Minimum Vista requirements exposed

THE SOFTWARE giant Microsoft has announced what it says will be the minimum software requirements to run its super soaraway Vista.

The outfit has launched a 'Get Ready' Website 'ere which outlines the requirements for running low-end versions of Vista or higher-end versions that take advantage of the OS’s new Aero graphical user interface capabilities.

To make matters more confusing, Vole calls the low end one a "Windows Vista Capable PC" and Aero ready one a "Windows Vista Premium Ready PC."

The low end one will need a speed of at least 800MHz, 512MB of system memory and a graphics processor that is DirectX 9 capable. The Aero ready one will need a 1GHz 32-bit or 64-bit processor, 1GB of system memory, 128MB of graphics memory, 40GB of hard drive capacity with 15GB free space, a DVD-ROM drive, audio output capabilities and Internet access.

It will also need a DirectX 9 class graphics processor that supports a Windows Display Driver Model Driver, Pixel Shader 2.0 in hardware and 32 bits per pixel. Windows Vista Premium Ready needs to have 64MB of graphics memory to support a single monitor less than 1,310,720 pixels; 128MB of graphics memory to support a single monitor at resolutions from 1,310,720 to 2,304,000 pixels; or 256MB of graphics memory to support a single monitor at resolutions higher than 2,304,000 pixels.

Vole has a handy lump of software to help you through the process, but you have to download .NET to run it. After telling me I needed the most expensive Vista available for a PC it told me that my computer didn’t have enough hard-drive. I have only 13GB to play with. I will also need a new graphics card which can handle 124MB of memory and I only have 64MB.

It also suggested that Windows did not have drivers for things like my BlueTooth connector, or my soundcard. To make matters worse, these are the minimum requirements to run Vista. If I try and run my Adobe Creative Suite on it, chances are I will find myself short of memory. It looks like this will be a costly upgrade.

Detailed info for Windows Vista

Windows Vista is the latest release of Microsoft Windows, a line of graphical operating systems used on personal computers, including home and business desktops. Prior to its announcement on July 22, 2005, Vista was known by its codename Longhorn.^[1] On November 8, 2006, Windows Vista development was completed and released to manufacturing. Over the next two months it was released to MSDN, TechNet Plus and TechNet Direct subscribers, computer hardware and software manufacturers and volume license customers. On January 30, 2007, it was released worldwide to the general public,^[2] and is available for purchase and downloading from Microsoft's web site.^[3] These release dates come more than five years after the release of its predecessor, Windows XP, making it the longest time span between two releases of Windows versions.

According to Microsoft,^[4] Windows Vista contains hundreds of new features; some of the most significant include an updated graphical user interface and visual style dubbed Windows Aero, improved searching features, new multimedia creation tools such as Windows DVD Maker, and completely redesigned networking, audio, print, and display sub-systems. Vista also aims to increase the level of communication between machines on a home network using peer-to-peer technology, making it easier to share files and digital media between computers and devices. For developers, Vista introduces version 3.0 of the .NET Framework, which aims to make it significantly easier for developers to write high-quality applications than with the traditional Windows API.

Microsoft's primary stated objective with Vista, however, has been to improve the state of security in the Windows operating system.^[5] One common criticism of Windows XP and its predecessors has been their commonly exploited security vulnerabilities and overall susceptibility to malware, viruses and buffer overflows. In light of this, then Microsoft chairman Bill Gates announced in early 2002 a company-wide 'Trustworthy Computing initiative' which aims to incorporate security work into every aspect of software development at the company. Microsoft claimed that it prioritized improving the security of Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 above finishing Windows Vista, significantly delaying its completion.^[6]

During the course of its development, Vista has been the target of a number of negative assessments by various groups. Criticism of Windows Vista has included protracted development time, more restrictive licensing terms, the inclusion of a number of new Digital Rights Management technologies aimed at restricting the copying of protected digital media, and the usability of new features such as User Account Control.

Contents [hide] 1 Development 2 New or altered features 2.1 End-user features 2.2 Core technologies 2.3 Security-related technologies 2.4 Business technologies 2.5 Developer technologies 2.6 Deprecated features 3 Editions and pricing 4 Visual styles 5 Hardware requirements 6 Criticism 7 See also 8 Notes and references 9 External links 9.1 Microsoft 9.2 Reviews and screenshots 9.3 Criticism

[edit] Development

The Windows Vista Codename (Longhorn) logo

Main article: Development of Windows Vista

Microsoft started work on their plans for "Longhorn" in May 2001,^[7] prior to the release of Windows XP. It was originally expected to ship sometime late in 2003 as a minor step between Windows XP (codenamed "Whistler") and "Blackcomb" (now known as Windows "Vienna"). Gradually, "Longhorn" assimilated many of the important new features and technologies slated for "Blackcomb," resulting in the release date being pushed back a few times. Many of Microsoft's developers were also re-tasked with improving the security of Windows XP.^[6] Faced with ongoing delays and concerns about feature creep, Microsoft announced on August 27, 2004 that it was making significant changes. "Longhorn" development basically started afresh, building on the Windows Server 2003 codebase, and re-incorporating only the features that would be intended for an actual operating system release. Some previously announced features, such as WinFS and NGSCB, were dropped or postponed, and a new software development methodology called the "Security Development Lifecycle" was incorporated in an effort to address concerns with the security of the Windows codebase.^[8]

After "Longhorn" was named Windows Vista, an unprecedented beta-test program was started, which involved hundreds of thousands of volunteers and companies. In September 2005, Microsoft started releasing regular Community Technology Previews (CTP) to beta testers. The first of these was distributed among 2005 Microsoft Professional Developers Conference attendees, and was subsequently released to Microsoft Beta testers and Microsoft Developer Network subscribers. The builds that followed incorporated most of the planned features for the final product, as well as a number of changes to the user interface, based largely on feedback from beta testers. Windows Vista was deemed feature-complete with the release of the "February CTP," released on February 22, 2006, and much of the remainder of work between that build and the final release of the product focused on stability, performance, application and driver compatibility, and documentation. Beta 2, released in late May, was the first build to be made available to the general public through Microsoft's Customer Preview Program. It was downloaded by over five million people. Two release candidates followed in September and October, both of which were made available to a large number of users.

While Microsoft had originally hoped to have the operating system available worldwide in time for Christmas 2006, it was announced in March 2006 that the release date would be pushed back to January 2007, so as to give the company – and the hardware and software companies which Microsoft depends on for providing device drivers – additional time to prepare. Through much of 2006, analysts and bloggers had speculated that Windows Vista would be delayed further, owing to anti-trust concerns raised by the European Commission and South Korea, and due to a perceived lack of progress with the beta releases. However, with the November 8, 2006 announcement of the completion of Windows Vista, Microsoft's most lengthy operating system development project came to an end.

[edit] New or altered features

Main article: Features new to Windows Vista

[edit] End-user features

The appearance of Windows Explorer has changed significantly from Windows XP.

• Windows Aero: a new hardware-based graphical user interface, named Windows Aero – an acronym (possibly a backronym) for Authentic, Energetic, Reflective, and Open. The new interface is intended to be cleaner and more aesthetically pleasing than those of previous Windows, including new transparencies, live thumbnails, live icons, animations and eye candy.
• Windows Shell: The new Windows shell is significantly different from Windows XP, offering a new range of organization, navigation, and search capabilities. Windows Explorer's task pane has been removed, integrating the relevant task options into the toolbar. A "Favorite links" pane has been added, enabling one-click access to common directories. The address bar has been replaced with a breadcrumb navigation system. The preview panel allows you to see thumbnails of all sorts of files and view the contents of documents, similar to the way you can preview email messages in Outlook, without opening the files. The Start menu has changed as well; it no longer uses ever-expanding boxes when navigating through Programs. Even the word "Start" itself has been removed in favor of a blue Windows Orb (also called "Pearl").
• Windows Search (also known as Instant Search or search as you type): significantly faster and more thorough search capabilities. Search boxes have been added to the Start menu, Windows Explorer, and several of the applications included with Vista. By default, Instant Search indexes only a small number of folders such as the start menu, the names of files opened, the Documents folder, and the user's e-mail. Advanced options allow to choose for a specific file type how it should be indexed, the properties only or the properties and the file contents or exclude it.
• Windows Sidebar: A transparent panel anchored to the side of the screen where a user can place Desktop Gadgets, which are small applets designed for a specialized purpose (such as displaying the weather or sports scores). Gadgets can also be placed on other parts of the Desktop, if desired.
• Windows Internet Explorer 7: new user interface, tabbed browsing, RSS, a search box, improved printing, Page Zoom, Quick Tabs (thumbnails of all open tabs), Anti-Phishing filter, a number of new security protection features, Internationalized Domain Name support (IDN), and improved web standards support. IE7 in Windows Vista runs in isolation from other applications in the operating system (protected mode); exploits and malicious software are restricted from writing to any location beyond Temporary Internet Files without explicit user consent.

