Vista Today

Microsoft just released Vista, Beta 2, in May. As mentioned, Microsoft has included almost all the promised features, along with many other changes. One major promised feature that is missing is the new storage system, originally referred to as WinFS (Windows Future Storage). And Microsoft didn’t come through on a few other promised changes.

Other than that Vista is a major overhaul and virtually everything promised is there, along with many other improvements and added applications. And, although the OS core/kernel hasn’t changed dramatically, as in the Windows 95 transition, the kernel has been rewritten to improve security and stability. Other system changes have fixed a known heap fragmentation problem, improved sleep mode operation, and will allow applications to be loaded faster.

A New Appearance / User Interface
One of the promised features was Aero (Aero Glass), a new User Interface look. Aero has a translucent glass-like look and takes advantage of hardware accelerated graphics. Like the Macintosh Aqua look, Aero is designed to make the UI more pleasant to work with – and/or to be just plain “cool looking.” Although most beta testers liked the Aero look, one commented that they were glad you could still select the classic look.

There have also been many operational changes to the UI. For instance, the Start menu has been reworked so that the user doesn’t have to go through numerous cascading menus. Instead, the menus expand and contract in place – when you mouse over an item that has a submenu. Also, when you mouse over icons on the taskbar a live preview (image of actual icon contents) will appear. The application switcher (Alt-Tab) still exists but now users can use the Windows key and the Tab key activates a “3D” version application switcher which has additional features.

Improved Search Capabilities
Another of the originally promised features was improved search capabilities. Users will find that Vista has a considerably improved search system. Users should no longer find it necessary to use add-on desktop search programs from Google or Yahoo.

The new Windows search engine uses indexing and for instant search results. It also allows the user to search from just about anywhere: the Start Menu, Windows Explorer, or any Window. And, as you type in your search phrase it starts showing hits immediately and refines the list as you continue typing. Finally, it allows the user to do particularly specific searches.

Improved Security
Palladium, which was to be improved security architecture, was another promised feature. This has also been incorporated in Vista. In addition to many “under the hood” kernel level changes, users will note many new security features.

One that many users (especially laptop users) will appreciate is the BitLocker hard drive encryption. This encrypts the entire hard drive. This will keep data safe if the computer is stolen or hard drive removed.

Vista also includes an anti-spyware program, Windows Defender, which you can currently download for Windows XP. The Windows firewall has also been improved – the user has much more control of the settings and the firewall now handles both inbound and outbound data.  

Vista also attempts to improve security through User Account Control (UAC) with attempts to keep users from working at the administrative user level all the time (as most users do on Windows XP). The idea is to have (force) users to log in as a standard user and then ask them to sign in as an administrator when they need to make “administrator level changes” to settings. In theory, this is a good idea. However, beta testers found it to be annoying. Than again, most users don’t need to get into system settings as often as beta testers do.

Internet Explorer 7
Early on in the Vista development cycle there was talk of improvements to Internet Explorer in terms of new features and security. With Internet Explorer 7 Microsoft has added features like a tabbed browser (as found on Firefox and Internet Explorer add-ons). IE 7 also adds anti-spoofing and anti-phishing capabilities and a “shrink to print” feature that automatically shrinks a web page so they print correctly on your printer. Other new features include zoom capability, overall improved ease of use, and a built in RSS reader.

Internet Explorer 7 also includes a number of security improvements. The major change is how it works in relation to Windows. It is no longer directly tied into the operating system. Instead it runs “in its own space” using temporary files. This should fix many of the security issues.

Windows Explorer
As you might expect, if Internet Explorer was changed than Windows Explorer was probably changed also.  One of the major changes is the use of live icons (and reading panes), where the user can see the actual contents of an icon. This makes it much easier to find the document you’re looking for.

Windows Explore also features an expandable directory list. This is a nice feature that provides a “trail” of directories to allow the user to follow their path from directory to directory.

Windows Mail
The Vista release also includes a revision to Outlook Express called Windows Mail. Don’t expect to see major changes here. Many of the changes have to do with improving the filing/storage capabilities. There is a nice incremental search window, where items drop out as you type more letters. Windows Mail has also added phishing and spam filters.

So Many Other Changes

As mentioned earlier, Vista includes many changes and added features. They can’t all be covered here, but here is a list of additional features that should be of interest to most readers:

SideShow:  A neat feature. Sideshow allows you to access your laptop, even if it is powered down, using a small secondary display, such as found on wireless phones, Sideshow allows the user to view contact info, calendar information, or email subject information without having to boot the computer.

ReadyBoost: Allows Windows to use USB storage drives to improve system performance.

Easy Transfer:  A new program designed to allow users to easily transfer data from their old computer to their new computer.

A New Media Player:  The next version of Media Player comes with Vista and includes a new UI which allows more drag and drop operations, the cut and pasting of album covers, and so on.

Windows DVD Maker: An easy to use program to make DVDs.

Photo Manager: Provides much more control over Photos than the (basic) Phone Viewer included with XP. Vista also adds program which is like the Macintosh iPhoto application.

Mobility Center: Vista organizes all mobility related features into one UI.

Calendar: Vista adds a standard calendar program. This will be more of value to home users who don’t have MS Outlook.

Networking: Windows Networking has been rewritten and should provide a much improved networking experience. The networking UI has also been changed, which means users will have to re-learn using the network UI. 

Indigo/Windows Communications Foundation: Improved communications system, via .NET technologies. For more info: WCF

System Requirements

There has been a lot of misinformation about Vista’s systems requirements. You’ll find there isn’t that much of a change. If the system you bought in the past few years isn’t Vista ready adding memory and maybe a graphics card should be all that is needed.

Preferred System Requirements

• 1 GHz Intel-compatible processor (Minimum requirement: 800 MHz)


• 1GB RAM (Minimum requirement: 512 MB RAM)


• DirectX 9.0-Capable Graphics Processor, with 128MB graphics memory.

The graphics card is needed for Aero, but you don’t have to have it. Vista just won’t run the graphics intensive Aero effects if your computer has lesser video capabilities.

Vista At Last

So there you have it – Vista after all these years and all the changes and redefinitions. The question is: will users be inclined to move to Vista? I think many will. Vista gives the user a lot of incentives to try it, between the operating system improvements, improved/added features, and new applications. I am sure that a number of users will get Vista just for the Aero – for the appearance and UI improvements.

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