RSM Resources

In the biggest revision to its Windows operating system in more than a decade, Microsoft will release Windows Vista in January 2007. Should your organization replace your existing Windows software with the new operating system?

Security and other updates

Microsoft claims that Vista’s biggest benefit is drastically improved security compared with forerunner Windows XP. For example, it contends that users will find less need to maintain add-on antivirus or other security software. One new security feature requires users to enter a password before installing any new software, preventing spyware and other types of hazards from installing themselves on your computer.

Vista also features improved desktop search. From any screen, you can type a search term, and Vista scours your hard disk for every document, photo,e-mail, song or other file that meets your search parameters. You can also save searches in "virtual folders," which automatically continue to collect files that your search specifies. For example, if you save a search for "Johnson RFQ" as a virtual folder, it will collect every file, e-mail or application containing that term and record every new instance of that term.

Another significant new feature is an improved user interface called Aero. A new graphics system enables Vista to offer transparent windows, animate certain screen elements and show live views of all your running programs at once.

Windows Vista also debuts several small new programs such as a calendar, weather updates and a stock ticker that run quickly in the computer’s background. Also new are music and video player software, a Web browser with tabbed browsing, a free e-mail program with junk-mail filters, and a photo-album program.

It’s worth noting that many of the new Windows Vista features are hallmarks of the Apple Mac OS X operating system, in use since early 2001. Still, they’ll be new to most Windows users.

Like past versions of Windows, Microsoft will sell Vista in two ways: The vast majority of users will buy a new PC with Vista preloaded at the factory, ensuring compatibility between hardware and software. A smaller percentage of business and consumer users will buy Vista in a box and upgrade their computers manually.

Deciding to upgrade

"I think of this more in terms of a business hardware purchase decision rather than a software or operating system issue," says Russell Morgan,president of Information Technology Solution Providers Alliance, a national not-for-profit organization of technology consultants. "From an absolute standpoint, you always have to make sure your operating system is supported by your software publisher. And, though Vista maybe able to run on your current computers, upgrading to Vista without determining if your hardware infrastructure can support it is inefficient at best."

Compatibility is an important deciding factor. Can your existing tools run on Windows Vista? Is it worth the effort to troubleshoot a new operating system? Microsoft is convinced that widespread compatibility issues won’t arise. Vista promotions tout the extensive real-world testing the new operating system supports.Several reports say up to 50,000 test versions of Windows Vista are in the hands of hardware and software developers around the world.

"I recommend that businesses give themselves at least six months to identify potential compatibility problems before considering a switch to Vista," Morgan says. "It’s really a combination of questions that must be answered whenever you consider upgrading a company operating system. Is your current operating system meeting your needs? Will that answer be the same in a year? What is your hardware maintenance schedule? If your computers are due to be upgraded in two years, perhaps it’s OK to wait until then to upgrade to Vista. What hardware and software tools does your business absolutely require? What additional features would add value to your operation?"

Another compatibility question to consider is whether your organization can convert all desktops to a new operating system at once — and, if not,can it support two operating systems such as Windows XP and Windows Vista at the same time? Any decision to upgrade operating systems on some of your desktops should address when you plan to upgrade all of your desktops, including hardware and software. Some organizations "downgrade" the operating systems on new PCs so everyone can use the same versions of various software programs on both old and new equipment.

Vista on the horizon

Windows XP and XP-compatible computing tools are the current standard, fully Microsoft-supported and bound to be viable for the foreseeable future. With that in mind, consider the following:

• You don’t need to buy Vista the day it becomes available, but don’t wait too long to learn about Windows Vista and how it may fit into your future business plans.
• The most efficient way to upgrade to Vista is to buy computers with the operating software preloaded. That way you can better plan your hardware purchases and rest assured that Vista will work well on your computers.
• Start thinking about how Vista features could change your employee’s work patterns and productivity. Also stay current with new compatible software releases such as the new Microsoft Office release coming right on the heels of Vista.

Upgrading your business’s operating system can be complex, so consider engaging atechnology consultant to help you make the right decisions. Make sure the consultant you choose for Vista implementation has significant experience working with Microsoft products. A qualified consultant can analyze your system, identify your needs, determine whether Vista would benefit your business and help develop an appropriate process forchange.