Purchasing labtops for middle school students. Should I purchase XP Pro or Vista Business?

Question

What's the different between XP Pro and Vista Business? Why should one purchase a computer with Vista?

Answer 1

Your purchase decision depends on several factors. How long do you plan on keeping the laptops in circulation before replacing them is one of the biggest questions. XP is a more stable platform as of this writing, and there are countless more techs certifed in XP than Vista. However, you must remember that if you pick XP you will be instructing them on a soon to be obsolete operating system. The biggest question there is will you be teaching them from the laptop (ie just using them to run third party software) or will you be teaching them about the laptop (how to use windows). If you are planning to instruct them on operating system, I would reluctantly chose the Vista Business since XP is schedulted for termination by 2009.

Answer 2

XP Pro and Vista Business are both used mostly for businesses and I believe would be overkill for middle school students.

I would suggest Vista Home basic, or premium, or XP Home or Media Center edition. Each of these has what the students would need, without all the extra stuff that XP Pro and Vista Business have which students would never need to use.

Vista is a fine machine for children, there is nothing wrong with it. It is safer for children than XP is as it has built in Parental Controls, which a teacher or school administrator could use to keep the children safe from unsafe internet usage.

If you need to utilize Group Policy, to control what the children are able to do, at that high of a level, select Vista Ulitmate. That would enable the computers to be networked into the school computer network, and offer complete control over access to many different GUI options, such as not allowng them to change or access certain OS configurations, and browser options, such as Internet Options, etc. This would also enable the Network Administrator to control what the children can download and what websites they can access, such as keeping them off MySpace, FaceBook, and other dangerous sites. A young girl met a middle Eastern man and took off to meet him in Lebanon, she met him on MySpace.

If you don't need to have that tight of control then the other options are best. If they won't be on the Internet, then the first options would work best and be less expensive.

I also reccomend Vista because it IS the most current OS from Microsoft and as the kinks get worked out XP will be phased out as the other older version have already been. Why waste money on an OS which will be phased out shortly, or hinder the children from gaining experiance on the most recent versions? It is about learning right? Being "familiar" with an item does not enhance the learning process. New and enhanced items do.

*note* More and more items are now compatible with Vista. Some people who have difficulty learning, or whom just wish to comfortable experiance with those things they are most familiar with tend to stick to what the know, rather than learn new ways and experiances. Children need to learn and grow, and sticking with the "familiar" won't encourage that. So, don't be dismayed by statements that Vista is not compatible, because it is. Also, Vista can run most XP Programs, and more all the time.

Answer 3

I will have to say XP Pro because Vista is a very difficult system and nothing is compatible with it. Some would say Vista is good because it's new, but nothing goes with it. It will be a good program in the next couple of years or so, but for now XP is the best in my opinion.

Answer 4

i does not purchase vista to overwrite your present equipment. bypass forward and get the optimum value out of your homestead windows xp and shop a pair of greenbacks. XP professional is exceptional (quite much as good as a homestead windows os can get) and the industry could desire to nevertheless help it for some greater years. To be honest vista is merely XP/2000 with a clean paint activity. in case you desire a clean paint activity be my centred visitor.

Answer 5

I would vote for XP Pro. Vista is nothing good except its nice looking theme.

But if there is another option for Linux, I would vote for it.

Answer 6

I would go with XP- cheaper safer and kids will be more used to it-