Windows Vista

Six flavors. No, this isn't about your favorite burger joint's milkshake menu. This is about Microsoft Vista, and the six flavors that are available for different market segments. In case you were wondering, here they are: Home Basic, Home Premium, Business, Enterprise, Starter, and Ultimate.

What is the difference, you ask? Well, let me show you:

• Windows Vista Home Basic: includes functionality included in all versions of Vista, such as Instant Search, Windows Photo Gallery. Installed on most PCs that sell for $300-$500. I don't recommend this version because of its basic feature set.



• Windows Vista Home Premium: includes all of the functionality of Home Basic, and additional functionality such as Windows Media Center, Windows DVD Maker and the Aero desktop (fancy desktop graphics and animations). One of my recommendations, because it includes Windows Media Center and Windows DVD Maker.



• Windows Vista Business: includes nearly all of the functionality of Home Basic. Allows you to join a Windows Domain. Business is the basic version for business users.



• Windows Vista Enterprise: includes all of the functionality of Business. Also includes functionality to make it easier to manage by IT staff in an large organization.



• Windows Vista Starter: intended for "families in emerging technology countries" (Windows Vista Product Guide, p. 13). This version is not available for purchase in the U.S.A., so I won't discuss it here.



• Windows Vista Ultimate: the premier edition, with all of the bells and whistles of the other versions. This version is also the most expensive. Home Premium and Ultimate are my recommendations. Home Premium includes all of the entertainment applications, and Ultimate includes Home Premium's entertainment applications and the business applications found in Enterprise.

I have been using Home Premium at home for a couple of months, and Ultimate at work for a few weeks. Here is a list of things that I think are an improvement over Windows XP:

• Instant Search: In a previous post I recommended Yahoo Desktop Search as an easy way to find files and emails stored on your computer. Windows Vista includes this functionality, and takes it one step further: it allows you to skip the All Programs menu altogether by showing a list of installed programs when you type all or part of the program's name. This search box is conveniently located on the Start menu, and has focus when you click the Start button or press the Windows key. I can't say enough about what a time saver this is, but here is an example: if I want to start Paint, the bitmap editing program, I press the Windows key on my keyboard, type 'paint', and it appears at the top of the start menu. I press the Enter button on my keyboard, and the Paint opens. All without touching my mouse. Excellent!

• Menu structure: Gone are the days of clicking All Programs and having the large list of installed applications fill your screen in multiple columns. Now they are confined to a small box above the Start button. The folder structure is the same as it was in previous versions, but you need to scroll up and down in the list to see all of your programs. Functionality provided by Instant Search (mentioned above) means that you spend a lot less time searching your start menu by typing the name of the program and then seeing a filtered list of matching names.



• Windows Media Center: Included in Home Premium and Ultimate, this is the best application that I have used so far for organizing my pictures, music, and TV recordings. Windows Media Center also allows me to connect my XBox 360 to this computer and watch TV or listen to music files that are stored on my computer.
  

Ok, for the question that everyone is asking: Should I upgrade to Windows Vista? My recommendation: Yes, if you are in the market for a new computer, or have recently bought a computer and want the latest operating system. If you already have Windows XP, and you want the instant search functionality, I recommend sticking with Windows XP on your computer and installing Yahoo Desktop Search, version 1.2 (the link is a Google search for version 1.2).

If you decide to move to Windows Vista, I recommend two upgrade paths: 1) buy a new computer with Vista Home Premium or Ultimate pre-installed, or 2) purchase Windows Vista Home Premium or Ultimate, but only if your computer meets the minimum system requirements for Vista Home Premium (see: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/windowsvista/editions/systemrequirements.mspx).