Windows Vista ... should you wait?

By Rick Castellini, MCP Nationally syndicated computer consultant Special to PRIME Microsoft recently announced that the company will release the next major update to its Windows operating system, Windows Vista, in January 2007. Originally this new Windows version was supposed to release in late 2003. That date came and went and the new projection was mid 2005. Last summer, computer users learned that Vista would be delayed until mid-2006. Now Microsoft is hoping that January 2007 is the magic date that will result in the roll out of Windows Vista. Not as revolutionary as expected If you haven't heard of Windows Vista, don't despair. Microsoft engineers have been working on Vista since before Windows XP was released in 2001. Executives boasted that when "Longhorn" (the codename for Vista dating back to 1999) was released it would change the way we use our computers. New ways of saving and retrieving information, more security, easier navigation, more pleasing graphics and thousands of improvements that we computer users never see on the outside was the claim. Now, almost seven years later, it appears that many of the planned additions and improvements will not be possible. Microsoft did shake up the world in 1995 with the release of Windows 95. Windows 95 truly revolutionized and improved the way we use and interact with computers. Its improvement over DOS and Windows 3.1 were tremendous. When Microsoft introduced Windows XP in 2001, the improvement was dramatic over Windows 95/98/Me, but not as earth shattering. I have many customers who still happily use Windows 98 proving that the XP revolution wasn't actually the same revolution we saw in 1995. What's your #1 computer use? An extremely large majority of computer users use their computers for just a handful of activities (listed in order of use): 1. Email 2. Internet 3. Word Processing 4. Solitaire or Free Cell 5. Digital Photography Although many business users and hobbyists obviously push their computers harder, the market doesn't actually yearn for more features. We are still learning what to do with what we have now. As it appears now, Vista seems to be a minor upgrade over Windows XP and if it has taken nearly eight years to roll out a scaled down version of the original plan, it makes me wonder how stable and reliable it will be ... remember XP when it first came out? What version of Vista do you want? Furthermore, Microsoft muddied the waters even more by stating that there will be at least six different versions of Windows Vista; three home user versions and three business versions. It astounds me that Microsoft hasn't figured out that computers users crave simplicity and a clear choice not many choices that confuse technology even further. If that isn't enough to raise your hackles, consider that less than 40 percent of computers built prior to 2005 will be able to run Windows Vista. Do you smell a marketing nightmare? I do. Don't rush for this 'Vista' To answer the question I posed in the title of this article, no, you should not wait for Vista. If you are considering a computer upgrade, buy now and be happy with a solid computer and Windows version that will take you into the future. If you are the gambling type and like to live on the edge, wait until at least six months after the initial release of Windows Vista. This waiting period allows the smoke to clear and mistakes that will happen to get fixed. Shall we start a pool on the actual date that Windows Vista gets released? My money isn't on January 2007. The Microsoft Vista promise*: "New tools bring better clarity to the information on your computer, so you can see what your files contain without opening them, find applications and files instantly, navigate efficiently among open windows, and use wizards and dialog boxes more confidently. The Start menu features integrated desktop search through a new feature called Quick Search which can help you find and launch almost anything on your PC. Find files more quickly with the new Live Icon feature, and see what they contain without having to open them. See thumbnail views of the items in your taskbar by resting your mouse pointer on them. Flip allows you to flip through open windows (by using Alt+Tab), providing a live thumbnail of each window, rather than just a generic icon and file name. Live thumbnails make it easier to quickly identify the window you want." Rick Castellini hosts a nationally syndicated radio show, is an author and computer consultant in Colorado. Visit his web site at HelpMeRick.com for practical tips and computer information every week. *Microsoft Vista information from www.microsoft.com/windowsvista/features/default.mspx(c) 2006 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.