Windows Media Player 11

• Windows Media Player 11, a major revamp of Microsoft's program for playing and organizing music and video. New features in this version include word wheeling (or "search as you type"), a completely new and highly graphical interface for the media library, photo display and organization, and the ability to share music libraries over a network with other Vista machines, Xbox 360 integration, and support for other Media Center Extenders.
• Backup and Restore Center: Includes a backup and restore application that gives users the ability to schedule periodic backups of files on their computer, as well as recovery from previous backups. Backups are incremental, storing only the changes each time, minimizing the disk usage. It also features CompletePC Backup (available only to Ultimate, Business, and Enterprise versions) which backs up an entire computer as an image onto a hard disk or DVD. CompletePC Backup can automatically recreate a machine setup onto new hardware or hard disk in case of any hardware failures.
• Windows Mail: A replacement for Outlook Express that includes a new mail store that improves stability, and enables real-time search. It has the Phishing Filter like IE7 and a Junk mail filtering which is enhanced through regular updates via Windows Update.^[9]

Windows Update with Windows Ultimate Extras

• Windows Calendar is a new calendar and task application.
• Windows Photo Gallery, a photo and movie library management application. WPG can import from digital cameras, tag and rate individual items, adjust colors and exposure, create and display slideshows (with pan and fade effects), and burn slideshows to DVD.
• Windows DVD Maker, a companion program to Windows Movie Maker, which provides the ability to create video DVDs based on a user's content.
• Windows Meeting Space is the replacement for NetMeeting. Users can share applications (or their entire Desktop) with other users on the local network, or over the Internet using peer-to-peer technology (higher versions than Starter and Home Basic can take advantage of hosting capabilities, limiting previous to "join" mode only)
• Windows Media Center, which was previously exclusively bundled as a separate version of Windows XP, known as Windows XP Media Center Edition, will be incorporated into the Home Premium and Ultimate editions of Windows Vista.
• Games: Games included with Windows have been modified to work with Vista's graphics capabilities. New games include Chess Titans, Mahjong Titans and Purble Place. The Games section will also hold links and information to all games on the user's computer. One piece of information that will be shown is the game's ESRB rating.

Previous Versions

• Previous Versions automatically creates backup copies of files and folders, with daily frequency. Users can also create "shadow copies" by setting a System Protection Point using the System Protection tab in the System control panel. The user can be presented multiple versions of a file throughout a limited history and be allowed to restore, delete, or copy those versions. This feature is available only in the Business, Enterprise, and Ultimate editions of Windows Vista and is inherited from Windows Server 2003.^[10]
• Windows Mobility Center is a new control panel that centralizes the most relevant information related to mobile computing (e.g. brightness, sound, battery level / power scheme selection, wireless network, screen orientation, presentation settings, etc.).
• Windows Update: Software and security updates have been simplified, now operating solely via a control panel instead of as a web application. Mail's spam filter and Defender's definitions will also be automatically updated via Windows Update.
• Parental controls: Allows administrators to control which websites, programs, and games each standard user can use and install.
• Windows SideShow: Enables the auxiliary displays on newer laptops or on supported Windows Mobile devices. It is meant to be used to display Device gadgets while the computer is on or off.
• Speech recognition is fully integrated into Vista. It is an improved version of Microsoft Speech Recognition currently working under Office 2003, with a redesigned interface, a flexible set of commands, and an command-and-control capability to activate the computer by voice. Unlike the Office 2003 version, which works only in Office and WordPad, it works for dictation system-wide. In addition, it currently supports several languages: English US and UK, Spanish, French, German, Chinese (Traditional and Simplified), and Japanese.
• New fonts, including several designed especially for screen reading, and new high-quality Chinese (Yahei, JhengHei), Japanese (Meiryo) and Korean (Malgun) fonts. See Windows Vista typefaces. ClearType has also been enhanced and enabled by default.
• Problem Reports and Solutions, a new control panel which allows users to see previously sent problems and any solutions or additional information that is available.
• Improved audio controls allow the system-wide volume or volume of individual audio devices and even individual applications to be controlled separately. Introduced new audio functionalities such as Room Correction, Bass Management, Speaker Fill and Headphone virtualization.
• System Performance Assessment is a benchmark used by Windows Vista to regulate the system for optimum performance. Games can take advantage of this feature, reading the data produced by this benchmark in order to fine-tune the game details. The benchmark tests CPU, RAM, Graphics acceleration (2D and 3D) and disk access.^[11]
• Windows Ultimate Extras: The Ultimate Edition of Windows Vista provides access to extra games and tools, available through Windows Update. This replaces the Microsoft Plus! software bundle that was sold alongside prior versions of Windows.
• Built-in hard drive partition management: A utility to modify hard disk drive partitions, including shrinking, creating and formating new partitions.

[edit] Core technologies

Windows Vista is intended to be a technology-based release, to provide a solid base to include technologies, many of which will be related to how the system functions, and hence not readily visible to the user. An example of this is the restructuring of the architecture of the audio, print, display, and networking subsystems; while the results of this work will be visible to software developers, end-users will only see what appear to be evolutionary changes in the user interface.

Vista includes technologies such as ReadyBoost and ReadyDrive which employ fast flash memory (located on USB drives and hybrid hard disk drives respectively) to improve system performance by caching commonly-used programs and data. This manifests itself in improved battery life on notebook computers as well, since a hybrid drive can be spun down when not in use. Another new technology called SuperFetch utilizes machine learning techniques to analyze usage patterns in order to allow Windows Vista to make decisions about what content should be present in system memory at any given time.

As part of the redesign of the networking architecture, IPv6 has been incorporated into the operating system, and a number of performance improvements have been introduced, such as TCP window scaling. Prior versions of Windows typically needed third-party wireless networking software to work properly; this is no longer the case with Vista, as it includes more comprehensive wireless networking support.

For graphics, Vista introduces a new Windows Display Driver Model, as well as major revisions to Direct3D. The new driver model facilitates the new Desktop Window Manager, which provides the tearing-free desktop and special effects that are the cornerstones of Windows Aero. WDDM's current version 1.0 is able to offload rudimentary tasks to the GPU, driver installation no longer requires a system reboot and seamless recovery from rare driver errors due to illegal application behavior. The next version is going to require an entirely new generation of GPUs, which nVidia and ATI are working on. Direct3D 10, developed in conjunction with major display driver manufacturers, is a new architecture with more advanced shader support, and allows the graphics processing unit to render more complex scenes without assistance from the CPU. It features improved load balancing between CPU and GPU and also optimizes data transfer between them.^[12]

At the core of the operating system, many improvements have been made to the memory manager, process scheduler, heap manager, and I/O scheduler. A Kernel Transaction Manager has been implemented that gives applications the ability to work with the file system and registry using atomic transaction operations.

[edit] Security-related technologies

A User Account Control consent dialog.

Main article: Security and safety features new to Windows Vista

Improved security was a primary design goal for Vista.^[5] Microsoft's Trustworthy Computing initiative, which aims to improve public trust in its products, has had a direct effect on its development. This effort has resulted in a number of new security and safety features.

