Windows Vista is
finally ready for prime time. Over the
last several months, the drivers for many devices like printers
and scanners have been updated to accommodate Vista. Most
software has also been updated to be Vista compatible. If you
are ready for a new computer you may be ready for Vista.
However, you might want to do a little homework before you make
your purchase.
While many devices and much software has been made compatible,
not every software program or every piece of hardware will work
with Vista. So before you make the move you should check with
the manufacturer of your peripheral devices like printers and
scanners to make sure that they can be used with Vista. You
should also check the compatibility of software programs that
you use. Most hardware manufacturer’s offer updated drivers
which you can obtain at their website at no extra cost. Although
some software manufacturers offer free updates, for some, you
will to have to purchase a new version that is compatible with
Vista. For instance, the anti-virus program that you are using
on your Windows XP computer will probably not work with Vista.
While many of today’s computers come with anti-virus software,
they are usually only good for one or two months. So be sure to
leave a little extra in your budget to purchase any necessary
software updates. With careful investigation, you should be able
to decide which of your programs will need to be updated and how
much it will cost before you make your computer purchase.
Purchasing a Windows Vista computer is a bit more difficult for
the average computer user because there are several very
different versions of Vista. Windows XP came in two main
versions, Home and Professional. The choice was fairly easy.
Home suited most home users and Professional was better for
businesses. With Vista, Microsoft has muddied the water by
offering five versions: Home Basic, Home Premium, Business,
Enterprise, and Ultimate.
Let me clarify your options. Whether you are a home user or a
business, the
Ultimate version will give you everything
that Vista has to offer including remote access, scheduled
backups, special encryption, Windows faxing, and all of the
entertainment features in Vista. Although you will pay more for
Ultimate, it does include everything you could possibly want.
While home users can certainly use the Ultimate version, for
most the
Home Premium version will suffice. This is an
excellent version that includes the Media Center which gives you
great features for working with photos and music. With a TV
tuner in your computer, this version, like the Ultimate version,
will let you watch TV on your computer and record television
programming just as you would with a stand-alone digital
recorder or TIVO, but with no monthly charges. It has a themed
slide shows and DVD Maker software included. It also has several
cool games like Chess, Titans, Mahjong Titans, and Inkball. In
reality, Home Premium is the
only fully featured home
version.
The Home Basic version of Vista is one you will
want to avoid. It seems that Microsoft created this
version for the sole purpose of getting people into Vista
cheaply and having them pay more to upgrade to a better version
later. The Home Basic version is stripped of many of the
features that make Vista so good. It has none of the television,
photo, or music features that are found in the Home Premium
version. It doesn’t even include the scheduled backup that is
included in all of the other versions. So Basic is stripped of
many of the features that make using the computer easier and
more entertaining. Home Basic doesn’t have the Aero Glass
interface that is standard in all other versions. This interface
is what makes Vista so visually appealing when you are using it.
It also gives you a smoother-performing desktop. In my opinion,
it is also easier on the eyes. While some may say it is just
cosmetic, I think it is a great loss not to have it.
If you purchase a computer with Home Basic, Microsoft makes it
easy to upgrade to Home Premium online. Just pay them more money
and download the upgrade. However, Home Basic only requires
512MB of ram, while all the other versions require 1GB (twice as
much) of memory. Also Home Basic will run on a computer with
lower graphics requirements. So you may find that the new
computer you just purchased with Home Basic does not have the
power to run the better versions of Vista like Home Premium or
Ultimate without adding more memory and upgrading the video
card. Also since Home Basic is so “basic” it does not even come
close to meeting the requirements for most networked businesses.
The bottom line is……Stay away from Vista Home Basic. If
you purchase a new computer for home use, stick to Home Premium
or Ultimate. If you purchase a new computer for your business,
the choices in Vista are not always clear cut. Check with a
knowledgeable consultant to determine which version of Vista
best suits your needs. If you do a little research before
you purchase that Vista computer, you will be happier with your
purchase.
This article has been provided personally by the
author solely for publication by APCUG member groups. All other uses
require the permission of the author (see e-mail address above)..
