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Abhishek Baxi (Moderator):We are pleased to welcome our Expert for today’s chat. I will have him introduce himself now.
Hiren Mehta (Expert):A: Hello everyone
Hiren Mehta (Expert):Q: I am Hiren Mehta,a past MVP (April 2007 to March 2008) in Windows Desktop experience and currently an engineering student.
Abhishek Baxi (Moderator):Let’s begin the chat. We welcome you to begin submitting your questions for our Experts. It's all yours, Hiren.
Hiren Mehta (Expert):I would like to introduce Windows Vista service pack 1 to you.
Hiren Mehta (Expert):The quickest selling operating system ever,as well as the most secure version of Windows yet,already proving to be highly benefial to users,still had scope for improvement in order to overcome certain challenges.
Hiren Mehta (Expert):With Windows Vista RTM,the end-user experience did not turn out to be equally good for the end-users.
Hiren Mehta (Expert):Besides the bouquets,there were brickbats too.
Hiren Mehta (Expert):This led to the need of a service pack
Hiren Mehta (Expert):The service pack was introduced,which allows customers to gain from the improvements that were developed by Microsoft and it's partners,in continuation of their efforts to give end-users the best possible experience.
Hiren Mehta (Expert):Using Windows Vista with service pack 1 is safer,more reliable and more fun.
Hiren Mehta (Expert):Service pack 1 for Windows Vista (SP1) is a collection of the updates which Microsoft has released for Windows Vista RTM,till approximately the beginning of calendar year 2008,in addition to certain enhancements.
Hiren Mehta (Expert):The aim behind developing the service pack has been to answer critical feedback given from customers to Microsoft.
Hiren Mehta (Expert):As such,SP1 does build upon the existing features of Windows Vista RTM but it does not add radically new features to the OS.
Hiren Mehta (Expert):The service pack takes advantage of the existing reliability,performance and security that Windows Vista RTM delivers.
Hiren Mehta (Expert):It makes using Vista a safer,easier,reliable and versatile experience.
Hiren Mehta (Expert):,all so that your PC can run more smoothly.
Hiren Mehta (Expert):SP1 also adds support for certain upcoming technologies and standards and lets businesses utilise their IT resources in a more effective manner.
Hiren Mehta (Expert):Q: Any changes in the User interface in SP1 ?
A: Detailed description about the actual changes made via SP1 will be covered in the second chat session in this series,which happens after a week.You are requested to kindly attend the same.
Hiren Mehta (Expert):Just to scratch the surface on `What's new`,service pack 1 has changes such as faster copying of files,more efficient handling of large files,reduced file decompression time (e.g. Unzipping ZIP archives),etc.
Hiren Mehta (Expert):Care has been taken not to reduce application compatibility as compared to Vista RTM.
Hiren Mehta (Expert):Perhaps the most exciting part of it is that users need learn nothing new in order to use Windows Vista with service pack 1.
Hiren Mehta (Expert):SP1 makes using Vista even more enjoyable,at no seperate charge.
Hiren Mehta (Expert):Q: There was a comment that at times it becomes irritating to continuously click "allow" by the user for system security. Is care taken for that?
A: You are referring to what is known as UAC (User account control).Yes,in certain cases,the number of prompts have been reduced.For more details,please do attend the second chat session in this series,which will take place after a week.
Hiren Mehta (Expert):Several organisations have already implemented service pack 1 and have posted their real-life success stories online.Full case studies about their experience with Windows Vista service pack 1 can be obtained from http://www.microsoft.com/smallbusiness/windows-vista-experience
Hiren Mehta (Expert):I am open to your questions now.Please feel free to ask them.

Hiren Mehta (Expert):It is important to note that as of this moment,more than 2000 software applications have earned the `Certified for Windows Vista` logo.Most applications which work with Windows Vista RTM should also work with SP1 as well,since SP1 carries forward the same architectural changes to the OS which RTM had as compared to Windows XP.
Hiren Mehta (Expert):Q: So, Vista, without SP1 is available? What about the Laptops we Buy with In - Built OS as Vista in them?
A: There are chances that there may still be retail editions of Microsoft Windows Vista RTM available for purchasing.However,you are strongly advised to check your hardware and software compatibility and try using Vista with service pack 1 instead.As regards systems with pre-installed operating systems,it will be covered in the third session in this series,which takes place after two weeks,i.e. 4th July.Please do attend it.
