Windows Vista
Windows Vista is an operating system with different marketing editions. This Operating System was developed by Microsoft to be used on personal computers including laptops, tablet PC’s, media center PCs, as well as desktops.
Windows Vista was developed in November 2006 despite being announced in the year 2005. Over a period of about 3 years, the Operating System was released in stages to computer software and hardware manufacturers, retail channels, and also business customers.
Windows Vista carries a variety of new features which include graphical user interface; which are updated and also visual style dubbed Aero which is a resigned function of search, tools of multimedia like Windows DVD maker and redesigned print, audio, as well as display sub-systems. The main goal of Vista is to increase the level of communication on a network for the purpose of media and file sharing between computers and devices. This is facilitated by the use of peer-to-peer technology. Some better versions of Windows like the 3.0 version of the .NET Framework provides software developers with ability to write applications without the traditional Windows APIs.
Unlike other Operating Systems like the Windows XP and their related predecessors which are vulnerable to malware, buffer overflows, and viruses, Windows Vista takes very strong security measures to protect the computer from attacks. As much as Vista has these important features and positive reviews, there are existing criticisms from the press and also competitors which they use to show the disadvantages of using Vista. These demerits may include high requirements by the system as well as restrictions in terms of licensing to copy the protected digital media.
Windows Vista is also not compatible with a majority of the application software and even some pre-Vista hardware. These problems have led to low rates for the Windows Vista; these rates turn out to be even lower than those for Windows XP. Windows Vista has a number of predecessors which do not have functionalities or even features of the original Vista. Windows Aero is one of them and it has the new hardware-based graphical user interface. The intention of Microsoft was to make the interface clean compared to other versions of the Windows.
Windows Shell is another one that if different from the shell found in Windows XP because it offers new organization navigation range and also capabilities of searching. However, Windows Vista comes with a number of application programs including Windows sidebar for placing desktop gadgets, Windows Internet Explorer, Windows Media Player for music and video functions, back-up and restore for scheduling routine back-ups, Windows Mail which has replaced the existing Outlook Express for storing new mails as well as improving stability. Other important features of Windows Vista are Windows Calendar, Windows Photo Gallery to manage movie library applications, Windows DVD Maker for creating DVD’s basing on the content of the user. Windows Vista also has games and game explorer. Windows Vista has grown and is now targeting businesses, market, and consumers, with editions that vary in catering for specific sub-markets.
