Windows Vista

Windows Vista is the latest release of Microsoft Windows. With the beginning of the New Year came new software and Windows Vista hit consumer desks. Prior to its announcement on July 22, 2005, Windows Vista was known by its codename “Longhorn”. Development was completed on November 8, 2006 but only hit consumer desks on January 30, 2007. It is available for purchase and downloading from Microsoft’s website. It has been 5 years since the release of the last Windows version, the predecessor Windows XP, making it the longest time span between any two Windows versions.

And as with anything else, this version is bigger and better. After waiting five years, it had better be! Windows Vista contains hundred of new features such as updated graphical user interface (GUI) and visual style dubbed Windows Aero, improved searching features, new multimedia creation tools such as Windows DVD Maker, and completely redesigned networking, audio, print, and display sub-systems. Vista also aims to increase the level of communication between machines on a home network using peer-to-peer technology, making it easier to share files and digital media between computers and devices.

The main aim of Vista however, is to improve the state of security in the Windows operating system as this has been a criticism of previous software, such a XP. Their commonly exploited security vulnerabilities and overall susceptibility to malware, virus and buffer overflows has been a problem that should hopefully be ironed out by Vista. Although, there has already been criticism of Vista as well, referring to protracted development time, more restrictive licensing terms, the inclusion of a number of new digital rights management technologies aimed at restricting the copying of protected digital media, and the other new features such as user account control.

I guess we’ll have to wait and see how quickly Vista replaces XP in homes and offices!