User Account Control is perhaps the most significant and visible of these changes. User Account Control is a security technology that makes it possible for users to use their computer with fewer privileges by default. This was often difficult in previous versions of Windows, as the previous "limited" user accounts proved too restrictive and incompatible with a large proportion of application software, and even prevented some basic operations such as looking at the calendar from the notification tray. In Windows Vista, when an action requiring administrative rights is requested, the user will be first prompted for an administrator name and password; in cases where the user is already an administrator, the user is still prompted to confirm the pending privileged action. User Account Control asks for credentials in a Secure Desktop mode, where the entire screen is blacked out, temporarily disabled, and only the authorization window is active and highlighted. The intent is to stop a malicious program 'spoofing' the user interface, attempting to capture admin credentials.

Another significant new feature is BitLocker Drive Encryption, a data protection feature included in the Enterprise and Ultimate editions of Vista that provides encryption for the entire operating system volume. Bitlocker can work in conjunction with a Trusted Platform Module chip (version 1.2) that is on a computer's motherboard, or with a USB key.^[13]

Windows Defender

Microsoft's anti-spyware product, Windows Defender, has been incorporated into Windows, providing protection against malware and other threats. Changes to various system configuration settings (such as new auto-starting applications) are blocked unless the user gives consent.

Internet Explorer 7's new security and safety features include a phishing filter, IDN with anti-spoofing capabilities, and integration with system-wide parental controls. For added security, ActiveX controls are disabled by default. Also, Internet Explorer operates in a "protected mode" which operates with lower permissions than the user and it runs in isolation from other applications in the operating system, preventing it from accessing or modifying anything besides the Temporary Internet Files directory.^[14] Also, Internet Explorer is no longer integrated with the Explorer shell; local files typed in IE are opened using the Explorer shell and Web sites typed in Explorer are opened using the default web browser.

A variety of other privilege-restriction techniques are also built into Vista. An example is the concept of "integrity levels" in user processes, whereby a process with a lower integrity level cannot interact with processes of a higher integrity level. The security restrictions of Windows services are more fine-grained, so that services (especially those listening on the network) have no ability to interact with parts of the operating sytem they do not need to. Obfuscation techniques such as address space layout randomization and Kernel Patch Protection are used to increase the amount of effort required of malware before successful infiltration of a system.

As part of the redesign of the network stack, Windows Firewall has been upgraded, with new support for filtering both incoming and outgoing traffic. Advanced packet filter rules can be created which can grant or deny communications to specific services. Vista also adds new SSL and TLS cryptographic extensions, which enable support for both AES and some of the new ECC cipher suites.

[edit] Business technologies

While much of the focus of Vista's new capabilities has been on the new user interface, security technologies, and improvements to the core operating system, Microsoft is also adding new deployment and maintenance features.

• The WIM image format (Windows IMage) is the cornerstone of Microsoft's new deployment and packaging system. WIM files, which contain an image of Windows Vista, can be maintained and patched without having to rebuild new images. Windows Images can be delivered via Systems Management Server or Business Desktop Deployment technologies. Images can be customized and configured with applications then deployed to corporate client personal computers using little to no touch by a system administrator. ImageX is the Microsoft tool used to create and customize images.
• Windows Deployment Services replaces Remote Installation Services for deploying Vista and prior versions of Windows.
• Approximately 700 new Group Policy settings have been added, covering most aspects of the new features in the operating system, as well as significantly expanding the configurability of wireless networks, removable storage devices, and user desktop experience.^[15]
• Services for UNIX has been renamed "Subsystem for UNIX-based Applications," and is included with the Enterprise and Ultimate editions of Vista. Network File System (NFS) client support is also included.
• Multi-lingual User Interface - Unlike previous version of Windows which required language packs to be loaded to provide local language support, Windows Vista Enterprise edition supports the ability to dynamically change languages based on the logged on user's preference.
• Wireless Projector support

[edit] Developer technologies

Windows Vista includes a large number of new application programming interfaces. Chief among them is the inclusion of version 3.0 of the .NET Framework, which consists of a class library and Common Language Runtime. Version 3.0 includes four new major components:^[16]

• Windows Presentation Foundation is a user interface subsystem and framework based vector graphics, which will make use of 3D computer graphics hardware and Direct3D technologies. It provides the foundation for building applications and blending together application UI, documents, and media content. It is the successor to Windows Forms.
• Windows Communication Foundation is a service-oriented messaging subsystem which will enable applications and systems to interoperate locally or remotely using Web services.
• Windows Workflow Foundation provides task automation and integrated transactions using workflows. It is the programming model, engine and tools for building workflow-enabled applications on Windows.
• Windows CardSpace is a component which securely stores digital identities of a person, and provides a unified interface for choosing the identity for a particular transaction, such as logging into a website.

These technologies will also be available for Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 to facilitate their introduction to and usage by developers and end users.

There are also significant new development APIs in the core of the operating system, notably the completely re-architected audio, networking, print, and video interfaces, major changes to the security infrastructure, improvements to the deployment and installation of applications ("ClickOnce" and Windows Installer 4.0), new device driver development model ("Windows Driver Foundation"), Transactional NTFS, mobile computing API advancements (power management, Tablet PC Ink support, SideShow) and major updates to (or complete replacements of) many core subsystems such as Winlogon and CAPI.

There are some issues for software developers using some of the graphics APIs in Vista. Games or programs which are built on Vista's version of DirectX, 10, will not work on prior versions of Windows, as DirectX 10 is not backwards-compatible with DirectX 9.^[17] According to a Microsoft blog, there are three choices for OpenGL implementation on Vista. An application can use the default implementation, which translates OpenGL calls into the Direct3D API and is frozen at OpenGL version 1.4, or an application can use an Installable Client Driver (ICD), which comes in two flavors: legacy and Vista-compatible. A legacy ICD, the kind already provided by independent hardware vendors targeting Windows XP, will disable the Desktop Window Manager, noticeably degrading user experience under Windows Aero. A Vista-compatible ICD takes advantage of a new API, and will be fully compatible with the Desktop Window Manager.^[18] At least two primary vendors, ATI and NVIDIA, are expected to provide full Vista-compatible ICDs in the near future.^[19] However, hardware overlay is not supported, because it is considered as an obsolete feature in Vista. ATI and NVIDIA strongly recommend using compositing desktop/FBOs for same functionality.^[20]

[edit] Deprecated features

Some notable Windows XP features and components have been replaced or removed in Windows Vista, including Windows Messenger, the network Messenger Service, HyperTerminal, MSN Explorer, and the replacement of NetMeeting with Windows Meeting Space. Windows Vista also does not include the Windows XP "Luna" visual theme, or most of the classic color schemes which have been part of Windows since the Windows 3.x era. The "Hardware profiles" startup feature has been removed as well, along with support for older motherboard technologies like the EISA bus and APM. IP over 1394 (TCP/IP over IEEE 1394) has been removed.[2]

WinHlp32.exe, used to display 32-bit .hlp files, is no longer included in Windows Vista as Microsoft considers it obsolete.^[21] Existing programs that can work with Vista are not able to display Help documentation on Vista. Microsoft prohibits software manufacturers from re-introducing the .hlp help system with their products. Microsoft claimed in the above referenced support bulletin that WinHlp32.exe would be available "in time for the consumer release of Windows Vista scheduled for early 2007" from Microsoft's Download Center. As of 18 February 2007, no .hlp download is available.

Telnet.exe is no longer installed by default, but is still included as an installable feature.^[22]

[edit] Editions and pricing

Main article: Windows Vista editions and pricing

Windows Vista Home Basic Upgrade Edition - Full English Contents

Windows Vista ships in six editions.^[23] These editions are roughly divided into two target markets, consumer and business, with editions varying to cater for specific sub-markets. For consumers, there are four editions, with three available for Western countries; Windows Vista Starter is limited to emerging markets. Windows Vista Home Basic is intended for budget users with low needs. Windows Vista Home Premium covers the majority of the consumer market. Windows Vista Ultimate contains the complete feature-set and is aimed at enthusiasts. For businesses, there are two versions. Windows Vista Business covers organisations of all sizes, while Windows Vista Enterprise is only available to customers participating in Microsoft's Software Assurance program.

