I was quite expected to see that Microsoft is yet again coming up with a new version of their Windows operating system because it brings natural feeling of refreshment plus we get to see a lot innovative features based on so much implemented in one single go…but as I explored further, I ‘ve been more and more influenced by the Performance vs Features (incl. appearance) trade-off of resources…so now I am not sure whether I would really like to stick with having that much touted Aero Glass interface of Vista!! Anyways, I came across this helpful article on 10 things to keep in mind before upgrading to Vista. Some excerpts are as under:
Vista, the first major upgrade to Windows since XP, is famous–or, perhaps more accurately, infamous–for its hefty hardware requirements. In reality, there are two separate sets of hardware requirements: one for machines that are merely “Vista Capable” and another for those that are “Vista Premium Ready.” Whereas “Premium Ready” requires a 1GHz processor, one gigabyte of RAM and a high-end video card, requirements for “Capable” are a bit more easily (and inexpensively) attainable. Now there are five editions: Home Basic, Home Premium, Business,
Enterprise and Ultimate. Business Edition is roughly comparable to XP Pro. With Vista, Microsoft is adding an Enterprise Edition that will be available only to customers with a Software Assurance or Microsoft Enterprise Agreement. When it comes down to it, the applications, not the operating system, matter most in terms of getting the job done.
One important consideration in rolling out a new operating system is ensuring that your essential programs will run on it without problems. You may not want or need to upgrade all desktop systems in your organization to Vista at once. In fact, there’s a lot to be said for implementing an operating system upgrade in a large company one step at a time. Upgrades shouldn’t be done randomly, though.
Such considerations as cost, hardware and infrastructure are important when you’re making the decision to put a new operating system into play, but don’t forget the people factor. A minority of computer users embraces new technology eagerly and can’t wait to be the first on the block to try and master the latest and greatest. But most users, like human beings in general, are resistant to change, even if the change is for the better. Upgrading to a new operating system always requires a learning period, regardless of how intuitive the software is, and Vista introduces some major interface changes and new ways of doing things that may frustrate your less tech-savvy users. Some other relevant questions raised include: Are support personnel ready? Is your data safe? What will it really cost (not just license fees!!)? So what’s your take on it?? XP Pro or Vista?
