Vista - which version?

[charlesr]

Vista Ultimate, home basic, home premium....... It was bad enough knowing whether XP Pro was worth it over XP Home.

Exclusive to Windows Vista are Windows Ultimate Extras. These cutting-edge programs, innovative services, and unique publications provide a richer computing experience for Windows Vista Ultimate users. Windows Ultimate Extras currently available include:

Windows DreamScene, an Extra that enables you to use looped, full-motion video as your desktop wallpaper instead of a static image

Windows Hold?em, a poker game for players of all skill levels

Whoop de do. A poker game

As far as I can tell the only extra you get in ultimate over home premium is:

It also offers all of the features found in Windows Vista Business, including business networking, centralized management tools, and advanced system backup features.

I could probably sort my own backup. What's business networking and centralized management tools? Do I care?

[Number45]

The only Ultimate exclusive feature from what I can see is the Bitlocker drive encryption, which has limited use outside of security sensitive organisations I would think. As for the business tools, I can't imagine they'll be any use in the home unless you're running an AD somewhere?

Home Premium is likely to be the best for home use (Basically the Vista MCE equivalent), although standard Home should be fine if you're not interested in that functionality. Overclockers were selling the Home Premium OEM version for less than £80 if I recall. Bargain!

[Jei]

Home Premium OEM is less that £70 with free delivery from Ebuyer at the moment.

[ChrisF]

Don't forget that none of the Home versions contain Remote Desktop (afaik). Something that I find extremely useful and use day in, day out; to both RD from my mac laptop, downstairs, to my main PC upstairs and also sometimes I like to RD back home from work.

[Number45]

If that's a major problem but you don't want to stump up for the Ultimate/Business editions then there are plenty of free alternatives for RDP. VNC, for instance.

[ChrisF]

Good point Number45! I often forget about VNC!

Not sure if this is of any use Charles (or anyone having the dilema!), http://www.microsoft.com/windows/pro...ns/choose.mspx

I guess you've probably seen it before though?

[k0pp0]

http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1697,2068919,00.asp

[charlesr]

ta for the links.

and I use logmein.com for remote access. It's lovely.

[Supergoal]

I've talked about this on other forums but there is a little bugbear regarding choosing between 32 and 64bit versions. Even though many people now have 64bit CPUs it seems from what I can tell into it all absolutely no point in choosing the 64bit Vista version since supoort is woefully inadequate. Though I hear there is no performance difference between the versions, is this true?

I know in the near future, programmers will be on the 64bit boat but untill then...

Edit: yes and the RAM increase using the 64bit version.

[ChrisF]

I found a vast speed difference between the two! Unfortunately had to fall back to the 32bit version due to, as you mentioned, lack of driver support.

[Supergoal]

I found a vast speed difference between the two! Unfortunately had to fall back to the 32bit version due to, as you mentioned, lack of driver support.

What driver was that for? Someone has just this moment told me that the majority of software works perfectly well on 64bit?

[sj33]

I use Vista Home Premium 64-bit and have no issues at all. Everything I used to play in XP works lovely in Vista 64-bit, except for FFXI which they are working on a fix for.

Home Basic is crap and lacking key stuff like Aero, and Ultimate is pointless at it's pricepoint. There may not be a lot of 64-bit stuff right now but this will increase now 64-bit is being pushed with Vista, and basically all 32-bit stuff is fine.

My only complaint with 64-bit Vista so far is the fact that it refuses to install unsigned drivers.

[Magnakai]

Apparently there's a way you can get the Upgrade version to work clean, without overwriting your XP install.

I can't find the article right now, but it boils down to:

Install it clean and opt for the 30 day trial (i.e. untick "activate immediately.")

Find the little option in the menu somewhere that lets you do a clean reinstall of Vista.

Use that to reinstall it (so you're effectively installing it twice.)

Then apparently you're home free. Guess that means you can save £100 or so by just getting the Upgrade version.

I have an old 400Mhz G4 Mac laptop so I'm not exactly about to try it or anything, but thought it might come in handy.

[sj33]

Mind you, I bought the Home Premium OEM, which was only £78 total anyway.

[lostn]

Wait, I thought Upgrade versions let you do a clean install off a newly formatted drive, as long as you supply an old windows CD during setup? That's how it's always been.

There's no reason to get Full over upgrade, if you don't mind the minor inconvenience of inserting an old windows CD before you install (takes 10 secs).