All editions except Windows Vista Starter support both processor architectures, 32-bit (x86) and 64-bit (x86-64), while Windows Vista Starter is only available for 32-bit architectures. In the European Union, Home Basic N and Business N versions will also be available. These versions come without Windows Media Player, due to EU sanctions brought against Microsoft for violating anti-trust laws. Similar sanctions exist in South Korea.

On September 5, 2006, USD pricing was announced for the four editions that are available through retail channels.^[24] New license and upgrade license SKUs of each edition are available.

Microsoft states that the packaging for the retail editions of Windows Vista is "designed to be user-friendly, and the new packaging is a hard plastic container that will protect the software inside for life-long use".^[25] The case opens sideways to reveal the Windows Vista DVD suspended in a clear plastic case. The Windows Vista disc itself uses a holographic design similar to the discs that Microsoft has produced since Windows 2000.

[edit] Visual styles

Windows Vista has four distinct visual styles.^[26]

Windows Aero

Windows Flip 3D (Win+Tab keys)

Windows Flip (Alt+Tab keys)

Live Thumbnails (Win+T keys)

Vista's premier visual style is built on a new desktop composition engine called Desktop Window Manager. Windows Aero introduces support for 3D graphics (Windows Flip 3D), translucency effects (Glass), live thumbnails, window animations, and other visual effects, and is intended for mainstream and high-end graphics cards. To enable these features, the contents of every open window is stored in video memory to facilitate tearing-free movement of windows. As such, Windows Aero has significantly higher hardware requirements than its predecessors. 128 MB of graphics memory is the minimum requirement, depending on resolution used.^[27] Windows Aero (including Windows Flip 3D) is not included in the Starter and Home Basic editions.

Windows Vista Standard

This mode is a variation of Windows Aero without the glass effects, window animations, and other advanced graphical effects such as Windows Flip 3D. Like Windows Aero, it uses the Desktop Window Manager, and has generally the same video hardware requirements as Windows Aero. This is the default mode for the Windows Vista Home Basic Edition. The Starter (developing markets) edition does not support this mode.

Windows Vista Basic

This mode has aspects that are similar to Windows XP's visual style with the addition of subtle animations such as those found on progress bars. It does not employ the Desktop Window Manager; as such, it does not feature transparency or translucency, window animation, Windows Flip 3D or any of the functions provided by the DWM. The Basic mode does not require the new Windows Display Driver Model (WDDM) for display drivers, and has similar graphics card requirements to Windows XP. For computers with graphics cards that are not powerful enough to support Windows Aero, this is the default graphics mode.

Windows Classic

An option for corporate deployments and upgrades, Windows Classic has the look and feel of Windows 2000 and Windows Server 2003, does not use the Desktop Window Manager and does not require a WDDM driver. As with prior versions of Windows, this theme supports "Color schemes" which are a collection of color settings. Windows Vista includes six classic color schemes, comprised of four high-contrast color schemes, as well as the default colour schemes from Windows 98 and Windows 2000.

"Windows Aero" style. "Windows Vista Standard" is similar in appearance but without the glass effects around windows.

"Windows Vista Basic" visual style.

"Windows Classic" visual style.

[edit] Hardware requirements

Windows Vista Capable sticker

According to Microsoft, computers capable of running Windows Vista are classified as Vista Capable and Vista Premium Ready.^[28] A Vista Capable or equivalent PC needs to have at minimum an 800 MHz processor, 512 MB RAM and a DirectX 9 class graphics card. A computer that meets these requirements will be capable of running all editions of Windows Vista although some of the special features and high end graphics options may require additional or more advanced hardware. A Vista Premium Ready PC will take advantage of Vista's "high-end" features but will need at least a 1.0 GHz processor, 1 GB main memory, and an Aero-compatible graphics card with at least 128 MB graphics memory and supporting the new Windows Display Driver Model. The company also offers Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor^[29] from its Web site to determine the ability of a PC to run Vista in its various guises. The utility runs on Windows XP (with Service Pack 2) and Windows Vista.

Microsoft lists some Vista capable hardware on their web site. The "Windows Vista Premium Ready" laptops they specify have Intel Core 2 Duo T5500 or above CPUs and 1 GB memory.^[30]

Windows Vista comes with over 19,500 device drivers on the DVD (in contrast to just 10,000 for Windows XP when it shipped) and additional 11,700 device drivers on Windows Update (compared to just 2,000 for Windows XP when it RTM’d in 2001).

Windows Vista's "Basic" and "Classic" interfaces will work with virtually any graphics hardware that supports Windows XP or 2000; accordingly, most discussion around Vista's graphics requirements centers on those for the Windows Aero interface. As of Windows Vista Beta 2, the NVIDIA GeForce FX family and later, the ATI Radeon 9500 and later, Intel's GMA 950 integrated graphics, and a handful of VIA chipsets and S3 Graphics discrete chips are supported.^[31] Though some XGI Technology Volari chips were DirectX 9 (including the Volari V3XT which was available in PCI cards), with XGI's exit from the graphics card business it appears none of its chips are supported as of Vista Beta 2. A PCI Express (PCIe) video card is not a requirement for Windows Aero, but Microsoft recommends PCIe video over an AGP device due to the interface's greater bandwidth.^[32] There are some PCI cards available that are compatible with Windows Vista as well.

Windows Vista system requirements

	Vista Capable[27]	Vista Premium Ready[27]
Processor	800 MHz	1 GHz
Memory	512 MB RAM	1 GB RAM
Graphics card	DirectX 9 capable	DirectX 9 capable GPU with Hardware Pixel Shader v2.0 and WDDM driver support
Graphics memory	N/A	128 MB RAM supports up to 2,756,000 total pixels (e.g. 1920 × 1200) or 512 MB+ for greater resolutions such as 2560x1600[33]
HDD capacity	20 GB	40 GB
HDD free space	15 GB	15 GB
Other drives	DVD-ROM	DVD-RW

[edit] Criticism

Main article: Criticism of Windows Vista

Criticisms of Windows Vista include protracted development time, more restrictive licensing terms, the inclusion of a number of technologies aimed at restricting the copying of protected digital media, and the usability of the new User Account Control security technology. Reviewers have also noted similarities between Vista's Aero interface and that of Apple's Aqua interface for the Mac OS X operating system, particularly around the use of transition effects. Moreover, some concerns have been raised about many PCs meeting "Vista Premium Ready" hardware requirements and Vista's pricing.

Licensing and cost

The introduction of additional licensing restrictions has been criticized. Criticism of upgrade licenses pertaining to Windows Vista Starter through Home Premium was expressed by Ars Technica's Ken Fisher, who noted that the new requirement of having a prior operating system already installed was going to cause irritation for users who reinstall Windows on a regular basis.^[34] It has been revealed that an Upgrade copy Windows Vista can be installed clean without first installing a previous version of Windows but Windows will refuse to activate, if the user then installs the same copy of Vista a second time it will activate on the reinstall allowing to install an Upgrade of Windows Vista without owning a previous operating system. ^[35] As with Windows XP, separate rules still apply to OEM versions of Vista installed on new PCs; these are not legally transferrable.^[36] The cost of Windows Vista has also been a source of concern and commentary. A majority of users in a poll said that the prices of various Windows Vista editions posted on the Microsoft Canada website in August 2006 make the product too expensive.^[37] A BBC News report on the day of Vista's release suggested that, "there may be a backlash from consumers over its pricing plans - with the cost of Vista versions in the US roughly half the price of equivalent versions in the UK."^[38]

Digital Rights Management

Another common criticism concerns the integration of new forms of Digital Rights Management into the operating system, specifically the introduction of the Protected Video Path. This architecture is designed such that "premium content" from HD-DVD or Blu-ray discs may mandate that the connections between PC components be encrypted. Devices such as graphic cards must be approved by Microsoft. Depending on what the content demands, the devices may not pass premium content over non-encrypted outputs, or they must artificially degrade the quality of the signal on such outputs or not display it all. There is also a revocation mechanism that allows Microsoft to disable drivers of compromised devices in end-user PCs over the Internet.^[39] Peter Gutmann, security researcher and author of the open source cryptlib library, claims that these mechanisms violate fundamental rights of the user (such as fair use), unnecessarily increase the cost of hardware, and make systems less reliable and vulnerable to denial-of-service attacks.^[40] Proponents have claimed that Microsoft had no choice but to follow the demands of the movie studios, and that the technology will not actually be enabled until after 2010;^[41][42] Microsoft also noted that content protection mechanisms have existed in Windows as far back as Windows Me, and that the new protections will not apply to any existing content (only future contents).^[43]

User Account Control

Concerns have been raised about the new User Account Control security technology. While Yankee Group analyst Andrew Jaquith believes that critical security vulnerabilities may be "reduced by as much as 80 percent," he also noted that "while the new security system shows promise, it is far too chatty and annoying".^[44] However, this statement was made over half a year before Vista was actually released (even before Beta 2 was released.)