Hiren Mehta (Expert):Q: the resource utilization factor in windows vista(eats up lots of resource like ram) has been a problem because of which many users still prefer using Windows XP.So has it taken care of ?
A: System hardware requirements for using Windows Vista with service pack 1 remain essentially the same as that of Windows Vista RTM.However,to learn more about how resource utilisation is affected in service ack 1 as compared to Windows Vista RTM,please do attend the second session in this series,taking place after a week.
Hiren Mehta (Expert):Q: But other OS like Linux has many features like Vista and their requirements are much less than that of Vista.
A: That's a generalised comMent.Linux has several distributions,each one of them having several versions,and in many cases,each version too having several editions.With this complexity faced by end-users,one cannot state that Linux,in general,has less system requirements than does Vista.On the other hand,it is also true that the very modular nature of Linux systems also means that it MISSES several features of Windows Vista with service pack 1(again,depending on which Linux you install).
Abhishek Baxi (Moderator):Our Expert is catching up on existing questions, we welcome you to continue submitting your questions.
Hiren Mehta (Expert):Q: Yes. But I am specially talking about RAM and GUI. I guess most of the RAM is utilized for Aero effect. And such effects are seen in some Linux Distributions whose requirements of RAM are comparatively less.

A: It's not that one mandatorily HAS TO use the Windows Vista Aero UI.One can also use the Windows Vista standard UI which offers almost similar functionality.In fact,in the `Home Basic` edition of Windows Vista,the Aero UI simply has not been offered,in order to cater to PCs with basic daily needs.As far as Linux having similar effects with comparatively lesser utilisation of resources is concerned,it is because Linux typically does not give you the same `out-of-the-box` experience unlike Windows.As a result,in Windows you can always be productive right from the first day.In Linux,chances are that certain OS features/services have not been installed/activated and configured yet,owing to it's modular nature,becuase of which it is bound to use lesser resources OVERALL in certain cases.
Hiren Mehta (Expert):Q: Turbo C 3 is not fully supported in Vista. Since Vista has made minimum use of DOS based system, TC3 has been affected a lot. eg. Graphics Functions of Turbo C 3 cannot work since it cannot be Maximized. Any solution for that ?
A: Windows Vista RTM has an additional display driver mode,which is called as WDDM,in addition to the previous XPDM mode.This has been developed in order to take advantage of newer graphics hardware and cutting-edge technologies which are now widely available.Legacy applications such as Turbo C 3 were not written to interface with these standards.It's true that support for real-mode DOS no longer exists.You are advised to use a Vista-compatible version of the software.I can give you more details on this matter after the chat session.
Hiren Mehta (Expert):Q: Leaving apart the modifications & optimizations, are there any new "services" added in SP1?
A: The answer to this can be better understood when I am on course during the second chat session as I explain in detail the changes made in service pack 1.Please do attend it.It takes place after a week.
Hiren Mehta (Expert):Please hold on while I answer your queries.
Hiren Mehta (Expert):Q: Leaving apart the modifications & optimizations, are there any new "services" added in SP1?
A: There are no addition services in service pack 1.Some of the existing services in RTM are indeed greatly affected by SP1.
Hiren Mehta (Expert):Q: There is a ReArm feature in Vista.It reloads the trial period of Vista [i.e. 30 Days Trial with full acces of all Features]and is allowed thrice. i.e. Vista allows total 120 days of trial period using Rearm command.May i know why this feature is introdued?
A: Using this feature is not officially supported and therefore I can make no comments on the same.
Hiren Mehta (Expert):Q: Sure. It is not officially supported. But why is it allowed?
A: I am sorry but since it's equivalent to hacking into the OS's underlying architecture,I can make no comments.
Hiren Mehta (Expert):Q: Ok..
A: I guess I am done with your questions.
Abhishek Baxi (Moderator):That would be the end of this chat session. Please join us for the next chat in the same series. Check http://www.microsoft.com/india/communities/chat/ for details and the schedule.
Hiren Mehta (Expert):Thank you all for taking interest in the webchat and sharing your valuable time and participating here.It was a pleasure meeting you all.
Abhishek Baxi (Moderator):Thank you Hiren for joining us today on the chat session to talk about Windows Vista SP1.