather or stock quotes? In a few clicks they can be added to your sidebar and updated continously. Looking for a file, a search bar is included so you can quickly find your files and work more efficiently. Great feature? Absolutely! Innovative? No way! This feature has been around for years by Google Desktop.

Enchanced Visual Look

     The new interface is very nice look and visually appealing however when compared to Apple's OS X it becomes extrememly mediorce. Apple's interface is much more fluid than that of Window's Vista. However comparing to past Windows versions this is a large much needed improvement

Programs

     Ok its obvious Microsoft Office will work with Windows Vista but what about other programs? If you use a 3rd party not-so-super-popular program you may want to see if its Vista compatible.