What exactly is Vista?

Question

Is Vista just a new/better version of windows XP?

Answer 1

Considering an Upgrade to Windows Vista
Adapted From: Windows Vista For Dummies, Special Preview Edition

You'll see Windows Vista in the headlines quite a bit this year. The buzz starts in the technology section, ambles over to business columns, and eventually turns into news headlines. But amid all the buzz about Vista, there's one nagging question: Do you really need this thing?
Here are a few of the most tempting features Microsoft has worked into Vista, and what you'll find in them.
Improved search
Windows XP really drags its feet when searching for files. Searching for a filename takes several minutes on a crowded hard drive, and if you're searching your files for a particular word or phrase, you're in for a long weekend. Vista, by contrast, spends its idle time fine-tuning an index of every word on your hard drive.
To keep that work handy, Vista places a Search box on the Start menu, atop every folder, and in a few other areas. The handy Search box and the up-to-date index make it faster than ever to find the files and programs you want.
Vista even updates its index with words on Web sites you've visited recently, letting you quickly call up that headline you remember reading last week.
Trying to find the right setting in the Control Panel's vast array of switches and options? As you type words describing that setting into the Control Panel's Search box — display, for example — Vista filters out every item that doesn't pertain to the display. Eventually, you'll only spot a few icons left, and they'll all pertain to your computer's display.
Security
Some may call it a nuisance, others call it User Account Protection, but Microsoft prefers to call it advanced security. Vista's built-in User Account Protection security not only keeps unwanted creatures from crawling into your PC, but it also stops the ones already inside your PC from calling home to their creators through the Internet. Whenever something in your PC tries to do something that could change Vista's settings, Vista asks for your permission.
Although all this security is indeed a bother, it's the only way to keep your PC and your files safe.
Even if you turn off the security features for your own account, leave them turned on for your kids' accounts or the account you create for your babysitter or housesitter. Vista security will keep them from mucking up your PC while you're away.
Windows defender
Just about everybody's heard something about spyware — unwanted software that sneaks onto your PC. It then spies on your Web-browsing habits and sends the results to sneaky companies who fill your PC with ads targeted toward your interests.
When something's wrong with your PC, spyware's the most likely suspect. Spyware-infested PCs experience slowdowns, conflicts with other software, and even crashes. Vista's new Windows Defender seeks out and destroys spyware before it takes hold. Because companies constantly create new breeds of spyware, Microsoft automatically trains Windows Defender with Windows Update to recognize the latest spyware strains and pry them off your PC.
Parental controls
Most parents don't let their children travel unknown neighborhoods without supervision. But what about the PC and its ticket to the Internet's chat rooms and adult Web sites? Vista's strict parental controls let parents control their kids' computer workouts by adding the following controls:
 Blocking specific Web sites and programs or blocking all but a few hand-picked Web sites and programs
 Filtering Web sites by their content
 Blocking file downloads
 Controlling the days or hours the PC is available
 Collecting detailed activity reports showing Web sites blocked/visited, programs run, games played, and instant messaging conversations held
Although Vista calls them Parental Controls, they let any administrator account holder control the activities of any standard account holder. That means you can finally control exactly how your roommates use your PC — if you let them use it at all.
And your boss can see exactly how much time you spend playing solitaire when you should be working. Be forewarned.
DVD burning
Windows XP couldn't write to DVDs without the help of a third-party program. Vista can finally write to blank DVDs by itself, making DVDs an easy way to back up all those digital photos. Combine Vista's DVD Maker program with Vista's improved Movie Maker program, and you'll finally be able to burn your vacation videos to DVD and watch them in the living room.
Vista's built-in Backup program lets you automatically store your backed-up files to CDs or DVDs.
Runs on an average PC
You may have heard how Vista won't run on older PCs, or it needs an expensive video card. But if your PC's running Windows XP, it will probably run Vista just fine.
As for the video card, Vista certainly looks its best when run on a PC with a high-powered video card. But it also looks fine on most PCs today. The differences really aren't that obvious.
In fact, some people will turn off Vista's glass tabletop because all those reflections can be distracting.

Answer 2

Ya its the Upgrade of Xp ... like we have in past, with the version like:
XP Sp1 , XP Sp2 , and latest version is XP Sp3 = Windows Vista ... so obviously every Upgrade has Better functions : bye

Answer 3

The domicile windows Vista Black version is a changed Vista distribution this is optimized for Gaming. it fairly isn't any longer a valid, criminal retail boxed version. there is not any reason to place in this on a company community. The domicile windows Vista employer version is what you're in seek of.

Answer 4

*sigh* i find myslef answering this the same way everytime.

1. the people who tell you it is crap, are probably people who can't afford it and would like to justify why they're not buying it.

2. a few changes that I love are
a. the serch function on the start menu. I love being able to type in "calc" and pull up my calculator as opposed to hitting run and typing it in.
b. the "show desktop" function is great, it allows you to minimize everything in one button.
c. the scrolling windows option is nice when you're running several programs at once.
d. It loads so fast
e. its actually less buggy than xp
f. lastly, the sidebar is a nice touch, I'm forever looking at my calendar or searching for weather. I have two sidebar programs that allow me to do that

drawbacks?

Can't play C&C on most systems using vista.

Answer 5

Win Vista is Microsoft's newest operating system. Windows XP was its predecessor and before XP was win 98 2e before that was win 98 and yet before that was win 95 and still before that was win 3.2. any questions?

Answer 6

WIndows vista is a new version of microsft.

Answer 7

a crap OS with loads of viruses waiting for you. Linux or Mac is better.