MADISON COMPUTER WORKS

Making the Move to Microsoft Vista – Now or Later?

Microsoft released their latest operating system (OS), Vista, several months ago and it is now readily available on new computers, as well as a possible upgrade option for existing systems. The questions people often ask me are: “Now that Vista is available, do I have to go with it? Should I upgrade to Vista on my current computer? Should I buy a new computer with Vista, or stay with my working Windows XP system? “

To answer these questions, the first thing you need to know are the pros and cons of going to Vista right now. Vista is brand new and like most brand new operating systems, it can have issues working with existing software packages and hardware devices. When a new operating system is released, there are usually patches or service packs that come out for it within the first year to fix bugs and stabilize the product. Likewise, the programs you use to meet your business needs tend to come out with patches or newer versions to work properly with the new OS. That can take some time. If you get a new computer with Vista or upgrade to it, your applications may not work properly for a while. Generally about a year after an OS release, patches and application upgrades will have been released and the OS is considered a mature and stable platform.

Some of the negatives at this time with Vista:

Vista is a new release and hasn’t been fully patched and debugged yet.

Many software applications need to release patches or new versions to work properly in Vista, possibly requiring expensive software upgrades or delays.

Older hardware may not have drivers for Vista, making new peripheral purchases necessary.

Familiar features in Windows XP may have been relocated, renamed, or even removed all togther, so you will need to spend some time learning Vista.

Vista has large hardware requirements (RAM, processor, etc.) that often mandate a new computer with Vista-compatible parts to run well.

There are many different versions of Vista available. Choosing the correct version for your particular needs can be challenging without expert guidance.

Some of the benefits with Vista:

It will stabilize and become the main desktop OS platform supported by Microsoft.

Vista has some useful new features and “eye candy” to make it more visually appealing.

The Vista 64-bit version will address more RAM (above 4GB) and will eventually become the standard 64-bit OS for 64-bit desktop systems.

The computer industry has seen the change to a new Microsoft OS many times before. The last major desktop OS “upgrades” were from Windows 98 to Windows ME, with the release of Windows XP very quickly after that. Those who lived through these changeovers may well remember the problems encountered until Windows XP came out with stabilizing patches and programs came out that were XP-compatible. Since that time, Windows XP has been an excellent desktop operating system, with many advantages over Windows 98SE.

So, should someone move to Vista now? If all your software applications are Vista-compatible and you are buying new hardware (computer, printer, video card, etc.), then Vista should work well for your needs. You will learn the new OS ahead of the curve, and it should be a fairly smooth transition. Upgrading your old hardware in order to upgrade your existing Windows XP system to Vista probably isn’t going to be cost-effective. Most people are waiting for their applications to come out with new Vista-compatible versions and for Microsoft to release the first Vista service pack (patches) before considering the move. Waiting to upgrade to a mature and stable OS platform is much easier than making the leap to a new and perhaps incompatible platform which could bring some of your business functions to a frustrating halt for an unknown period of time.

If your computer dies and you need to buy a new one, choosing to stay with Windows XP or make the move to Vista is your first decision to make. If you decide to make the move, which version of Vista to consider buying (Home Basic, Home Premium, Business, Ultimate, 32-bit or 64-bit, etc.) and will that version of Vista work properly with your software application needs, is your second major decision before buying a new system. Making the right decisions will save you time, money, and frustration. Eventually users will be forced to make the move to Vista, just like has happened so many times before with OS platforms. You can choose to be a frustrated guinea pig, the happy first kid on the block, or someone willing to sit back and wait for the OS to mature and stabilize in the marketplace. Taking the time to become an educated consumer and picking the right time to switch based on your individual needs is the best advice I can give. Now, the choice is yours to make.

Brian Lisse is co-owner of Madison Computer Works, Inc. and has worked in the computer/technology field for about 25 years. He can be reached by phone at 608.231.8000 or by email at mcw@madtown.net