Kernel Patch Protection

The Kernel Patch Protection feature (also known as "Patchguard") on 64-bit versions of Vista that locks down the OS kernel has been criticized by computer security company McAfee who claim that since PatchGuard also prevents third-party security companies from getting inside the OS, they cannot activate crucial security measures in their software to protect the OS from intruders.^[45] Microsoft's argument is that this will keep miscreants out of the OS and prevent the incidence of attacks, and it is something for which customers have been asking. Security vendor Kaspersky Lab claims that it is not more difficult in Vista for anti-virus software to work, and that it would not make sense for Microsoft to stop working with security companies because it would make their system more vulnerable to attacks.^[46] Sophos adds that Microsoft does not need to open PatchGuard for third party developers, instead, they should use the programming interfaces Microsoft supplies them.^[47] Similarly, Eset, the developer of NOD32 antivirus, claims that there is no requirement to access the Windows Vista Kernel and that their software is fully compatible with Microsoft's PatchGuard and the Windows Vista Security Center. It also claimed that similar obstacles were overcome in the 64-bit edition of Windows XP Professional.

Similarity with Mac OS X

Another criticism is a claim by some that Windows Vista emulates specific features in Apple's Mac OS X. Long-time Mac columnist and book author John Rizzo noted in an eWeek article that Vista incorporated features which Mac OS X has had for some time such as fast searching, seen in the "Spotlight" feature on the Mac, Smart Folders functionality already available in the Mac's Finder, and that the icons, terminology and visual appearance mimic those of Mac OS X.^[48] Others have come to a similar conclusion that Aero is an imitation of Aqua.^[49] In Vista's defense, Paul Thurrott argues that many of the features that have Mac OS X counterparts or similarities (such as Windows Search to Mac OS X's Spotlight) have been in early alpha versions of Vista or demonstrated in prototypes more than a year before Apple included the features in Mac OS X v10.4.^[50] Some Vista technologies, such as Windows Desktop Search, were released as free add-ons to Windows XP before their inclusion in shipping versions of Mac OS X.

Hardware Requirements

Some controversy and concerns have arisen over how the increase in hardware specifications required to take advantage of many of Vista's new features may have an impact on both personal and business users.^[51][52] While most PCs purchased after 2002 will be able to meet Vista’s minimum “Windows Vista Capable” requirements, many laptops and low-end to midrange desktops with integrated graphics will not be able to meet “Windows Vista Premium Ready” requirements and will therefore not be able to run advanced features such as the Aero Glass interface.^[53][54]

Windows Vista Version Comparison

With Vista's release now being less than a week away, you've probably by now decided whether you are going to join the fray and pick up a copy. In some cases, you could purchase it right now, since some stores jumped the gun and began selling early. If you are serious about picking up Vista and are considering the full-blown $400 version, you should first read through my article from this past Monday. It goes into depth regarding the benefits Ultimate has over Home Premium. After reading, you will either crave it even more or realize how much money you'd be wasting.

In this article, we will be taking a quick look through all four consumer versions that will be readily available next Tuesday. To help with your decision process, each version lists the slew of downsides it has, or rather what it lacks when compared to the next highest version. The last entry, Ultimate, instead has a list of pluses to show what you'd be gaining by handing over that extra wad of cash.

I will admit straight up, if money is no concern then Ultimate is going to deliver the best bang. It includes the superb computer backup tool, media center, Ultimate extras, business applications, better support for high-end hardware and additional special features. On the other end of the spectrum we have Vista Home Basic, which is designed for those who don't care about the Aero interface or other additions such as Media Center and random content creation tools.

Spending a few minutes looking at the pros and cons listed below, you should have a good idea of what version is meant for you. The prices for both the full and upgrade versions are listed as well, so as to help you better figure out what to buy. While this list is a good way to look at all the pluses at once, for those who enjoy a more visual explanation, there are many screenshots that await you.

On the following pages you will find many 1650x1050 screenshots from each of the versions I've mentioned. For those interested in Media Center screenshots, there are a bunch of those on the very last page. Each of these screenshots weigh in at around 500Kb - 1MB, so bear that in mind if you are on a slower connection.

Vista Home Basic - $199USD ($99 Upgrade)

Home Basic is the runt of the litter, but in all honestly it's not as bad as Microsoft wants you to believe. Yes, it's virtually a scaled down version of Vista, but it's not lacking anything that will not make it function as a normal machine. This is not the Starter edition we are dealing with, after all. Here is a quick run-down of what Basic does not have when compared to the Home Premium which costs $40 more.

* Home Basic vs. Home Premium No Aero interface, including transparency in many parts of the GUI
* No Media Center
* Five included Windows games, instead of nine
* No automatic network backup
* No relationship between PC and Xbox 360
* No advanced slideshows
* No Movie Maker / DVD Maker
* Weak Tablet PC functionality
* No SideShow Support

Vista Home Premium - $239USD ($159 Upgrade)

As I mentioned in my article on Monday, I believe Home Premium will be the most obvious choice when looking to pick up a copy of Vista. When you pay $40 dollars more for Premium over Home Basic, you will actually have something to show for it. Home Premium includes all of the "losses" mentioned in the previous section, but when compared to Ultimate, here's what you will be missing.

* Home Premium vs. Ultimate No advanced complete system backup tool
* Small business apps, such as Fax and Scan
* No Ultimate "extras", which could include games and special utilities
* No BitLocker hard drive encryption software
* No automatic "Shadow" copies of your documents
* No Remote Desktop
* No advanced group policy editor
* Inability to run UNIX-based applications (through SUA)
* No support for dual CPU's (2 physical processors) or 128GB of memory

Vista Business - $299USD ($199 Upgrade)

I don't think it takes much of an explanation as to what audience this edition is catered to. Included here are a lot of business resources, including better security and the complete system backup tool that I've come to enjoy quite a bit. It does lack a lot of extra functionality that's included with Home Premium and Ultimate though, which is a good thing in a sense. Here's what Business lacks when compared to Home Premium and Ultimate.

* Business vs. Home Premium/Ultimate No games, not even Solitaire
* No Media Center or Xbox 360 functionality
* No BitLocker hard drive encryption software
* No Ultimate "extras", which could include games and special utilities
* Inability to install new languages for use in Windows
* No Movie Maker or DVD Maker
* No Parental Controls
* Inability to run UNIX-based applications (through SUA)

Vista Ultimate - $399USD ($259 Upgrade)

The only version larger than Ultimate is Enterprise, which is like the Business edition on crack. It includes various hardware based security measures to assure for good uptime. Ultimate is the version you will want to consider should you think $400 is not a lot of cash to hand over for a new OS. Below, you can see the list of what Ultimate -does- include, which Home Premium, the next competitor, does not.

* Ultimate's Advantages Ultimate "extras", which could include games and special utilities
* BitLocker hard drive encryption software
* Advanced complete system backup tool
* Windows Media Center with Xbox 360 capabilities
* Same business apps as included in the Business edition
* Automatic "Shadow" copies of your documents
* Remote Desktop
* Advanced group policy editor
* Ability to run UNIX-based applications (through SUA)
* Support for dual CPU's or 128GB of memory
* Encrypting File System (EFS) support
* Support for resyncing files for getting work done while offline

Vista flaw could haunt Microsoft

(Business 2.0 Magazine) -- If you followed Microsoft in the 1990s, you knew it as a company that deftly moved from strength to strength, leveraging its dominance in one area of software to command other parts of the tech business.

