Anilrgowda

The release of Microsoft's Windows Vista this month marks the first time in more than five years many businesses have ever had to consider making a major investment in a new operating system.
By most accounts, Windows XP has lived up to users' expectations and it will surely remain a fixture in personal computing for years to come as many consumers and businesses choose familiarity over technological uncertainty.
But Windows Vista carries with it an array of new features that eventually will make it impossible to resist for most businesses that want to stay on the forefront of computing technology.
The real question is, when?
That is, when should businesses start to think seriously about upgrading from Windows XP to Vista, or even more drastically, from Windows 98 or 2000 to Vista?
Ann Arbor-based Dynamic Edge is an information technology company that evaluates clients' technology needs and offers consulting on computer-related issues.
Owner Bruce McCully said that Dynamic Edge generally recommends that businesses wait a year to upgrade to a new operating system.
Windows Vista will be released to the general public Jan. 30, although some large companies have been able to license it since Nov. 30.
Upgrades from Windows XP are slightly cheaper than installing a brand new operating system.
For now, most companies should probably continue using Windows XP, McCully said.
Tech experts and software geeks usually say it's smart to wait for the general public to work out the kinks in a new operating system so that the parent company has time to release subsequent patches and updates to fix problems.
"I don't think we're going to be [recommending] it for our business customers until January 08," McCully said.
The most important thing for businesses considering upgrading to Windows Vista is to check to ensure that their hardware is compatible with the new operating system, McCully said.
McCully recently loaded Windows Vista onto a PC less than two years old.
The installation had its glitches. There were problems with the compatibility of the video card, for example, which caused features such as 3-D graphics to be disabled.
Vista offers new features like improved security, better search capabilities, semi-transparent window stacking and a simplified list of programs on the start menu.
Improved security, in fact, might prove to be Vista's top selling point, considering that Apple's Mac OS X has quickly gained a reputation for being virtually virus-free.
Sven Hallauer, Microsoft's release manager and director of program management, has acknowledged "there will always be people looking for flaws" - that is, hackers seeking to exploit holes in the system.
But he emphasized that Vista is demonstrably more secure than XP.
"Security is top of mind for all who work at Microsoft. We made significant investments in this area, focusing on defense in depth as well as more traditional code fuzzing techniques," he said.
A new graphical interface called Windows Aero is said to be more visually pleasing than previous versions.
McCully said one of Vista's top features is it makes it easier for users to identify problems in their network connectivity.
Vista displays a simple visual of what the user's connectivity looks like, potentially making it easier to solve connection problems.
"I really think it's allowing people to break through some of the anxiety that has to do with fixing their own problems," he said.
Large companies with applications in the hundreds have to be careful about upgrading their operating systems on a whim. And it's critical that they back everything up before making any decisions.
Many so-called "legacy applications" - a deeply ingrained accounting system, for example - have been in use for years and may present significant compatibility problems with Vista, McCully said.
That makes it all the more imperative that companies assess the status of their hardware and software before making a decision.
To get a quick synopsis of whether your computer will work with Vista, download Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor at
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsvist...r/default.mspx and run the program on your computer. "I think it's all about doing your homework, making sure your applications are going to be compatible," McCully said.