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Here are some frequently asked questions (FAQs) regarding Windows Vista. All answers believed correct at time of posting. These are constantly being added and updated, so if you have any other questions you'd like to have answered, please use the contact us link button.

So what is Vista?
Windows Vista is a new operating system from Microsoft, just like Windows XP, Windows 98, Linux or Mac OSX (and many more).

When Will Vista be released?
Vista has been delayed again and again, but is finally due to be released at the start of 2007.

What different versions of Vista will there be?
There will be five different versions of Vista, these are: Home Basic, Home Premium, Business, Enterprise and Ultimate. They will all have different ranges of features, and be aimed at different users.

Why is it called Vista?
A personal vista is said to be given to all those who use Windows Vista, it is set to bring clarity to your world, to use the Vista slogan. Other names such as Windows Seven, Windows 2006 and small numbers of letters (like XP and ME) were considered, but Vista was thought to give the right impression of the product. I think they didn't called it after a year because they didn't know how far back it was going to be delayed.

Is Vista all new, or built on something else?
Vista was originally going to be built on Windows XP, but then Microsoft realised that Windows Server 2003 (which was only for networks) was a better and more stable operating system to work from, so they used that instead. However, they have rewritten almost all of it, so is isn't just a little bit added on top, its all new

Will I be able to use Vista easily?
Windows Vista will work quite a lot like Windows XP, using a similar interface. However a lot of features have been changed, and a lot more have been added, so it may take a bit of getting used to. The server features from Windows Server 2003 will not be included in Vista, they are going into a separate server operating system?

What about a server version of Vista?
Microsoft are also working on a server operating system, currently still codenamed "Longhorn Server" (Vista used to be codenamed "Longhorn"). It is likely that this will be renamed to Windows Server 2007, following the strict pattern that Microsoft have adopted for their server operating systems. Every four years a major Server OS is released, and named after that year. Two years after each of these releases a second version, R2 (or Release 2), will be brought out. The R2 releases will be smilar to XP Service Pack 2, but will consist of more than just a few updates. Windows Server 2003 R2 was released in 2005. This means we should see a Windows Server 2007 in 2007, and an R2 of that in 2009.

Can I geta a beta version of Vista now?
Only real Microsoft beta testers and some developers are sent copies, but if you subscribe to MSDN or Technet (parts of the Microsoft website that you have to pay to access) you can download some of the betas. However, a beta of Windows Vista will be available to the public in a couple of months (around May).

Can't I just download Vista off a torrent or P2P program?
No. Although there are some methods of obtaining Vista without going through Microsoft, these are illegal and you should not download these. Not only that, but you often do not know if what you are download is real, and you are putting your computer at risk if you are not extremely careful. We advise you to avoid these applications and methods - it's a lot safer.

What's new in Vista?
Vista has a new version of Explorer, which is the interface used to control your computer. It has new ways of browsing through your documents, a redesigned start menu, a new sidebar with lots of gadgets in it, and some new applications such as Windows Media Player 11, Internet Explorer 7 and Windows Defender. Behind all this is masses of new and rewritten code, which really Makes Vista special.

Will I need to upgrade to Vista?
Not neccessarily. You can always continue using your existing machine, software, hardware and games if you wish. However much new software and games are only going to be made for Vista, since that does work differently and it takes a long time to make it compatible with more than one type of operating system.

Should I just wait for Vista now?
If you're looking for a new home PC now, it wouldn't be sensible to wait until proper Vista computers are around and cheap enough to buy. Most new computers now will be capable of running Vista when it is released, but some average computers may need a new graphics card to fully be able to appreciate all the new features and effects in Vista.

Will Vista be 32-bit or 64-bit?
Microsoft will ship each version of Vista with both 32-bit and 64-bit compatibility, but not 16-bit anymore. This means that most XP software should work fine with Vista, but older MS-DOS applications probably won't.

How much will Vista cost?
Microsoft have not yet decided or announced any prices for Windows Vista, but at a rough guess, the home versions will cost between £100 ($150) and £300 ($500). That is my personal estimation based on past software prices, and totally unfounded on anything Microsoft have said about Vista.

Is Vista really worth all this fuss
Yes. Vista represents a departure from what we've been used to and had to put up with for too long. Windows XP is five years old now, and it is time Microsoft gave us something new. Vista is gonna be cool, and everybody who wants to play new PC games will have to use it eventually because its so different. It's going to be good, but maybe not the most fantastic thing imaginable, mainly because Microsoft are still trying to squeeze too much useless stuff in.

What will come after Windows Vista?
"Vienna" is the codename for the next operating system planned for after Vista. Set for release after/around 2010, it is going to be completely different from anything we've experience before. It is going to be an amalgamation of all the good stuff from every operating system thrown into one boat, and have enough new innovation and imagination thrown in to make it sink.

From: vistasector.com