Introducing Windows Vista: What Version of Windows Vista Should You Buy?

Windows Vista is a fantastic operating system. My new computer has Windows Vista Home Premium and having used Windows XP for the last 6 years I was very pleased that the learning curve of Windows Vista is very small.

Vista graphics are much better then Windows XP. For example, the icons on the desktop are easier to identify when they are selected and File Manager has been improved in many ways but most importantly it's easier to drag files from one folder to the other.

One of the best features of Vista is the sleep mode. This feature shuts down the computer so that only the memory has power. To wake up the computer from sleep mode, press any key and it comes back to life in seconds. It's nice to know I will be saving money by not running the computer while I'm away from it.

The worry of incompatible programs is very minor. Only one program did not operate, which was for a slide scanner. I was able to purchase a 3^rd party program for under $30 dollars and was able to make the slide scanner work.

When purchasing a new computer, one has many options regarding which version of Windows Vista to buy. For the home user it is very easy. There is a Windows Home Basic and a Windows Home Premium version. If your only concern is price then you will get the Windows Home Basic, but I suggest you spend a few extra dollars and get the Windows Home Premium. Some of the most useful features are found in Windows Home Premium which is not found in Windows Home Basic. For example Live Thumbnails are extremely useful; it allows you to see a small window (thumbnail) above each open window in your taskbar as you hover over the window tab. This might appear to be a small feature, but it makes navigating between several open applications much easier.

Prior to Windows Vista, when you have many windows open in your task bar, similar programs such as the browser are combined into one group. To get around this problem Flip 3D was created.

With Flip 3D you can quickly see every open window by scrolling through them using your mouse wheel or arrow buttons.

Windows Vista works better in many ways; most importantly it is very reliable. For example mapping networks and sharing printers is now bullet proof.

In closing, Windows Vista has exceeded my expectations and I am extremely pleased with it. In addition to Windows Vista the industry standard Office 2007 is also a fantastic product and using them together is a very pleasurable experience.