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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:
Some of the benefits with Vista:
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 © 2007 Madison Computer Works, Inc. |