That company's long gone, folks.
microsoft_vista.03.jpg
VISTA'S BLIND SPOT: The new Microsoft operating system has one glaring omission that could turn off corporate buyers.
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The latest evidence that Microsoft (Charts) has lost its Midas Touch? Its bid for a bigger piece of the $14 billion database business, a sector now ruled by Oracle (Charts) and IBM (Charts). Until now, Microsoft has been doing what it does best to attract corporate customers: It has tied its SQL Server database management software to programs running on Windows desktops.
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But now Microsoft has a problem. Vista, its long-awaited update to the Windows operating system, can't run the current version of SQL Server. The company is working on a SQL upgrade that is compatible with Vista - called SQL Server 2005 Express Service Pack 2 - but it's in beta and can be licensed only for testing purposes. Microsoft hasn't set a release date for the new SQL program.

So companies looking to install Vista, which went on sale to corporate customers Nov. 30, are going to have to get their database management software someplace else.

Microsoft has effectively just handed its chief rivals an early holiday present. (Before any more of you fire off an outraged e-mail informing me that Vista doesn't run SQL Server, go back and read the above paragraphs again: I'm talking about SQL Server 2005 Express, which is the desktop counterpart of SQL Server - not the server version.)
More tech news and gossip from Owen Thomas

This, of course, is exactly the opposite of what Microsoft should be doing if it hopes to outsell Oracle and IBM in the database business. Microsoft should have released a Vista-compatible version of SQL Server as early as a year ago. That way, corporate customers would have had plenty of time to test it in time for Vista's release.

Instead, IBM has beaten Microsoft to the punch. Last week IBM released a desktop version of its competing database management software, called DB2 9 Express-C, that's compatible with Vista.

Microsoft's oversight with SQL is one reason, among many, why analysts don't expect Vista to appear in the workplace until 2008. And it's become yet another sticking point with corporate IT departments already frustrated by their dependence on Microsoft. In the long run, the lack of SQL support could delay widespread adoption of Vista even further.

Microsoft's long had a strategy to be everywhere computers are - from home desktops to office servers. And it's had some success: One reason why programmers of database-driven applications use SQL Server is because it comes with a component called Microsoft Desktop Engine, or MSDE. (While you may not have heard of MSDE, it's an exceedingly common software component - so common, in fact, that it played a starring role in the spread of the infamous Slammer worm four years ago.)
Oracle's shopping spree pays off

Granted, not everyone uses MSDE inside other applications; many database developers simply use it to test their SQL Server setup. For these programmers, Microsoft's delay won't make much of a difference.

But for many companies with MSDE-based applications - mostly small enterprises without a large IT staff to manage system upgrades - headaches loom. First they must upgrade to the currently available version of SQL Server 2005 Express, which doesn't run on Vista, and test it on their Windows XP desktops. Once Microsoft rolls out a Vista-compatible version of that software, they'll need to upgrade and test all over again.

So what can companies that adopt Vista do now? Not a whole lot.

They can download the test version of SQL Server and start preparing their database applications for an upgrade, says Chris Alliegro, an analyst at Directions on Microsoft. But even that step won't be easy.

"It's not ideal, and it's a pain in the neck," says Alliegro. Before company programmers start testing SQL's beta, they'll have to identify all of the database applications they're running that rely on MSDE.

For companies that have acquired other businesses, reorganized divisions, or outsourced IT personnel, that's a mighty tall order. And here's the rub: Until Microsoft releases a Vista-compatible version of SQL Server 2005, all that testing will be for naught, since they won't be able to install it on users' desktops.

So good luck trying to get approval from your company's budget cops. Just imagine the CFO grilling the CIO about a plan like that: "You want to spend money testing software that you can't run? And you don't know when you'll be able to run it?"

With database software for small and medium-sized businesses the fastest-growing segment of the market, Microsoft may well be alienating the sector it can least afford to lose in its campaign to boost database sales.

Microsoft, of course, will get SQL Server 2005 officially running on Vista. "Eventually, most companies who are running Windows will be running on SQL Server 2005," promises Alliegro.

The key word here is "eventually." Microsoft's customers waited five years for Vista. Now, they're discovering that they still have to wait for a database component that works with it.

No wonder Google (Charts) is beating Microsoft in other arenas: This is a company that has forgotten how to execute its own playbook of launching a coordinated wave of products that all work together.

No doubt Microsoft will get this straightened out - eventually. By then, it just might be time to launch another version of Windows.

What's changed in Windows Vista

A lot of changes are visible in the look and behavior of Windows Vista, and many more changes have been made "under the hood" as well. This post will cover the most confusing changes made to Windows Vista.

Administrator accounts don't work like they did in XP

Windows Vista now enforces the security best practice of always operating as a standard user and only invoking Administrator powers when absolutely necessary. This is intended to prevent programs from modifying your system without your knowledge and to prevent accidental changes to system settings.

This policy is enforced by the operating system through UAC (User Account Control), which is also known as Admin Approval Mode.

UAC works by running all programs as if they were started by a standard user, even when you are logged in as an administrator. There are only two ways a program can be started with full administrator privileges (known as "elevating" a program):

1. Some programs will automatically ask for permission to run with administrator privileges when they are opened. These programs will be displayed with a security shield .
2. You can explicitly open a program with full administrator privileges by right-clicking it and clicking Run As Administrator.

It is important to remember that unless a program asks for administrator privileges or you explicitly start a program with administrator privileges, it will not be able to perform administrative tasks.

Some examples of administrative tasks include modifying files that you did not create, installing some types of software, installing hardware, and changing settings that affect the entire computer.

Microsoft is aware that many software products available today are not designed to operate in such a restrictive environment. Fortunately, Windows Vista detects many of these programs and tricks them into thinking that they have full access to the computer, when in fact they do not. This happens automatically in the background and requires no action on your part.

These restrictions do not apply to the built-in "Administrator" account; When using this this account, every program you open is given full administrative privileges. Because of the unrestricted nature of this account, Windows Vista only allows you to log in as the built-in administrator during an emergency. This account is disabled out of the box, and can only be used when the computer is running in safe mode.

More Information on UAC

Well-known folders have been moved or renamed

Many of the well-known folders in Windows Vista have been redesigned to be better organized and easier to use. Here are some of the more notable changes:

• "Documents and Settings" is now called "Users"
• "My" has been removed from folder names. For example, "My Documents" is now just "Documents."
• The Pictures, Music, and Videos folders are no longer inside the Documents folder, they are now located directly inside your folder

If you have enabled Show Hidden Files, you may have already noticed that there are still folders with the old names on your computer. These folders will have a transparent icon and a shortcut symbol, as shown below:

It is important to understand that these are not "real" folders. They are called junctions, and their purpose is to point programs that try to access them to the new location. They are similar in functionality to shortcuts, but look like normal folders to programs.

Because they are not real, attempting to access them will result in an "Access Denied" error.

You can use the command prompt to see where junctions are pointing to. Simply issue the "dir /a" command and it will show [in brackets] the destination of all junctions located inside the current directory.

FAQ: Getting a handle on Windows Vista

update Windows Vista took longer to arrive than hoped, and it might not have everything that was once planned, but Windows chief Jim Allchin maintains "It's a big deal."

And, more than five years after the debut of Windows XP, Vista is finally ready--at least, for businesses willing to buy at least five copies of the operating system. Those companies can get it starting Thursday, while consumers and those looking to get a Vista-equipped PC will have to wait until January.

For those who have been tuning out all the Vista chatter for the last few months, here's a primer on the new Windows. The update has security improvements, some snazzy new graphics and new desktop-searching abilities, among other features.

So is Vista really here?
After months of issuing community preview versions, beta versions and release candidate versions, Microsoft has finally declared Vista soup.

