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Windows Vista
www.thecomputergeek.ca
Welcome to another issue of The Computer Geek.
Windows Vista is finally here!
It's been many years since rumors leaked from Microsoft headquarters about the existence of 'Longhorn' (the original code name for Vista).
At the time, nobody thought it would take until January 2007 for us to celebrate the new arrival.
To be sure, Windows Vista had a troubled gestation, but starting now, you can buy the product off the shelf (virtual or otherwise) at your favourite computing retailer. The big question is - should you?
Today, we will attempt to answer that question, at least partially.
Computer Geek's take on this latest Microsoft product is slightly different from much of the mainstream media. The features of an operating system that attract enthusiasts like us are very different from what interests the average consumer. In this issue, we will show you Vista's new features, and examine its performance (relative to Windows XP), its benchmarks and hardware compatibility. A second installment of this article (next week) will take a detailed look at gaming performance. So, stay tuned and don't despair - we'll be firing up our 8800's soon!
Here are some of the trials and tribulations (with a few discarded features) that Vista encountered as it evolved into the product that we see on retailers' shelves today.
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In the original specification documents, Vista was supposed to comprise an amazing new file system, called 'WinFS', based on Structured Query Language (SQL). This 'WinFS' file system would replace 'FAT32' and 'NTFS', and would be fully relational, allowing for fantastic queries and revolutionary functionality within the operating system. Unfortunately, WinFS proved too difficult to implement, and was consequently shelved.
A new command line shell, code named 'Monad' was also built - and then shelved - due to security concerns.
The visual look of Vista went through many incarnations; while IE7 now supports RSS feeds, an operating system layer, designed to integrate such feeds, was also trashed during development.
What remains today, critics argue, is a flashier version of XP. If so, many of the much trumpeted 'extraordinary' new features have been eliminated. What's left, you might ask? Well, there's plenty left to be excited about, including: new security features, performance benefits, shell tweaks and applications.
But, first things first. Before getting the full Vista experience, you must buy and install it - so let's examine the options.
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The Windows Vista Puzzle Box
Vista has numerous versions, each priced differently and with differing feature sets. Here's a quick recap of the differences:
Vista Home Basic:
The bare bones product. Don't even bother; you won't be able to tell the difference from WindowsXP.
Vista Home Premium:
This version attracts the most buyers. It includes Media Center support, as well as HDTV support, DVD authoring software and better hardware support (SideShow displays and touch screens).
Vista Business and Enterprise Editions:
You probably won't be installing either of these two versions. Apart from being more expensive than Home Premium, they include many features you will never need, such as the IIS web server and faxing.
Vista Ultimate Edition:
This is the 'big daddy' version, including every option that Vista has to offer. The list includes: Media Center; hardware support; extra games and such; software to support full-motion video as a desktop background; BitLocker encryption; WinSAT (touted as a game performance tweaker).
In addition, each of these editions has 32-bit and 64-bit variants. Both are included in the price, but which one you choose to install will very much depend on the kind of Vista experience you are looking for. More on this subject in our next newsletter.
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A Note on OEM Software:
It has long been the case that cheaper, licensed versions of Microsoft software have been purchased by enthusiasts building their own systems. Generally, you are entitled to buy OEM / system builder editions of MS operating systems when purchasing hardware (i.e. hard drive). There is no retail packaging - simply the disc - but you do get a legitimate key and there is a massive price difference. Unless you have a specific reason to buy the retail format, we strongly suggest going with an OEM version. Warning: Once Vista OEM is installed a, the license agreement prohibits installation on another machine. Upgrades, however, are permitted.
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Issue: 003 2007
