So far, Vista looks good

Much of the recent buzz in the computer world has been about the upcoming release of Microsoft Windows Vista, the successor and replacement for Windows XP.

Some of the talk has centered about Microsoft's fabled missed shipping dates (the company seems incapable of hitting its self-announced deadlines) and some has been about Vista's new features.

The missed date issue is huge; computer makers had been counting on a release date before Christmas so lots of people would run out and buy new computers. However, Microsoft says it will miss the holiday season in 2006 and will release Vista in the first quarter of 2007.

Regardless, I received a pre-release "beta" version of Vista from Microsoft and can share some first impressions in the next few columns.

Let's start with the installation.

First, users will need a serious PC to take advantage of the system to its fullest extent. No more $299 units from Dell if you want the graphical improvements that Vista brings forth.

The Vista Web site (www.microsoft.com/vista/) will share the complete system requirements as they evolve, but already Microsoft is dividing the world into two camps: your PC could be "Vista Capable" or "Vista Premium Ready." The former means your PC will run Vista but in a lesser video mode when compared with "Vista Premium" PCs, which will be capable of using "Windows Aero," the latest cool graphical interface.

Clearly the goal should be to experience Aero, which brings with it a rather stunning level of graphics for an operating system. The PC to run it will be hefty: a one gig processor or more, 1 gig of system memory (minimum), a graphics card with at least 128 MB of video memory on board and a DVD-ROM drive. (Vista ships on a DVD.)

I can't judge the "real" installation by my experience with the beta version, which is not yet complete. I had to hustle a bit to find a few drivers for my video card and sound card, but that all will be resolved by the ship date. Based on what I am seeing, just make sure you have lots of hard drive space. (Microsoft recommends at least 40 GB with 15 gigs free just for Vista.)

One of the key features of Vista is increased security. You will select an administrator password during the install that holds the key to your PC. Like Macs have offered for years, the PC simply won't install most software, plugins or Web downloads without you physically entering this password.

It's designed, of course, to make the Windows platform more secure, and it is a good add-on.

My first impression on the initial boot is that Vista is beautiful, even in this pre-release version. Users are going to be impressed by the interface and the Aero experience, which brings with it a sort of semi-transparency that is very pleasing to the eye.

But does it work?

We'll have to explore that in the weeks coming up, but the short version is, yeah, pretty much.

WEEKLY WEB WONDER: If you want to read ahead, check out this walk-through of Vista at www.seewindowsvista.com.

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James Derk is co-owner of CyberDads, a computer repair company, and a computer columnist for Scripps Howard News Service. His e-mail address is jim@cyberdads.com.