Home > Newsletter> Jan 07
The Elusive Microsoft Vista
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The buzz in the technology world right now is Microsoft’s new operating system called Windows Vista. But what do you do when your computer goes “buzz”? Do you stick with Windows XP, or hop on the bullet train to the great Vista?
Escape Key Computing recommends NOT upgrading to or installing Windows Vista just yet.
When asked about the stability of Windows Vista, a Microsoft representative was quoted as saying, “We expect Windows Vista SP1 (Service Pack 1) to be a standard service pack that will include security updates and hot fixes, as well as limited other changes focused on improving overall quality.” When asked when Vista SP1 will be released, they said it is too early to determine a date, but they expect it to be released in a timeframe similar to that of service packs for previous versions of Windows. Windows XP Service Pack 1 arrived 11 months after XP’s initial debut.
If you would like to give Vista a try, Escape Key will not only upgrade your computer to Vista, we’ll even create a backup that will allow us to put your computer back exactly the way it was before the upgrade, if you run into problems or decide you don’t like it.
Be wary of big-box stores offering attractive upgrade offers. Companies such as CompUSA are offering free a on-site Vista installation with purchase. They even go so for as to “…guarantee you'll enjoy your experience or we'll refund your purchase and reinstall your operating system*”. Did you notice the * at the end of that statement? If you dig hard enough, you’ll find that the * means “You are responsible for restoring your data, files, settings, configurations, drivers, applications, etc” if you choose to go back to your original operating system. What does that mean? It means that they will use your original Restore CDs that came with your computer, if you still have them, and restore your computer back to factory defaults, erasing all of your programs, e-mails and data.
Windows Vista will have a lot of new features, including a new peer-to-peer file-sharing service, a new graphics technology, and a built-in system for searching and tagging information. Some early programs offer a hint of these abilities, but many applications that really will harness Vista are still in the early development stages or have yet to be written.
Here are Escape Key’s recommended hardware requirements:
- 1 GHz Intel-compatible processor
- 1GB RAM
- DirectX 9.0-Capable Graphics Processor, with 128MB graphics memory. 256MB of graphics memory to support a single monitor at resolutions higher than 2,304,000 pixels
- 40GB HD with at least 15GB "free space"
Although Windows Vista has many new features that promise to make your computing easier, prettier, and more enjoyable, let the hackers break the software and exploit the security holes before you plunge in.
Feel free to give Escape Key Computing a call to talk about whether now is a good time for you to upgrade. We will be happy, as always, to help out any way we can!
Brian Kantar, Managing Partner
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