Advantages: Looks great, easy to use
Disadvantages: Made my PC slow. older hardware and software not compatible.

...I installed this on my PC as an upgrade from Windows XP. My computer is above the minimum spec for this product, with 1.25Gb Ram, a 2GHz processor, and a 128Mb graphics card. I was impressed with the visual appearance, and ease of use of Vista. There are lots of clear help menus, and wizards to help install hardware - you can just plug a lot of things in and use them straight away. The Media center makes it easy to use a TV Tuner Card and keep track of Photos, videos and music tracks/Albums that are on your Computer. Home Networking is easy too. Thats the good bits over - now for my bad experiences. My PC has a few older pieces of Hardware and i found it difficult to find the correct device drivers to make them work in Vista. Also some of my softwarer wasn't compatible with Vista - Nero 6 is one example. The improved... Read review

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Advantages: All of the Windows Vista Features
Disadvantages: They're Windows Vista Features

...perform a scan of your system which is quick and thorough, and there is also a handy software explorer so that you can see in depth details about currently running applications. Accessories All the main accessory programs like Paint, Notepad and Calculator return in Windows Vista, all sporting the new Vista interface, Paint seems to have gone through a nice upgrade with a move around of controls and much better zooming capabilities. There are many more accessories included in Windows Vista, along with the sidebar there are better system tools like backing up facilities and the Welcome centre. ---------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------- ---WINDOWS VISTA SHELL--- Windows Explorer The new Windows Explorer has been massively improved with new features and a recharged interface... Read review

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Advantages: Safer faster cooler
Disadvantages: Requires a high spec Pc for an upgrade

...Are you thinking of upgrading to Vista? good idea, but do your homework first.There are so many versions of Vista available it can get confusing let me help you through the minefield. first let me tell you all about some of vista new features and why its a quantum leap ahead of XP. 1. Clear Intuitive interface. As far as eye candy goes windows vista is a joy to behold a welcome relief from the monotony that is windows XP. the whole interface is designed to ensure that its easy for novices to use. finally you can look at all the files on your computer in a way that makes sense to ordinary people like us not geeks. You can also browse through open windows in 3D ( i am yet to actually see the point in this) i guess its just a cooler way of scrolling through multiple windows. The windows are also transparent ( Aero ) . this feature... Read review

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Advantages: Tight security new entertaining games, Fast search
Disadvantages: annoying when it always asks you if it should proceed into opening programmes

.... ---Windows address book is now way different; you can now add pictures to all your contacts that you save on your computer. ----------NOTE: ---To upgrade you computer to Windows Vista Home Premium you need at least 1GB of RAM on your computer. The bigger the RAM the better, on that note you should also know that if you computer has 512MB of RAM you can only get Windows Vista Home Basic, which has the most limited features (windows defender, windows firewall, instant search, windows internet explorer 7). ---I recommend that you should just buy a new computer rather than buying Vista Home premium on its own as it is quite expensive on its own. It costs £149 on its own. ---You can buy Vista Home Premium in PC World, Comet, Argos, Amazon, Currys, and Dixons etc. ---If you can not see the menu bar it is basically because... Read review

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Advantages: It looks pretty, Good wireless capability.
Disadvantages: Poor Design, Its trying to be too pretty. Compatibility Issues

...the fancy enhancements that use up all the memory. However, because of a bug that I talked about earlier, it won't let you perform these actions. My copy of Vista seemed to turn everything that was fancy, such as all the Windows visualisations, special effects, etc. Windows Vista also has some driver compatibility issues. For example, when I tried to use my Skype phone, I found out that it was not compatible with Windows Vista. Also, some handheld computers do not work with Vista either; they tell you that the version of Windows on your handheld device is not compatible with Vista, and that you need to upgrade. In my opinion, for the price you are paying for Windows Vista, it should be compatible with all other versions of Windows. The support avaliable online for Windows Vista is very poor, also the built in help service is very poor... Read review

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Advantages: it looks nice
Disadvantages: it is unreliable and unpredictable

... Why I Upgraded I recently upgraded from Windows XP Home Edition to Windows Vista, the reason for the upgrade was simply because I got a new laptop and it came with Windows Vista. If I had not have needed the new laptop then I probably would not have paid to upgrade to Vista, this is mostly because I was happy with XP and so had no reason to want to upgrade. I had heard of Vista though and wanted to try it out as everyone else was getting it and seemed happy with it, as I said however I would not have paid to upgrade as it is too expensive when there was nothing wrong with what I was using. Look and Feel of Vista The cosmetic side of Vista is as good as you would want it to be, in this respect I prefer it to XP. It has the side bar which you can download various widgets for including an E-bay one which I find helpful... Read review

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Advantages: Latest OS, some nice features, looks and feels a lot nicer
Disadvantages: Compatibilty, still some bugs, possible system shock, need a decent spec machine

...When it comes to operating systems I tend to stick to what I know. I don't rush out and buy the latest OS for at least 2 years. It took me until 2004 to bother with XP. My main reason is I tend to get comfy with an operating system usually around the same time that a new one comes out. The only real exception to this was the upgrade from Windows 98 SE to 2000 and that was only because I was given an installation disk. My other reason is it gives the peeps who make the OS time to iron out the bugs (and believe me - even the most robust operating systems in the world have bugs). So it was kicking and screaming that I ended up with Vista. And I mean literally kicking and screaming... As I mentioned in my review about my Vaio, it's been tech update time at Ant Towers and one of the things that got updated was the processor on my... Read review

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Advantages: Very quick, HUGE interface update, looks good
Disadvantages: Lack of compatability with old hardware and software

...of the computer "teccie" and most users are able to use the operating system "out of the box". When Vista boots for the first time the first thing you notice is the completely updated look of the interface, while keeping the familiar start menu and bar, the look has been updated and the usability transformed, now hovering over minimised applications give the user a live preview of that the application would look like if brought to the front, and all the windows are now translucent and, I have to say, very pretty looking, and it doesnt seem to slow down your PC at all, as these new graphic niceties use the power of your graphics card rather than your computer processor. All the icons have been updated to high resolution and the graphical upgrade really has been applied to all sections of the operating system. Windows Vista Ultimate combines all... Read review

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Advantages: Everything
Disadvantages: Costs a bit too much and needs to be modified to play old games

...is 1GB but at least 600MB of ram is used by windows vista and other running applications. If you were to get windows Vista I would upgrade to at least 2GB RAM leaving you with 1500MB of ram to use on advanced games and applications. The recommended CPU I would get will be over 2.0Ghz windows Vista will use about 40% of your CPU power. But if you play very advanced games I would get at least a 3.0Ghz CPU or greater {Prices} A OEM copy of windows vista home premium can be picked up from as little as £70.00 while a retail box version of vista home premium costs around £249.99. Vista is a little pricey but I would recommend getting a OEM version as you will save around £170.00 off the RRP... Read review

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Advantages: Easy to use, improved features
Disadvantages: Find out

...Windows Vista Home basic Operating System. This is one of 6 Microsoft's new version of Operating System. Users can install it to a Windows or Macintosh based computer, along with upgrading from the previous XP versions. A Computer user interface, is the graphics, the layout of the software program. In simple terms it is what the user can see on the screen. The home version that I am reviewing in comparison to my existing XP home computer OS seems as the name suggests to offer just the basic new features. Is it any good? The start button is smaller and squarer than that in XP home. The design based on what you see on the desktop screen is far clearer and more professional from a design and quality perspective. Upon running the start menu, there is a search toolbar that enables fast browsing and access. Also contained within... Read review

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