Q: What versions will Vista come in? What unique features are offered in each?*

A buffet to say the least. Let’s delve into each:

Windows Vista Home Basic: As the name implies, this one offers only bare-bones features. Designed to run on entry-level PCs, it won’t have the Windows Aero interface, won’t support DVD burning, and will lack Media Center features. It will be missing more as well, such as mobility features, and it won’t support Tablet PCs.

My Comments: “What good is a PC today without DVD burning?

Windows Aero is the “eye candy” of Vista; however, experience tells us that it is a resource “hog” and that is why Vista Home Basic exists. A smart move for Microsoft because they will be able to capture the older machines. Older machines are inadequate to run it…period.

In our increasingly connection-dependent world the lack of the mobility features that alleviate some of the pain we have today in network and internet sharing is a definite void.”

Windows Vista Business: This version is aimed at small to medium-sized businesses. It will include Windows Aero (shown below), will support Tablet PCs, and will have most other Vista features aside from a variety of multimedia functions, such as the ability to create and burn DVDs. It will, however, have several features aimed at IT folks, such as wireless network provisioning capabilities, Remote Desktop connections, image-based backup, and other network administration features.

My Comments: “Now these are some nice features. Wireless network provisioning is definite a headache reliever when going from one wireless network to another. A lot of the manual pain of configuring your PC to connect to the wireless network is removed. Here are the pains that wireless network provisioning should solve:

Configuring network settings to connect to the WISP network.

• Providing identification and payment information to the WISP.

• Obtaining connection credentials.

• Reconnecting to the WISP network after valid credentials has been obtained.

The image-based backup is another wonderful feature. Currently you only backup the files on your machine. Therefore, when a harddrive crash occurs, you can’t just simple restore your backup to the new harddrive. There are still important data components such as your File Allocation Tables and your boot sector that needs to be restored. Consequently, you have to first reinstall Windows from a CD and then perform the recovery from backup. With image-based backup, you just restore the backup image to your new harddrive and you are running again!”

Well…that’s about it for this issue. In my next issue we will look at more of the Vista versions that will available. Looks like 2007 computer buyers will need to get an expansive education before purchasing a new computer. See you next issue!

Olan Butler

Olan Butler is Chief Architect for BHO Technologists - a software development firm. BHO is creator of Data Calendar appointment calendar software. Stop by the site and check out the current offers because you never know when you or someone you know will be in the market for appointment calendar/day planning software.

http://www.bhotechnologists.com

*Part the information for this article comes from InfoWorld magazine.