Our View of Vista

It's been tough lately to avoid the news of the arrival of Vista, Microsoft’s first new operating system in five years. Introduced to businesses in November 2006, and to consumers about a month ago, Vista is the company’s latest attempt to build a wall of security against hackers, to integrate more features such as a better search tool into the operating system, and to boost the system’s multimedia options. The company is touting Vista’s features by spending $500 million to market it across 20 countries, according to Advertising Age. But moving to a new computer operating system is a big — and difficult — decision. Is Vista for you, and if so, when is the right time to buy?

The Benefits

Security is a big selling point for Vista. Microsoft included a built-in firewall with Windows XP. In Windows Vista, it’s been upgraded and made even more secure. It has a more sophisticated built-in capability to scan your computer for spyware. The latest version of Internet Explorer, which is included in Vista, turns the Web address of major websites you are visiting green if they have been properly registered by a certifying organization.

The green address bar will help you (or your employees) see that you are visiting a “safe” site, a crucial feature if, for example, you are transmitting financial information like bank account numbers or employee or customer confidential data (like Social Security numbers). Another feature that will be important to small business owners is the built-in file encryption at the “machine level” that is built into Windows Vista Ultimate version. This means if your computer (or your employee’s) is stolen, the files will be inaccessible to the thief.

In the performance area, Microsoft has tried to make each new version of Windows more stable than the previous one, and Windows Vista continues that trend. You’ll find that you’ll need to reboot your computer less often due to applications crashing, thanks to the new Restart Manager, which helps applications recover from system freezes.

Vista is more user-friendly than Windows XP. Apple Macintosh users will find Windows Vista almost “Mac-ish.” A new feature, AERO (Authentic, Energetic, Reflective and Open), makes application windows resemble glass so you can see what’s behind a window. This is useful if you often work in multiple programs.

Windows Vista also comes with a much better desktop search tool built in. If you’ve ever downloaded one of the free desktop search tools from Google, Yahoo or Microsoft, you already have a feeling of what’s in Vista. Another big enhancement is the new file management system which is a more intuitive system. It displays files in the way that is best for you — by author, by file tags and more. These features will all enhance your staff’s productivity.

What’s the downside of Vista? No system can guarantee absolute security, of course, and Vista can’t either. There have already been security updates to the system. But there is no doubt that Windows Vista can help if you’ve been concerned about the prospect of security attacks on your computers and your network. Most people will come to like Vista’s new usability features and appreciate how much easier and faster they can get work done. The operating system is clearly an improvement over Windows XP.

Should You Buy Now… or Later?

Let’s get right to the point. If you are a typical small business with several computers to upgrade and the computers are relatively new and running Windows XP, I would not go through the expense and time of upgrading. Instead I’d suggest upgrading organically. Windows Vista will come on new computers purchased after late January, so your “next” computer will have Windows Vista.

Just like Windows XP, 2000 and NT, Windows Vista will work just fine with other operating systems and your existing server. What you do have to ensure is that your applications (especially older ones and custom ones) work with Windows Vista and that software drivers for your hardware are compatible with it. If you have recently purchased “standard” equipment (such as a printer or a scanner), it should work just fine with Windows Vista. You can review Windows Vista’s hardware compatibility guide at the following link ( http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windowsvista/aa905090.aspx).

Costs and Specifications

The suggested retail price for the full package product of Windows Vista Business is $299. The suggested upgrade retail price is $199. The cost for Windows Vista Ultimate, which has a few more multimedia and security features, is $399, and the upgrade retail price is $259.

If you are considering upgrading to Windows Vista, your company’s computers should have the following minimum specifications: 1 GHz processor, 1 GB of system memory, and 40 GB of hard drive capacity with 15 GB free space.

Advice from the Consultants

You’ve heard my take on whether you should upgrade right now. But we’ve queried a couple of other expert technology consultants. Here are their thoughts.