Large businesses can start getting Vista through volume-licensing contracts as of Thursday, while CompUSA is selling licenses to smaller businesses that purchase at least five copies of Vista. However, consumers and those looking to get new PCs with Vista installed will have to wait until the mainstream launch in January.

What if I buy a new PC now? Will it still run Vista?
Microsoft is offering an "Express Upgrade" program that runs through early next year. It offers those who buy an XP machine now a free or discounted copy of Vista, once it starts shipping to consumers.

There's still the question of how Vista-ready the PC is. Microsoft is using two logos to help consumers get a sense of that. Some machines are billed as "Windows Vista Capable." A PC with that logo will be able to run Vista, but that sticker does not guarantee the computer will have enough graphics horsepower and other components needed to run all of the operating system's new features. Those who want to guarantee that should look for the shiny "Vista Premium Ready" logo.

So what's in this Vista thing?
Vista--which used to be called Longhorn--has evolved quite a bit since Microsoft first demonstrated an early version in 2003. The company has dropped plans to include its all-new WinFS file system. It has also changed the way it's implementing a new Web services architecture, known as Indigo, and a new graphics engine, dubbed Avalon.

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Among the key features of Vista as it currently stands are: security enhancements, a new searching mechanism, lots of new laptop features, parental controls and better home networking. There will also be visual changes, thanks to Avalon, ranging from shiny translucent windows to icons that are tiny representations of a document itself.

On the business side, Microsoft said Vista will be easier for companies to deploy on multiple PCs and that it will save costs by reducing the number of times computers will have to be rebooted.

Vista includes antispyware tools, Internet Explorer 7, an update to its Web browser, as well as Windows Media Player 11. It also has Windows Calendar, a new systemwide tool designed to do for datebook information what Outlook Express does for e-mail in Windows XP.

Is that all?
No. Among the other features Microsoft has publicly confirmed are: broad IPv6 support, improved clientside caching of data stored on a server, whole-volume encryption, a revamped synchronization engine, the ability to support laptops with an auxiliary display, automatic hard drive optimization and a secure boot-up process that helps prevent someone from gaining access to your data if your PC is lost or stolen.

Will my PC run Vista?
That depends on how recently you bought it and just how much Vista you want. To get the basics, like the new search abilities and improved security, you'll need a PC with 512MB of memory, an 800MHz processor and a 20GB hard drive with at least 15GB of free space. But to see Vista in all its glory, particularly its new Aero graphics, you'll really need a relatively modern video card with around 128MB of dedicated graphics memory or, for a system with shared systems and graphics memory, you'll need 1GB of memory.

Will it come in the same editions as in the past--Home, Professional, Tablet and Media Center?
Microsoft announced in February that there will be six basic versions of Vista. On the consumer front, there will be a Vista Home Basic, which will lack Vista's advanced graphics or media features, and a Vista Home Premium, which will include such perks.

For businesses, there will be Vista Business as well as Vista Enterprise. The latter version will be available only to volume-licensing customers, and it will include extras like full-volume encryption and built-in Virtual PC software to run a second operating system as a virtual machine.

Vista Ultimate will put the best of the consumer and business features in one package. At the other end of the spectrum, a scaled-down Vista Starter edition will also be offered, though only on new PCs sold in emerging markets like India and Thailand.

How much will it cost?
Windows Vista Home Basic has a suggested price of $199 for the full product or $99 for those upgrading from a prior version of Windows. The higher-end Home Premium version is priced at $239 for the full version and $159 for those upgrading. Vista Business has a sticker price of $299 for the full version and $199 for the upgrade. The Ultimate edition carries a suggested price of $399 or $259 for the upgrade. Windows Vista Enterprise is available only to large businesses through volume licensing, with prices varying based on

Windows Vista FAQ

Once envisioned as a minor upgrade to Windows XP, Windows Vista (formerly codenamed "Longhorn") first took on all-new importance in early 2002 when Microsoft decided to reach for the brass ring and make this upcoming Windows release an all-encompassing major upgrade with a new security architecture, a hardware 3D-enabled user interface, and many more exciting new features. Since then, numerous delays have caused Microsoft to scale back things a bit, but Windows Vista is still the most impressive Windows upgrade in over a decade. Here's the first--and most comprehensive--Windows Vista/Longhorn FAQ ever created, constantly updated to include the latest information about this exciting release.

Note: This FAQ was previously called the Longhorn FAQ. You can still view the older, now retired version of this FAQ here.

If you have Windows Vista questions that aren't answered here, please send me an email!

Q: What is Windows Vista?

A: Windows Vista is the name of the next major version of Windows, and the successor to Windows XP.

Q: What's with the name? I figured Windows Vista would be called Windows 2007 or something.

A: You and me both. However, Microsoft has somewhat painted itself into a corner by choosing names like Windows Me and Windows XP for the two prior client releases of Windows. Now, it has to try and outdo itself with each product version's name; otherwise, people would consider it to be a boring release. Certainly, Windows 2007 sounds less exciting than Windows XP.

That said, Microsoft tells me that Windows Vista delivers a "personal vista" for all who use it. "We live in a world of more information, more ways to communicate, and more things to do," Microsoft Group Product Manager Greg Sullivan told me the morning that Microsoft revealed the Windows Vista branding. "You want the PC to adapt to you and help you cut through the clutter to focus on what’s important to you. That's what Windows Vista is all about: bringing clarity to your world, so you can focus on what matters to you."

Microsoft notes that Windows has always empowered people to use technology to do and accomplish what they want. But the world has evolved, and there's a lot more out there. Windows Vista will address those changes.

"I love this name. 'Vista' creates the right imagery for the new product capabilities and inspires the imagination with all the possibilities of what can be done with Windows -- making people’s passions come alive."

--Jim Allchin, group vice president, Platforms Management at Microsoft

Q: Did Microsoft consider other names?

A: Yes. I'm told that the company had a list of a half dozen names that reached the final round of consideration. Microsoft considered everything from simple numbers "Windows Seven" or "Windows 07") or letters (like XP) to fanciful, inventive names, including words that don't exist today. In the end, Microsoft wanted to describe the value proposition of Windows Vista with its name.

Microsoft executives tested a number of potential names with focus groups and then finally presented its choice to group senior vice president Jim Allchin, who approved it. In the end, the company believes that the Windows Vista name is a "wonderful intersection of what the product really does, what Windows stands for, and what resonates with customers, and their needs."

Q: What's with all this "connected," "clear," "confident" stuff I'm hearing about?

A: As always, Microsoft needs to summarize any product using three simple points, and with Windows Vista, those three points are "connected," "clear," and "confident". Here's what the company means by this:

Connected. Windows Vista seamlessly connects you with the people, information and devices you need to interact with, quickly and in a really straightforward way. No computer sits alone anymore, according to the company, and you're connected to the Web, and to devices, you want to contact people and to share things.

Clear. This refers both to the clarity of the user interface, which now sports a glass-like sheen that is called Windows Aero, and to the ways in which Windows Vista lets you more clearly access your own information. Instead of making you adapt to the way the computer structures data, Window Vista is far more dynamic, and far more personal. "Windows Vista introduces clear ways to organize and use your information to focus on what matters to you," Sullivan said.

Confidence. Thanks to spyware and other electronic threats, people don't trust their computers anymore. Windows Vista gives people more confidence in their PC and their ability to get more out of it. Microsoft tells me has "taken care of things" and made things more discoverable in Windows Vista. "It enables a new level of confidence in the security and reliability of your PC and in your ability to get the most out of it," Sullivan told me.

Q: These are nice sound bites, but how does this market points reflect actual features in the product?

A: Here are some correlations between actual Windows Vista features and the marketing points:

Connected. Windows Vista includes numerous enhancements for portable computers, including better power management, support for external displays, and better wireless networking functionality.

Clear. Windows Vista includes system-level instant desktop search functionality that helps users find information on their PCs and organize them with virtual folders that work the way they want them to. Windows Vista also makes it easier to identify documents from their icons: Instead of using static icons like previous Windows versions, Windows Vista features Live Icons that display the first page of the document right in its icon. Finally, Windows Vista will include an advanced printer and document framework called XPS (XML Paper Specification, see below) that will reportedly make it easier to use and share documents between a wide variety of devices.

