windows vista?

Considering an Upgrade to Windows Vista

Adapted From: Windows Vista For Dummies, Special Preview Edition

You'll see Windows Vista in the headlines quite a bit this year. The buzz starts in the technology section, ambles over to business columns, and eventually turns into news headlines. But amid all the buzz about Vista, there's one nagging question: Do you really need this thing?

Here are a few of the most tempting features Microsoft has worked into Vista, and what you'll find in them.

Improved search

Windows XP really drags its feet when searching for files. Searching for a filename takes several minutes on a crowded hard drive, and if you're searching your files for a particular word or phrase, you're in for a long weekend. Vista, by contrast, spends its idle time fine-tuning an index of every word on your hard drive.

To keep that work handy, Vista places a Search box on the Start menu, atop every folder, and in a few other areas. The handy Search box and the up-to-date index make it faster than ever to find the files and programs you want.

Vista even updates its index with words on Web sites you've visited recently, letting you quickly call up that headline you remember reading last week.

Trying to find the right setting in the Control Panel's vast array of switches and options? As you type words describing that setting into the Control Panel's Search box — display, for example — Vista filters out every item that doesn't pertain to the display. Eventually, you'll only spot a few icons left, and they'll all pertain to your computer's display.

Security

Some may call it a nuisance, others call it User Account Protection, but Microsoft prefers to call it advanced security. Vista's built-in User Account Protection security not only keeps unwanted creatures from crawling into your PC, but it also stops the ones already inside your PC from calling home to their creators through the Internet. Whenever something in your PC tries to do something that could change Vista's settings, Vista asks for your permission.

Although all this security is indeed a bother, it's the only way to keep your PC and your files safe.

Even if you turn off the security features for your own account, leave them turned on for your kids' accounts or the account you create for your babysitter or housesitter. Vista security will keep them from mucking up your PC while you're away.

Windows defender

Just about everybody's heard something about spyware — unwanted software that sneaks onto your PC. It then spies on your Web-browsing habits and sends the results to sneaky companies who fill your PC with ads targeted toward your interests.

When something's wrong with your PC, spyware's the most likely suspect. Spyware-infested PCs experience slowdowns, conflicts with other software, and even crashes. Vista's new Windows Defender seeks out and destroys spyware before it takes hold. Because companies constantly create new breeds of spyware, Microsoft automatically trains Windows Defender with Windows Update to recognize the latest spyware strains and pry them off your PC.

Parental controls

Most parents don't let their children travel unknown neighborhoods without supervision. But what about the PC and its ticket to the Internet's chat rooms and adult Web sites? Vista's strict parental controls let parents control their kids' computer workouts by adding the following controls:

 Blocking specific Web sites and programs or blocking all but a few hand-picked Web sites and programs

 Filtering Web sites by their content

 Blocking file downloads

 Controlling the days or hours the PC is available

 Collecting detailed activity reports showing Web sites blocked/visited, programs run, games played, and instant messaging conversations held

Although Vista calls them Parental Controls, they let any administrator account holder control the activities of any standard account holder. That means you can finally control exactly how your roommates use your PC — if you let them use it at all.

And your boss can see exactly how much time you spend playing solitaire when you should be working. Be forewarned.

DVD burning

Windows XP couldn't write to DVDs without the help of a third-party program. Vista can finally write to blank DVDs by itself, making DVDs an easy way to back up all those digital photos. Combine Vista's DVD Maker program with Vista's improved Movie Maker program, and you'll finally be able to burn your vacation videos to DVD and watch them in the living room.

Vista's built-in Backup program lets you automatically store your backed-up files to CDs or DVDs.

Runs on an average PC

You may have heard how Vista won't run on older PCs, or it needs an expensive video card. But if your PC's running Windows XP, it will probably run Vista just fine.

As for the video card, Vista certainly looks its best when run on a PC with a high-powered video card. But it also looks fine on most PCs today. The differences really aren't that obvious.

In fact, some people will turn off Vista's glass tabletop because all those reflections can be distracting.

Windows Vista – Pros and Cons

http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,127629-page,1-c,...

Vista. some human beings say Vista makes use of up lots equipment ram. that's actual. Vista makes use of those ram to velocity up the pc. Thats why there's no longer lots loose ram. Xp wastes those loose ram doing no longer something. Vista is much greater like minded than XP than u think of that's. Vista hasn't any problem to me for a million year already. Vista is speedier while beginning application and commencing up the pc. some human beings evaluate XP because of the fact they are too used to XP or they are gamer. it form of feels vista is slower in video games by using 2-5 fps. No super deal. VISTa!

well im on windows vista right now

and for now i would say bad but it has a lot of new features tho

and if u are going to upgrade into it, wait till they release a service pack, because there are still a lot of bugs and most of my application from XP dont even run in it.

and SAD part is its just kills a lot of memorry

it takes abt 500mb of RAM just for the OS

so if u dont hav @ least 2 gigs, good luck guys

Not very good.

have you seen the mac commercials

http://i.imgur.com/T7F9etp.gif

thanks all