Windows Vista

Windows Vista, the descendant of Windows XP, is the latest Microsoft operating system for personal computers (released January 30, 2007). Taking increasing hard drive sizes into account, Vista focuses more on organization and search capabilities. Security, which has become a major concern in recent years, has also been updated in Vista. Vista’s new features include improved desktop searching, Windows Mail, DVD Maker, and automatic backups.

There are six different editions of Vista. Each addition is targeted at a particular sector of the home consumer and business market. Four editions of Vista are targeted towards the home consumer: Home Basic, Home Premium, Business, and Ultimate. When you are purchasing Vista edition, make sure the edition you buy can do everything you want it to. You can find more information about the Vista editions on the Microsoft Web site.

What is an Operating System?

You can think of your computer as being made up of three main components: hardware, software, and the operating system. The hardware is the physical body of your computer. The software consists of programs that allow you to accomplish tasks with your computer. The operating system acts as a mediator between the hardware and software, allowing them to talk to each other.