Vista Versions - Page 3

As the name suggests, this is the edition aimed at business users, and is comparable to XP Professional / Tablet PC Edition. It includes most of the features of Home Premium, except for Windows Media Center, Parental Controls, and Windows DVD and Movie Maker HD (the normal version of Movie Maker is still included).

In exchange for these features, the Business edition adds:

• the ability to join domains,
• extra network management functionality,
• compatibility with non-Microsoft networking protocols (Netware, SNMP, etc.),
• the 'full' Remote Desktop,
• the latest version of Microsoft's IIS web server, v7.0,
• Encrypted File System (EFS) support,
• Windows ShadowCopy ('previous versions'),
• Fax support.

The 64-bit version of Vista Business also supports over 128GB of system memory, while the 64-bit version of Home Premium only supports 16GB. Many IT professionals trying to decide upon the next operating system for their home computer may find this edition of Vista more desirable than Home Premium, owing to the improved networking capabilities, the built-in web server, and the inclusion of the EFS/ShadowCopy technologies.

Windows Vista Enterprise

This edition is aimed at the larger enterprise segment of the market, and builds upon the features found in the business version. As such, this version is only available via volume license to Software Assurance (SA) customers (hence the lack of a shiny box!).

As well as the features found in the Business edition, Vista Enterprise add the following functionality:

• A bundled Virtual PC application and a license to run four virtual operating system sessions (enabling the user to run a legacy application on an older operating system on top of Vista Enterprise). This might be of interest to users with applications that cannot be easily migrated to Windows Vista, although the value of this is questionable considering VMWare's VMWare player is free to use, not to mention Microsoft's own Virtual PC application, which is also now free (although I'm sure they'll add restrictions to the installer for Vista users!),
• Multilingual user interface (MUI) support, allowing organizations to build a deployment image of Vista that can be used worldwide, as well as PCs that simultaneously offer different interface languages for different users,
• Windows BitLocker Drive Encryption; a hardware-based data encryption technology that encrypts the entire hard drive to protect sensitive data,
• A Subsystem for UNIX-based Applications (SUA), which enables the users to run UNIX applications unaltered on a Vista Enterprise PC (removing the need for an additional UNIX workstation to run such programs).

With additional data protection technologies, and MUI/ UNIX application support, Vista Enterprise should meet the needs of the largest global organizations, and companies with complex IT infrastructures.

Windows Vista Ultimate

It's impossible to compare this version of Vista to any edition of XP, since nothing like Vista Ultimate has ever existed before. Vista Ultimate combines all the features of the Home Premium and Enterprise editions, as well as a 'Game Performance Tweaker' (WinSAT), and special online 'Ultimate Extras' (which even now haven't been completely decided upon, but are likely to include free entertainment software, custom themes, and 'preferred' support for the operating system).

It may sound like the Ultimate edition doesn't add much when compared to the other editions, but let's remember: it's adding EVERYTHING from the Home Premium and Enterprise editions together into one massive product!

This is going to be the most desirable version of Vista, and the one to go for if you want all the best business features, all the best mobility features, and all the best home entertainment features in one product.

**Check back soon to read the full article which will discuss in detail what's new in Vista, what's stayed the same compared to XP, problems you might encounter when upgrading to the new operating system, tweaks that can make using Vista a little easier/faster, and my thoughts on how Vista might have an effect on your day to day life, for the better and for the worse.

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Article Navigation:

• Introduction
• A Flavour of Vista for Everyone
• Windows Vista Starter
• Windows Vista Home Basic
• Windows Vista Home Premium
• Windows Vista Business
• Windows Vista Ultimate