Ask Your Vista Questions Here.

here are the different editions that are going to be relaesed (in early 2007):

http://vista-editions.blogspot.com/

Mods im kinda new so im not to shure if linking to your own blog is
allowed forgive me if it isint

 

Microsoft to make Vista easily upgradeable


By Ina Fried
Staff Writer, CNET News.com
Published: March 6, 2006, 3:50 PM PST
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Microsoft is planning to make it very easy for Windows Vista owners to upgrade to a pricier version of the operating system.

In the past, such upgrades would have required users to go to a store to get a physical disc to update their machine. With Vista, which is due to go on sale later this year, Microsoft is adding a second option. Dubbed Windows Anytime Upgrade, the new mechanism will let customers buy the update online. New PCs that come with Vista will come with a Windows Automatic Upgrade DVD, which can be used with a later update that is purchased online.

"If you want more features in Windows Vista, you can upgrade to another version," Microsoft said in help notes that accompany the most recent test version of Windows. "You can either buy a separate upgrade disc at a retail store or use Windows Anytime Upgrade to buy the upgrade online, and then use your Windows Anytime Upgrade disc or the Windows installation disc to complete the process."

Microsoft confirmed Monday that such a process is being planned for Vista, but offered scant additional details.

"We are working closely with our partners to put the right infrastructure in place to support Windows Anytime Upgrade, and we will have more information to share at a later date," a Microsoft representative wrote in an e-mail.

The move is one of several efforts Microsoft is making with Vista to encourage users to opt for higher-end versions of the software. Among the other efforts is the introduction of an "Ultimate" edition that combines the best of Microsoft's consumer and business features.

According to information in the Vista test version, the upgrade feature will allow Windows Vista Home Basic users to go to Windows Home Premium or Windows Vista Ultimate edition, while Vista Business users will be able to move only to the Ultimate edition. Microsoft's other business version--Windows Vista Enterprise--is available only for volume licensing customers.

Microsoft announced last week that there would be six major editions of Vista, comprising those listed above, along with a "starter" edition of Vista that will be sold only on new PCs in certain emerging markets.

The mention of the update plans within the test release of Vista was noted by a number of enthusiast sites, including Vista Buzz.
http://news.com.com/Microsoft+to+make+Vista+easily+upgradeable/2100-1016_3-6046512.html?tag=nefd.top

 

ireland
I'll be damned it looks like thier trying for ocne 0-o
I wouldnt mind actuly BUYING it I could go from home to Ultimate in 2 easy steps and not have to shell out 200 at once.

 

Vista set to swallow 800MB of RAM

Memory, disk space hungry

By Fuad Abazovic in Wien: Wednesday 08 March 2006, 12:08
A CHAP who managed to sneak a peek at the Vole's internal beta version 2 of Windows 53xx informed us that, even while idling, Vista eats as much as 800Mb of system memory.

Yeah, we were shocked too, but you have to believe the screenshot below.

Memory manufacturers couldn't be happier about that, as it will make people to go out and buy more memory. Our source reported that Vista runs ok with 1024Mb of system memory but no-doubt 2048Mb would be much better.

Vista won't install on FAT32 partitions, it only likes NTFS partitions. We also know that the system performs quite well on an Athlon 4000+ and a Geforce 7800 GTX 512 works just fine in the mix. Aero glass looks good, we liked it when we first clapped eyes on Beta 1 version.

Vista occupies roughly three times more space than Windows XP. In fact, it'll require up to a whopping seven gigabytes of drive space.

Have a butcher's:

A view of Vista. µ



http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=30128

 

If your box is doing everything you want it to, stick with it and save your money.

 

looks like i wouldnt want it.
and most people on here would agree.
http://news.com.com/Hollywood, Microsoft align on new W...
http://news.com.com/FAQ+Vistas+strong,+new+antipiracy+protectio...

 

i think vista sucks MAJOR ASS. here r my reasons

1)vista a friggin memory hogger
2)most of the software for xp wont work on vista
3)ders alot of security holes(my friend found like 5)
4)demands a godlike pc
5)if ur pc is 2-3 years old...4get bout vista

basically wat im trying to say is...

DONT GET VISTA!IT SUKS!GET A MAC INSTEAD OF VISTA!seriously...

 

quote >>.)most of the software for xp wont work on vista ?????
3)ders alot of security holes(my friend found like 5) ???????

please give me more detail on these 2

 

Samsung sees opportunity in Vista upgrades

Samsung Electronics sees a $370 million market springing up later this year for computer owners who want to upgrade to Vista, Microsoft's highly anticipated operating system, but do not want to buy a new PC, a Samsung executive said on Wednesday.

Some 37 million personal computers have been sold in the United States over the last three years with a processor that is powerful enough to run Microsoft's Vista, according to Don Barnetson, an associate director of Samsung's semiconductor division.

"About 10 percent of that 37 million represents potential upgrade candidates. They will buy, on average, about $100 worth of hardware, so that is (an opportunity of) about $370 million worth of upgrade components in the U.S.," Barnetson said.

To be upgraded, the machines need only to have certain hardware components improved, such as video and flash memory, which Samsung expects to sell in a bundle at retail.

"For $250, you can take your home PC and upgrade it to Vista" with Samsung's package, he said. "Or you can buy a new one for $1,000."

The business opportunity afforded by that low-cost upgrade option could expand as Vista is unveiled globally, he said, adding that while Microsoft would be involved in the marketing of the system, Samsung would be partnering primarily with retailers.
The vast majority of the world's personal computers run Windows operating-system software, and previous upgrades typically sparked a wave of PC upgrades, since older machines struggled to supply the power needed to run the software.

