Question: When was Windows Vista released?
Answer: For manufactures, Windows Vista was released on November 8, 2006. For consumers, it was released on January 13, 2007.
Question: What different editions are there regarding Windows Vista?
Answer: There are 6 different editions of Windows Vista which include Starter, Home Basic, Home Premium, Business, Enterprise, and Ultimate.
Question: Can I play older games that were made for earlier versions of Windows on Windows Vista?
Answer: Most games that were made for earlier versions of Windows will run on Windows Vista. Some might have a few minor problems while some might not even install. But for the most part, the majority of the games out there will work.
Question: Is Windows Vista worth the upgrade?
Answer: In some people’s eyes, it is not worth the upgrade. For others, it is. Upgrading from an earlier version of Windows is all about what you want. If you desire more speed and greater performance, you’ll probably want to still with Windows XP or another version of Windows. But if you want the latest gaming technology, best security, and other things, then upgrade to Windows Vista.
Question: What are the Windows Vista Capable and Windows Vista Premium Ready requirements?
Answer: Windows Vista Capable machines require a modern 32-bit or 64-bit 800MHz processor, 512MB of RAM, and a graphics card that is DirectX 9 compatible. The only other requirements are a 40GB hard drive with 15GB of free space and also a CD-ROM drive. Windows Vista Premium Ready machines require a 32-bit or 64-bit processor, 1GB of RAM, and a graphics card that is DirectX 9 capable with a pixel shader of version 2 or greater. A 40GB hard drive with 15GB of free space, DVD-ROM drive, audio output capability, and internet access are also needed.
Question: Is the setup of Windows Vista any faster than previous versions of Windows?
Answer: On most computers, yes, it is and by a pretty good margin. Windows Vista, on the average computer, installs around 5-20% faster than previous versions of Windows would install on the same computer.
Question: Are there any new fonts included in Windows Vista?
Answer: Yes, there are. In total, there are around 20 new fonts added to Windows Vista. Some of these are English while others are in various foreign languages.
Question: Can I buy any version of Windows Vista that I want?
Answer: No, you can not. Only 4 of the 6 versions are actually buyable by consumers. Consumers can buy Home Basic, Home Premium, Business, and Ultimate. Starter edition is not sold by itself and only comes on manufactured computers. Enterprise edition is only available to enterprises and very large businesses.
Question: Are the security features any better in Windows Vista than previous versions of Windows?
Answer: Yes, they are. Windows Defender, which controls spyware and keyloggers, is included and the Windows Firewall has also been updated. The coding area in Windows Vista is also harder for hackers to get through. Instead of having about 3 or 5 parts of code to get through, Windows Vista randomizes the code into 256 parts. This alone makes it much harder to crack into Windows Vista than any other Windows operating system before it.
Question: Is there a way to modify the interface?
Answer: Yes, there are a few ways to. If you can run the Aero interface, you can modify the transparency level of the Aero effect and you can also choose from about 10 different colors of the windows. If you want to run, or are forced to run the basic version of Aero due to your computer specifications, there really aren't many options to modify the look of the interface. And if you so desire, you can make Windows Vista look like Windows 2000.
Question: Are there any changes to audio or audio options in Windows Vista?
Answer: Yes, there are. In Windows Vista, there is new code for the audio stack allowing higher quality audio and accuracy. As far as options, you can now adjust the level of sound you would like to hear from each application that is running as well as the main volume level.
Question: What is the games folder?
Answer: The new games folder keeps tracked of what games are installed. From the games folder, you can launch your games, set parental control for restricting playing time, and also view ERSB information.
Question: Are there actually more animations in Windows Vista than previous versions of Windows?
Answer: Yes, there are a few more. When you close a window, it fades away instead of just closing. When you minimize a window, it not only minimizes like previous versions of Windows but it also fades as it is doing it. And when opening new dialog boxes, the window falls in or falls out of the interface.
Question: Is Windows Vista, in general, any faster than Windows XP?
Answer: It both is and it isn’t. On older systems, you’ll find that Windows Vista runs slower than Windows XP. On the average computer of today, you will see that the performance is about the same. But if you have a computer that is made for gaming or other high technological uses and it beats the Windows Vista Premium Ready requirements, you will usually find that Windows Vista will run slightly faster than Windows XP would run.
Question: What is User Account Control and how does it work?
Answer: User Account Control is a new system developed by Microsoft for Windows Vista that basically asks you for permission before you can take any action other than the simplest ones. This protects you from spyware and malware that can install itself onto your computer without your knowledge.
Question: Has speech synthesis been improved in Windows Vista?
Answer: Yes, it has. Microsoft Sam has now been replaced with more naturally speaking voice named Microsoft Anna. Microsoft Anna still sounds like a computer and makes small mistakes, but is much better than Microsoft Sam at pronunciation of words and overall clarity.
Question: Does Windows Vista natively support new physical disk formats such as HD-DVD and Blu-ray?
Answer: Yes and no. Windows Vista supports the compatibility for HD-DVDs but it can not play them without third party software. As for Blu-ray discs, Windows Vista does not have any native support for these types of discs.
Question: Does Windows Vista play games any faster than Windows XP?
Answer: The average user may think that Windows Vista plays games somewhat faster than Windows XP, but it is technically the other way around. Since Windows Vista has a lot more to display and run in the background than Windows XP does, games on average, run about 5% percent slower on Windows Vista. Though with some games, they run slightly faster on Windows Vista than on Windows XP because of certain technology inside of the game or hardware installed in the computer.
Question: Has connecting to hotspots and wireless networks gotten any easier than it was in Windows XP?
Answer: Yes, it has. With Windows Vista, you can see the connection information of the hotspot or wireless network without actually connecting to it. This can potentially save you from connecting to a slow connection. You can also save your network connections so that when ever you are in range of them, they automatically connect.
Question: Is it safe to disable User Account Control?
Answer: It is both safe and unsafe at the same time. Unless your computer tries to install unwanted or unknown software or you visit websites that potentially could have spyware or malware on them, it is practically safe to disable UAC. But if your computer, for some reason, tries to install unwanted or unknown software, it could be unsafe to have UAC disabled.
Question: Is the search function any better in Windows Vista than previous versions of Windows?
Answer: Yes, by far. Windows Vista has extremely fast search abilities. You can sort your searches by date, name, file type, file size, and other options. The search is also located in almost every aspect of Windows Vista including Windows Explorer and the Start Menu.
Question: What is Windows Flip 3D?
Answer: Windows Flip 3D a new feature put into Windows Vista to help you select the window that you want to view when you have many different windows open at one time. This feature is also widely accepted as the new alt-tab feature found in earlier versions of Windows, such as Windows XP.
Question: When was Service Pack 1 released for Windows Vista?
Answer: Service Pack 1 was released to manufactures on February 4, 2008. Most consumers were able to download the update around April 15, 2008.
Question: What features were included in SP1?
Answer: Both previously released and new patches, fixes, and other updates were included. The Windows kernel has been brought up to date to version 6.1, which is also in Windows Server 2008. The Kernel Patch Protection feature was changed and now includes a set of application programming interfaces. Other small things were also changed due to Service Pack 1.
© 2008 Ediseye
Updated on June 13, 2008 at 12:32 EST
