All aboard for Windows Vista!

Find out what this operating system has to offer

By Andy Walker

After five years of development, Microsoft has launched the much-anticipated Windows Vista. Geeks are buzzing about the operating system, but should families and home users be equally excited?

“Windows [can] be a really great experience for home users especially if they like using multimedia,” says Sean Carruthers, co-host of the technology podcast LabRats.tv. “There are some big changes in Vista compared to XP.”

Home users will be affected by significant changes to three key areas:

• a new interface
• security
• system usability and search

Here’s what to expect.

A new look: Aero

When you first mouse across Vista’s desktop, you’ll immediately notice its new interface, called Aero.

Aero features opaque glass-like windows, data file icons that are miniatures of what’s inside, and a preview mode that gives you a peek at what’s in minimized windows.

These usability features are designed to take the guesswork out of using Windows and to make you more productive. They also add a bit of fun to otherwise boring day-to-day computing.

PC security: Improved and tighter

Vista appears to be the company’s most secure operating system to date. The security features are aimed at protecting computers from viruses, spyware, worms and other nasty threats and at keeping computers as secure as possible with features such as automatic security updates.

When you attempt to change system settings, the User Access Control system (geeks call it UAC for short) asks you to approve changes before it lets you proceed. It also ensures only programs you approve are installed.

“The UAC will frustrate people, but ultimately it will make using your computer safer,” explains Carruthers. Windows accounts have also been re-engineered. “Administrator” accounts still have the power to make system changes and install programs; however, the UAC requests approval for each change.

But “user” accounts have had their powers drastically curtailed. They can’t make any operating system modifications or install system-wide software without permission from an administrator.

Administrator accounts also include “Parental Controls,” which didn’t exist in XP. Parental Controls limit what User accounts can do and when they can do it. For example, game play or use of a chat program can be time-limited for a User account. There’s also a built-in Internet filter and Activity Reports, which show the sites your child visits and with whom your child is exchanging messages.

The Vista package includes Windows Defender, which blocks and removes nuisance programs called spyware or adware. Windows Defender adds new protection, but no one application catches all threats. You’ll still need a secondary anti-spyware tool such as the free Spybot Search and Destroy or PestPatrol, a commercial anti-spyware product, to catch most spyware infections.

Usability and search: Better and easier

Once you adjust to how Vista looks, you’ll find it easier to locate your data and move around the desktop. The Start menu has been redesigned so that it no longer cascades outward with each click. Instead, each successive menu click refreshes the content of the Start menu with a deeper listing.

Your data and Windows tools are also easier to find with the redesigned Search tool. This includes a search box in the Start menu that scans your system or the Internet. Vista windows also have integrated search boxes. And best of all, searching is quicker than it was in XP.

Installation made easy

Vista also betters XP with a simpler installation routine. Here’s how it works.

1. Start by launching the Install DVD from your desktop. This command will download files needed to optimize the installation.
2. Enter your Vista licence key.
3. Now relax. No further interaction is needed until the end of the installation.
4. Thirty to 90 minutes later, Vista will ask you to set up a user ID and password, and prompt you for your time zone. It will also ask if it should use automatic security settings before booting into the desktop for the first time.

Vista versions: Which is right for me?

There are four versions of Windows Vista. Most users will opt for the Home Premium version for home use. Those with older systems who aren’t concerned with multimedia features or mobility can stick with Home Basic, while geeks and gamers should go for Vista Ultimate.

Windows Vista Home Basic
This version is for the home user. It’s designed for systems that don’t have the hardware to run the Aero interface, which requires an up-to-date video card with at least 128 MB of video RAM.

Windows Vista Home Premium
This version replaces XP Home and includes the TV and DVD application Windows Media Center. It’s also suitable for laptops thanks to a mobility centre designed to tweak power and other mobile settings.

Windows Vista Business
Aimed at XP Professional users, this version includes business network support but excludes Windows Media Center.

Windows Vista Ultimate
This premium version comes with all features turned on, including Windows Media Center. It also features BitLocker, a program that encrypts data on a hard drive so that it can’t be retrieved without a password.

Learn more about Windows Vista by clicking here.

Andy Walker is the author of Microsoft Windows Vista Help Desk and Absolute Beginners Guide to Security, Spam, Spyware and Viruses.