But overall adoption of Windows XP, the last major upgrade, introduced in 2001, was slow, Barnetson said.

A low-cost upgrade option could strike a sour note for PC makers like Dell and Hewlett-Packard, which would benefit from a rush to buy new PCs.

"We are not suggesting 'don't buy a PC,'" Barnetson said. "The PC upgrade cycle will continue. But don't delay the adoption of an operating system until you get a new PC."
http://news.com.com/Samsung+sees+opportunity+in+Vista+upgrades/2100-1006_3-6050338.html?tag=nefd.top

 

so it looks like alot of us are in for a reformat yay lol

 

I dont care abotu security well i do but its almost last on my list


1.Compatiality
2.Stablity
3.Recoverabilty
4.Speed
5.Security

(this is why I run XP SP1)

LOL
I woud think they would have learned from 9X to XP that makehtign the dam new OS compable with the last OS >>

darnit where my google tool bar go..I needs spell checkings!!!

 

A LONG READ,An inside look at Windows Vista

Set to ship at the end of the year, Windows Vista will be Microsoft's first major operating system release since it introduced Windows XP in 2001.

The new OS is designed to offer a shiny new user interface, better security, improved data organization and near-instantaneous search. It will be a major gaming platform release because it includes DirectX 10, an upgraded and rebuilt collection of application programming interfaces (APIs) that, according to Microsoft, will offer six to eight times the graphics performance of DirectX 9.0. We're opening our series of Windows Vista features with a look at the most striking feature of Vista, the 3D desktop and the new Aero interface.

Look and feel
http://dvdxcopy.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/319423

 

Windows vista is delayed again
http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2006/mar06/03-21WindowsVistaDeliveryPR.mspx

 

a couple of points...

keep in mind that the latest beta (does) and probably RC1 will have debug enabled that has a serious impact on performance. The release (possibly RC2) will afford better overall performance.

the other comment is that it does run on Virtual PC as well as Vmware. I know I'm running them.

to Irelan's comment on swallowing 800mb of ram... huh? exactly how are my VM machines functioning????

 

The meaning of "Vista Capable": good, not great

4/3/2006 12:48:06 PM, by Ken Fisher

The delay of Windows Vista means that computers sold this holiday season will predominantly be running Windows XP. Microsoft hopes that Vista won't be far from the minds of new computer buyers, however, as they are pushing a new "stickering" campaign aimed at informing customers that most of these machines are capable of handling Vista. The basics of the announcement were covered last week by Matt on M-Dollar, so I won't repeat them here. Instead, I'd like to address a couple of concerns with the program, and highlight some little known facts about the new OS.

To begin, a note about what this move isn't about. OEMs started using the stickers before the Windows Vista delay was announced, and it would be wrong to look at this as a last ditch-effort to promote the OS in the holiday timeframe. Microsoft is looking for two things from this program: free advertising on new XP machines sold before Vista ships, and continued free advertising on "bargain-oriented" PCs that will ship after the Vista launch, sans Vista. The latter is more important than you might think. Vista's full-blown hardware "requirements," while still not official, will be greater than what you'll find on many of the $299 PCs out there today. With the Vista Capable program, Microsoft hopes to encourage the bargain builders to keep an eye on meeting the most minimum of specifications, making bargain PCs "future proof" and, more importantly, targets for eventual upgrade.

Flip3D in action

Hence, it's no coincidence that Vista Capable means something less than "Vista ideal." To get the Vista Capable sticker, a computer needs only to be able to sufficiently run Windows Vista's core features, not everything that the OS can do in all versions. In practical terms, this means that Vista Capable embraces systems lacking all of the graphical horsepower to run the Aero Glass interface. For some, this is a confusing set of affairs. I think it's confusing, in part, because Microsoft has touted a new user interface that is not actually present in all versions of its new OS.

Windows Vista Home Basic—the entry level OS in the Vista family—only supports a user interfaced that Microsoft calls the Windows Vista Basic GUI (graphical user interface). The GUI is similar in functionality to that found in Windows XP, except that it sports the new Windows Vista look and feel. It's also similar in that it will lack the 3D features found in Vista's more advanced Aero user interface, including Flip3D, live taskbar thumbnails, and translucency effects.

Flip3D, pictured right, is the next-gen "alt+tab" replacement, and it functions like a virtual rolodex. Collecting your windows into a bundle, you can flip through them with your keyboard, or better yet, your mousewheel. But as flashy as it sounds, it's not being billed as "standard fare" for the OS. The end result is that Vista is ultimately shipping with two user interfaces, although the two are closely related and appear to diverge primarily in their support for accelerated 3D effects. (Indeed, while official Microsoft documents speak of them as interfaces, they are perhaps best understood as "themes.")

The takeaway point is this: with Windows Vista Home Basic, Microsoft has created a very low bar to Vista capability requirements. We should not confuse "capable" with "ready to rock," however, as the capability designation is aimed only at this rather low entry point. Whether or not this will encourage OEMs to adopt DirectX 9 video and 512MB of system RAM as "standard" remains to be seen, but this appears to be Microsoft's intention. Meanwhile, Dell will continue to bewail such sticky situations.
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060403-6511.html

 

ireland
forgive if my brain "doth not compute" well but I will ask anyway

So unlike XP witch ran on lower PCs than its minuim but MS wanted to push newer part sales so they locked it at a minuim that forced most to upgrade VISTA is going to let things slide so they can push the OS even if vista minuims are ummm...to low?

 

What is beta? Is that mean i can try out the vista? Is it free? Just out of question, which os was the best selling for microsoft, windows 98?

 

you have to be a beta tester to try it for free

Windows XP is/was the best selling

 

how do you sign up for beta?

 

ireland would know ,he does it all the time with lots of programs