I'm sure by now most of you have heard about Microsoft's latest indeavors, but in case you haven't, read on and find out exactly what you need to be ready for the next-generation in Windows® operating systems: Vista™
- 1. Key New Features
- 2. Visual Styles/Enhanced GUI
- 3. Windows Vista Editions
- 4. System Hardware Requirements
- 5. Pricing
- 6. Microsoft Office 2007
- 7. References
- 2. Visual Styles/Enhanced GUI
1. Key New Features TOP ^
- Aero: Most noteably, Windows Vista has some exciting graphics enhancements. The most advanced of the new "shell" themes, Aero, is built on Desktop Window Manager, an advanced windowing technology that allows transparent window frames, dynamic preview thumbnails of open windows, streamlined window animations and the new Flip 3D transition effect. PCs must have WDDM supported graphics cards to enable these advanced effects.
Aero Shell
Flip 3D
- Instant Search: Finally a solution to the ever-growing number of files on your computer. Did you forget where you put that apple cider recipe? Did you lose the payroll file from last year? With Vista's Instant Search, every file is virtually at your fingertips. Type the name of the file, and Windows will have locate the file - instantly.
Tagging is also a new feature which allows the user to categorize files for preconfigured searches: keep the files anywhere, but with one click bring them all into one window when you need to.
Vista's Instant Search
- Internet Explorer 7: Microsoft offers this upgrade from Internet Explorer 6 to Windows XP users via Windows Update, but comes standard with Windows Vista. Many security enhancements have been added, such as the automatic Phishing filter and Browsing History removal, as well as features made famous by Mozilla's Firefox like tabbed browsing and a built-in customizable search box. Other minor features such as an RSS/Atom feed reader and a Vista-inspired skin are also included.
- Windows Media Center: Microsoft offers Windows Media Player 11 as an optional upgrade from the custom area of Windows Update, but as with IE7, comes stardard with Vista. Apart from a graphical overhaul to match the Vista theme, little has been added to this application. Vista Ultimate users will also experience the updated (and quite debugged) Media Center application.
- Windows Complete PC Backup: In addition to the standard Windws backup utility, Windows Vista offers a hard disk imaging utility, called Complete PC Backup.
This utility can create an image file that contains the complete contents and structure of a hard disk. If you've ever used Norton Ghost or Acronis True Image, then you have a good idea of what this can do for you. Where Windows Vista takes it to the next level, is you don't even have to turn off your PC!
- Windows Sidebar: How many of you open a web browser just to check the weather? Open an entire application to view your calendar, or open calculator just to simply add numbers? Yeah, we get it. Find all of these and more, through Microsoft's Gadgets and make your life just a little easier.
- User Account Control: (UAC) This feature enables users to perform common tasks as non-administrators, but run applications as administrators without having to switch users, log off, or use Run As. Allowing administrative access can be counter-productive at times, as a user may inadvertently infect a PC if her or she is not careful.
UAC intellegently prevents unknown applications from running without explicit authorization - a dialog box prompts the user whether the application is safe to be run. This can prevent unwanted scripts and applications from running in the background and potentially causing damage. For those who do not require this added security or aren't willing to allow extra time for security, the UAC can be turned off in the User Account Management.
- Windows Live: Windows Live™ is the next generation of Microsoft's online community. Replacing MSN in the near future, Windows Live is streamlined for integration with Windows Vista. Applications such as Windows Live Messenger (formerly MSN Messenger) and Windows Live Mail (formerly Hotmail), Windows Live Mail Desktop / Windows Mail (formerly Outlook Express) and Office Live (an online community for Microsoft Office users) allow users to effortlessly integrate their desktop experience with online productivity.
- Enterprise Features: The Windows Vista Enterprise edition (only available under Microsoft's Volume Licensing program) offers addional the additional security of Bit-locker Drive-Encryption, a component that ensures that data stored on a computer running Windows Vista is not revealed if the computer is tampered with when the installed operating system is offline. It optionally uses a Trusted Platform Module (TPM) to provide enhanced protection for your data and to assure early boot component integrity. This can help protect your data from theft or unauthorized viewing by encrypting the entire Windows volume.
The Enterprise edition also offers limited support for UNIX applications via the Subsystem for UNIX-Based Applications (SUA). This component provides platform services to run UNIX system–based applications and scripts on Windows Vista Enterprise.
2. Visual Styles/Enhanced GUI TOP ^
Windows Vista has four distinct visual styles:
- Windows Aero:
Vista's premier visual style is built on a new desktop composition engine called Desktop Window Manager. Windows Aero introduces support for 3D graphics (Windows Flip 3D), translucency effects (Glass), window animations and other visual effects, and is intended for mainstream and high-end graphics cards. To enable these features, the contents of every open window is stored in video memory to facilitate tearing-free movement of windows. As such, Windows Aero has significantly higher hardware requirements than its predecessors. 64 MB of graphics memory is the minimum requirement, depending on resolution used. Windows Aero (including Windows Flip 3D) is not planned for inclusion in the Starter and Home Basic editions, and requires Windows Genuine Advantage to be passed.
