Microsoft Windows Vista and Your New PC

If you own a PC, notebook or desktop, the operating system is made by Microsoft and it’s a version of Windows. For home users, there was Windows95 then Windows98 and later Windows Millenium Edition. Windows XP was launched in 2002 and this more stable, user-friendly operating system has evolved over several incarnations to be the best operating system designed for home and business PC use. - Until now. January 2007 brings Microsoft Windows Vista.

An operating system is a vital part of your use of a PC. It helps you control everything that’s part of and connected to your PC. It works as a backbone to all your software and Internet applications. Microsoft Windows Vista is a collection of proprietary Microsoft applications that has evolved from earlier versions of Windows. Though it is included in all PC models released in 2007, it can also be added to your existing PC as an upgrade.

Microsoft is very aware that people are involved in the Internet but not just for general browsing. You use it to bank, buy, sell, trade, call, and share. You download music and video. You upload your music, photos, and video. Windows Vista adds better facilities to help you do all these things in a more secure environment – eliminating unwanted intrusions by spies or hackers. Windows Vista contains a number of new security features that, taken together, are designed to make Windows Vista-based PCs more secure and your online experiences safer. The improvements are designed to help you have:

1) A PC protected from viruses, worms, spyware, and other potentially unwanted software
2) A safer online experience for you and your family
3) An understanding of when your PC is unsafe, and the control and guidance to help improve your security.
Ultimately, you needn’t add additional Internet Security software because it’s built-in to Vista As a licensed, registered user of Vista, you are eligible for regular, automatic security upgrades sent to your PC directly from Microsoft.

At its core, though, Windows Vista works as a special invitation to those who have shied away from using a PC. It has been developed to be extremely user-friendly. It looks pretty and it allows you to customize it to fit many (if not all) of your needs. The visual sophistication of Windows Vista helps streamline your computing experience by refining common window elements so you can better focus on the content on the screen rather than on how to access it. The desktop experience is more informative, intuitive, and helpful. And 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.

Then, of course, are all the applications that you’re running simultaneously. Frankly, that could mean ‘information overload’ to anyone. So Vista helps you organize your desktop with a customizable Windows Sidebar that offers a variety of easy mini-applications and simple access to those apps and tools you enjoy using. The Vista desktop is totally new. It enables an intuitive, graphic approach that gives you 3D control over your fun, work, and overall needs.

A special Sleep state helps your notebook and desktop make most efficient use of energy while preserving your precious work. Sleep works in a different way on Windows Vista-based desktops than it does on Windows Vista-based laptops. When you turn off a Windows Vista-based desktop, all the documents, applications, and data that are currently in use are saved in two places. First, they are saved to the memory, or RAM, where they are quickly accessible (in Windows XP this was called Standby). Simultaneously, the information is saved to the computer’s hard disk (in Windows XP this was called Hibernate). In Sleep, Windows Vista simultaneously saves the current user information to both memory and the hard disk. On PC notebooks, you can enter the Sleep state by pressing the Power button or closing the laptop lid. Your data is saved to memory, letting you restart faster. As battery power winds down, Windows Vista quickly transitions the data to disk to help keep the data safe. Windows ReadyDrive enables Windows Vista PCs equipped with a hybrid hard disk to boot up faster, resume from hibernate in less time, preserve battery power, and improve hard disk reliability. Hybrid hard disks are a new type of hard disk, with integrated non-volatile flash memory. Windows Vista lets you resume use of your computer more quickly and reliably than previous versions of Windows.

PC users know that system memory (SDRAM) is very important. It’s better to have the most memory possible. Yet, sometimes, you need more for special situations. You also don’t want to open up your PC box to add more memory. That’s why Vista includes a convenient utility call ReadyBoost. Windows Vista introduces a new concept in adding memory to a system. Windows ReadyBoost lets users use a removable flash memory device, such as a USB thumb drive, to improve system performance without opening the box. Windows ReadyBoost can improve system performance because it can retrieve data kept on the flash memory more quickly than it can retrieve data kept on the hard disk, decreasing the time you need to wait for your PC to respond. Combined with SuperFetch technology, this can help drive impressive improvements in system responsiveness. Windows SuperFetch, a new technology in Windows Vista, allows applications and files to load much faster than on Windows XP-based computers. In previous versions of Windows, system responsiveness could be uneven.

This entry was posted by RNYK on Saturday, January 27th, 2007 at 9:00 am