Windows Vista – Is upgrading a good idea?

Windows has introduced a new operating system that promises of a safer, more user friendly operating system you might be tempted to rush out and grab it, right? You may want to hold off on the upgrade for a bit...

Many people that have purchased a new computer or have upgraded their existing operating system with Windows Vista are finding a lot of compatibility errors with their existing software and drivers. There are known glitches for software as well as hardware such as printers and scanners.

Windows Vista contains hundreds of new features; some of the most significant including an updated graphical user interface, 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. Vista has also improved its security for overall malware and viruses – something Macs don’t have to worry as much about.

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.

If you already have Windows Vista please be careful when purchasing new software or hardware for your computer. If you have two computers kicking around you may want to test the operating system with all the programs you currently use thoroughly before upgrading the rest of your computers.

There is no doubt that Windows will slowly fix their errors but in the meantime if it's critical for one of your programs to work 100% tip-top, stick with Windows XP until all the major bugs are worked out.

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