- Windows Vista Standard:
This mode is a variation of Windows Aero without the glass effects, window animations, and other advanced graphical effects such as Windows Flip 3D. Like Windows Aero, it uses the Desktop Window Manager, and has generally the same video hardware requirements as Windows Aero. This is the default mode for the Windows Vista Home Basic Edition. The Starter (developing markets) edition does not support this mode.
- Windows Vista Basic: This mode has aspects that are similar to Windows XP's visual style with the addition of subtle animations such as those found on progress bars. It does not employ the Desktop Window Manager; as such, it does not feature transparency or translucency, window animation, Windows Flip 3D or any of the functions provided by the DWM. The Basic mode does not require the new Windows Display Driver Model (WDDM) for display drivers, and has similar graphics card requirements to Windows XP. For computers with graphics cards that are not powerful enough to support Windows Aero, this is the default graphics mode.
- Windows Classic: An option for corporate deployments and upgrades, Windows Classic has the look and feel of Windows 2000 and Windows Server 2003, does not use the Desktop Window Manager and does not require a WDDM driver. As with prior versions of Windows, this theme supports "Color schemes" which are a collection of color settings. Windows Vista includes six classic color schemes, comprised of four high-contrast color schemes, as well as the default colour schemes from Windows 95 and Windows 2000.
3. Windows Vista Editions TOP ^
| Similar to Windows XP Home Edition, Home Basic is intended for budget users not requiring advanced media support for home use. The Windows Aero theme with translucent effects will not be included with this edition. 64-bit Home Basic will support up to 8 GB of physical memory, and will be supported until 2012. |  |
|
| Windows Vista Home Premium |
Containing all features from Home Basic, this edition will also support more advanced features aimed for the home market segment, such as HDTV support and DVD authoring. Extra premium games, mobile and tablet PC, network projector, touchscreen, and auxiliary display (via Windows SideShow) support, and a utility to schedule backups are also included. Home Premium supports 10 simultaneous peer network connections (compared to 5 in Home Basic). The version of Meeting Space included will also allow for interaction (in Home Basic, you may only view meetings), but Remote Desktop sessions may only be received, not controlled, in this edition. This edition is comparable to Windows XP Media Center Edition and Tablet PC Edition. 64-bit Home Premium will support up to 16 GB of physical memory, and will be supported until 2012. |
 |
| Windows Vista Business |
Comparable to Windows XP Professional, and aimed at the business market. Includes all the features of Home Premium with the exception of Windows Media Center and related technologies, Parental Controls, and Windows DVD and Movie Maker HD (the regular Movie Maker is included). Includes the IIS web server, fax support, Rights Management Services (RMS) Client, file system encryption, dual processor (two sockets) support, system image backup and recovery, offline file support, a full version of Remote Desktop, ad-hoc P2P collaboration capabilities, Previous Versions (Windows ShadowCopy), and several other business features not in Home Premium. 64-bit Business supports 128 GB of memory, and will be supported until 2017. |
 |
| Windows Vista Enterprise |
This edition is aimed at the enterprise segment of the market, and is a superset of the Business edition. Additional features include multilingual user interface support, BitLocker Drive Encryption, and UNIX application support. This edition will not be available through retail or OEM channels, but through Microsoft Software Assurance. 64-bit Enterprise supports 128 GB of memory, and will be supported until 2017. |
No box image available |
| Windows Vista Ultimate |
The Ultimate edition is aimed at high-end PC users, gamers, multimedia professionals, and PC enthusiasts. It combines all the features of the Home Premium and Enterprise editions, a game performance tweaker (WinSAT), and "Ultimate Extras". Microsoft has so far had little to say regarding Ultimate Extras, but they are expected to include special online services for downloadable media, as well as additional customer service options. 64-bit Ultimate supports 128 GB of memory, and will be supported until 2012. |
 |
Opened Case
4. System Hardware Requirements TOP ^
Some controversy and concerns have arisen over how the increase in hardware specifications required to take advantage of many of Vista's new features may impact both personal and business users. While most PCs purchased after 2002 will be able to meet Vista’s minimum “Windows Vista Capable” requirements, many laptops and low-end to midrange desktops with integrated graphics will not be able to meet “Windows Vista Premium Ready” requirements and will therefore not be able to run advanced features such as the Aero Glass interface.
800 MHz
1 GHz
5. Pricing TOP ^ Please be advised that AGS cannot be responsible for errors or changes in pricing. All listed prices are published Microsoft MSRPs and are in USD.
MSRP Retail (USD) Upgrade (USD) Windows Vista Home Basic $199.00 $99.00 Windows Vista Home Premium $239.00 $159.00 Windows Vista Business $299.00 $199.00 Windows Vista Enterprise VLK Only VLK Only Windows Vista Ultimate $399.00 $259.00
6. Microsoft Office 2007 TOP ^
7. References TOP ^ Reference: http://www.microsoft.com/
Reference: http://office.microsoft.com/
All addional reference material, including, but not limited to imagery, statistics, prices, links and information, thanks to Wikipedia, your free online encyclopedia. Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Vista