When Microsoft introduced Windows Vista in 2007, its users were faced with a decision: to upgrade or not to upgrade?
Windows Vista replaces Windows XP, which was released in 2001 and has had several updated versions. According to Microsoft.com, “Windows Vista makes it easier, safer and more entertaining to use your PC.” The question is, do consumers agree?
Laci Fralish, a junior in secondary education, said she does not. She said she prefers XP and has not switched to Vista.
“XP is easier to navigate,” Fralish said.
She said her main problem with Vista is it’s lack of speed.
“They tried to cram too many features into the program,” she said. “So it’s much slower.”
According to Todd Chaloupka, ResNet shop manager, said this is because Vista requires so much random-access memory (RAM). Chaloupka uses XP.
“From a technician’s standpoint, there are some difficulties with Vista,” he said.
“Anytime you upgrade, it’ll require more RAM,” Chaloupka said. “I wouldn’t recommend changing unless you have the space.”
Vista’s fancy graphics and added features take up a lot of space. According to Microsoft.com, Vista requires 15 GB of available hard drive space, while XP requires 1.5 GB.
David Arendall, a junior in electrical engineering, has used both XP and Vista and says there are good things about both. He said he recently decided to make the switch to Vista.
“Vista isn’t as bad as everyone says,” he said. “It is a little slow, but it is a lot more secure.”
Arendall said the main problem with Vista is that many computers don’t have the capacity to run it efficiently.
“Vista will probably be popular once computers catch up,” he said.
Derek Torres describes Vista’s features in an article for Microsoft.com. First, Windows Aero enhances the appearance. If your graphics card supports it, Aero adds “a cleaner, transparent look with impressive graphic quality.”
Windows Sidebar is a panel that shows the various applications.
Torres said some of these include a clock, calendar, Microsoft Office Outlook icon and currency exchange.
Windows Search is a feature that allows the user to search for files and applications faster than they could in XP.
“With Windows Search, you can simply type a few letters of your search request, and the results appear on the fly,” Torres said in the article.
According to the article, other features added include Windows Media Player 11, enhanced security programs, a new Start menu and enhanced folders and icons.