Confidence. Windows Vista include integrated anti-malware defenses that will shield users from spyware, adware, phishing attacks, and other electronic threats. The system also includes a Secure Startup feature to ensure that the data on PCs stays protected, even if the machine is lost or stolen. BitLocker full volume encryption, using a hardware component to store encryption keys, keeps user data inaccessible to thieves as well. Finally, and perhaps most important, Windows Vista features User Account Protection (UAP, formerly called Limited User Account), a reduced privileges mode that prevents even admins from running in administrative mode normally, giving you better defense against electronic attacks. With UAP enabled--the default--you need to supply an admin password any time you make a change that could affect the system. This is similar the way Mac OS X and Linux already work.

Q: I heard that Windows Vista was based on Windows Server 2003, not XP. Does that mean that Windows Vista is more stable/less consumer-friendly than XP?

A: Future Windows versions are always be based on the most up-to-date Windows version at the time, and at the time that Microsoft reset Longhorn development and began work on what we now know as Windows Vista, that version was Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack 1 (SP1). When Windows Vista development originally started in 2001, however, it was then based on Windows XP. In mid-2004, Microsoft had to restart the core development of Windows Vista because it was too hard to go back and componentize the existing Windows Vista core code. So when it restarted Windows Vista development, Microsoft naturally used the Windows Server 2003 with SP1 code base instead of that of XP.

Don't be confused by this: Windows Vista still includes all of the great features and compatibility from XP with Service Pack 2 (SP2). As Microsoft writes in its internal documentation, the company is simply taking the best features of both XP with Service Pack 2 (SP2) and Windows Server 2003 with SP1 to create Windows Vista.

Q: Is Windows Vista more secure than Windows XP?

A: Yes. Windows Vista builds on the security features in Windows XP with Service Pack 2 (SP2) and Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack 1 (SP1) and adds some deep-seated security improvements that will finally make the Windows platform competitive with Linux and Mac OS X from a security standpoint. With Windows Vista, the system will inform users about security and privacy choices so they feel more confident that they are as secure as possible, and that their privacy is protected. The question, of course, is whether Windows Vista will be more immune to security threats than was XP. Only time will tell.

Q: I thought Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) was such a big deal for security. Why is Windows Vista changing security so much?

A: As Microsoft has said repeatedly, security is an ongoing process. The original architecture of Windows XP and Vista--that is, Windows NT--debuted in 1990, well over 15 years ago. At that time, the Internet wasn't widely available, TCP/IP wasn't the most-frequently-used networking paradigm, and the number of connected PCs and servers worldwide was tiny. Since then, Windows has come of age in a connected world that requires new protection strategies over time. In many ways, the security improvements in Windows Vista are long-overdue, and are very similar to security features available already in Linux and Mac OS X. However, in some cases, the security improvements in Windows Vista are simply evolutions of the technologies Microsoft first debuted in Windows XP and in XP SP2.

Q: Is Windows Vista designed more for consumers or business users?

A: Microsoft says that Windows Vista is a significant release for all 600+ million Windows users, regardless of whether they use Windows at home or at work. While this is no doubt true, and there are excellent security and deployment improvements in Windows Vista that will benefit business users, it's pretty clear to me that Windows Vista's most exciting changes are on the consumer side. For example, the system includes excellent new versions of Windows Media Player and Windows Movie Maker, as well as new applications like Windows Photo Gallery and Windows DVD Maker.

Q: Will there be a server version of Windows Vista?

A: Yes. However, it's likely that this product, currently codenamed Longhorn Server, will be called Windows Server 2008. It will definitely not be called Windows Vista Server. Longhorn Server was being developed concurrently with Windows Vista, but will ship in late 2007.

Q: I heard that Microsoft was shipping some Windows Vista technologies separately for Windows XP. What's up with that?

A: In August 2004, Microsoft announced that it would make the Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF, "Avalon"), Windows Communication Foundation (WCF, "Indigo") Web services technologies, and the .NET Framework 3.0 ("WinFX") application programming interface (API) available for Windows XP with Service Pack 2 and Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack 1 (or later). Previously, these technologies had been described as key parts of Windows Vista ("Longhorn" at the time) for developers. However, Microsoft realized that developers would be more apt to target Avalon and Indigo if they were available to a wider audience than just Windows Vista. Since then, Microsoft has announced that other Vista technologies, such as Internet Explorer 7 and the Windows Sidebar would be ported to Windows XP as well.

Q: If Microsoft is making WPF, WCF, and .NET Framework 3.0 available separately from Windows Vista, doesn't that "water down" Windows Vista and make it less exciting?

A: Not necessarily. These technologies are for developers only, and don't impact the end user experience on Windows Vista at all. Most important, perhaps, Microsoft is making these technologies available to a wider audience now, so we'll see more great Windows Vista-compatible applications earlier rather than later.

What does make Windows Vista less exciting is the long wait and the dropped features. Microsoft promised us this OS for several years, and with every passing year its once-phenomenal improvements seem less and less impressive. Don't misunderstand: Windows Vista is a huge Windows release and one that consumers, especially, should be excited about. But the wait, and the sheer number of features Microsoft had to drop to make its deadlines, does make Vista a bit less exciting than it could have been.

Q: What is XPS?

A: At the Windows Hardware Engineering Conference (WinHEC) 2005 in April 2005, Microsoft announced that it would include a new document format and printing architecture called XML Paper Specification (XPS, codenamed "Metro") in Windows Vista. Based on XML, XPS is to Windows Vista as Adobe PDF is to Mac OS X: It's a device- and application-independent printing architecture that allows documents to retain their exact formatting in any application, and when printed. Unlike PDF, however, XPS is based on XML and will be released as an open standard. XPS also incorporates ZIP technology--similar to that used by the next major version of Microsoft Office--to compress and decompress files on the fly. From a technology standpoint, XPS includes an XML-based electronic paper format, a document viewer for viewing, managing, and printing XPS files, the ability to digitally sign XPS documents, APIs that allow programmers to integrate their applications and services with XPS, a print pipeline, and a new driver model for XPS-compatible printers.

Q: Is Windows Vista a 32-bit or 64-bit operating system?

A: Virtually every Windows Vista product edition (with the exception of Starter) ships with both 32-bit (x86) and 64-bit (x64) versions on the same DVD. Microsoft expects the computer buying public to switch to x64 during Vista's lifetime. There will not be an Itanium version of Windows Vista.

Q: When should I consider not buying a Windows XP-based PC so I can wait for Windows Vista?

A: If you think you will be migrating to Windows Vista in the next six months or less, you should wait. You will have a much better experience getting Windows Vista on a new PC than you will if you try to upgrade from XP yourself.

According to Microsoft, however, any "PC that meets current designed for Windows XP logo requirements, has a mainstream or performance class CPU, 512MB of RAM, and a discreet graphics subsystem that will support the new Longhorn Display Driver Model (LDDM) will run [Windows Vista] very well."

Q: I heard that Office 2007 (the next version of Microsoft Office) was finalized around the same time as Windows Vista. Will Office 2007 only run on Windows Vista?

A: No, Office 2007 will also run on Windows XP with SP2, Windows XP x64 Edition, and Windows Server 2003 with SP1. See my Office 2007 FAQ for more information.

Q: When will Windows Vista ship to customers?

A: Microsoft released Windows Vista to manufacturing on November 8, 2006. It will ship volume-licensed versions of the product to businesses starting in November 2006. Microsoft will make Windows Vista generally available to consumers, via retail packaging and PC bundles, in January 2007.

Q: When will Longhorn Server ship to customers?

A: The second half of 2007. At this time, Microsoft will also ship Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1), which will update Windows Vista to the same kernel version found in Longhorn Server.

Q: Windows Vista sounds interesting. I'd like to know more.

A: Not surprisingly, you're in the right place. Swing by my Windows Vista Activity Center for links to all the Windows Vista content I've created.