Microsoft Windows Day 2024 is on Sunday, November 10, 2024: Microsoft Windows question?

Sunday, November 10, 2024 is Microsoft Windows Day 2024. CVE-2013-5065: Microsoft Windows XP and Server 2003 Privilege ... in Windows XP and Windows

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The latest version of Windows is Windows Vista and it comes in several different flavours.

You'll probably want Windows Vista Home Premium (it contains a few extra features compared to basic) but you could just get Windows Vista Home Basic (which is cheaper, but lacks the eye candy, the shinyness and some other added goodies).

If you want the latest and the greatest, get Windows Vista Ultimate (which can be quite expensive).

The best places are probably NewEgg (www.newegg.com) or other online retailers like that. Even cheaper could be your nearest college (though you'll probably need to be a student to buy it from the college store.) Alot of universities and colleges have excellent pricing on Vista.

EDIT: I noticed you asked about advantages and disadvantages: Vista is new, and it contains alot of bugs and little problems. It also has its own little annoying quirks and things.

If you're gonna get Vista, I'd probably get Home Premium (I think the best value for money Vista flavour). Personally though, I'd stick with Mac OS X, unless there's a particular reason you need Windows/Windows Vista.

Also, if you're looking for a cheapish way to get Windows, and don't really need the latest/greatest, or the bugs and quirks will annoy you particularly, then you could get Windows XP or even Windows 2000. You can find XP pretty cheap, and 2000 is just about free these days.

And still on the topic of disadvantages, Windows is susceptible to viruses and the like where the Mac is not (because OS X is more secure, or because OS X just isn't targeted like Windows is).

EDIT 2: Vista is also quite a resource pig - it takes up lots of space and wants alot of RAM (at least 1 gig, I've seen Vista on 512 MB - not pretty)). XP and 2000 don't have such a piggish issue.

And neither Vista nor OS X (though both are getting better) are made for gamers. XP is much better in that department. Though Vista does have Halo for it now or will shortly.

Looking for customer reviews for Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium Upgrade Family Pack?

* Microsoft Windows 7 Family Pack contains a single license for Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium that can be installed on up to 3 PCs.

* Windows 7 Home Premium (includes 32-bit & 64-bit versions) makes it easy to create a home network and share all of your favorite photos, videos, and music--you can even watch, pause, rewind, and record TV

* Make the things you do every day easier with improved desktop navigation

* Start programs faster and more easily, and quickly find the documents you use most often

* Make your web experience faster, easier and safer than ever with Internet Explorer 8

* Easily create a home network and connect your PCs to a printer with HomeGroup

* UK English

Manufacturer's Description

Microsoft Windows 7 Family Pack (PC DVD) contains a single license for Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium that can be installed on up to 3 PCs.

Windows 7 Home Premium makes it easy to create a home network and share all of your favourite photos, videos and music. You can even watch, pause, rewind and record TV. Get the best entertainment experience with Windows 7 Home Premium.

32-bit or 64-bit? For your convenience, every copy of Windows 7 Home Premium includes both 32-bit and 64-bit discs.

For more information on installing Windows 7, browsing the internet with Windows 7 and more, take a look at our Frequently Asked Questions.

Is Home Premium right for you? Make sure with our Windows 7 comparison chart.

More work, more play and more of everything in between. Click to enlarge.

Manage lots of open programs, documents and browser windows easily with thumbnail and full-screen previews of open windows. Click to enlarge.

With Snap you can arrange two windows side-by-side just by dragging them to opposite sides of your screen. Click to enlarge.

Open files you use regularly in just two clicks with Jump Lists on the improved taskbar.

The best entertainment experience on your PC

Easiest Windows to use ever

* Simplify your PC with new navigation features like Aero Shake, Jump Lists and Snap

* Customise Windows to look and feel the way you like by changing themes and taskbar programs

* Setting up a home network and connecting to printers and devices is easier than ever

* Windows 7 Home Premium supports the latest hardware and software

It's faster

* Designed to make your PC sleep and resume quicker

* Takes full advantage of 64-bit PC hardware and memory

* Connecting to wireless networks is fast and easy

Best PC entertainment experience

* Watch, pause, rewind and record TV with Windows Media Center

* Blu-ray read/write support for data files

* Includes integrated video and Dolby audio codecs

* Offers large screen support

Simplifies Everyday Tasks

Simple to use

Preview

Manage lots of open programs, documents and browser windows easily with thumbnail and full-screen previews of open windows.

Pin

Open files and get around your PC faster with the improved taskbar. You can easily pin programs you use often to the taskbar and launch them in just one click.

Windows 7 lets you peek behind open windows to get a quick look at your desktop. Click to enlarge.

Instantly locate and open virtually any file on your PC right from the Start menu with Windows Search. Click to enlarge.

Jump Lists

Open files you use regularly in just two clicks with Jump Lists on the improved taskbar.

Snap

Windows 7 has simple new ways to manage open windows. For example, with Snap you can arrange two windows side-by-side just by dragging them to opposite sides of your screen.

Peek and Shake

Windows 7 lets you peek behind open windows to get a quick look at your desktop.

Windows Search

Instantly locate and open virtually any file on your PC, from documents to emails to songs, right from the Start menu, with Windows Search.

Easy to connect

Setting up wireless connections is easier with consistent, one-click connections to available networks. Click to enlarge.

Windows Touch makes PCs with touch screens easier and more intuitive to use. Click to enlarge.

Turn your PC into a TV with Windows Media Center, and enjoy your favorite videos and music with Windows Media Player. Click to enlarge.

Wireless setup

With Windows 7, setting up wireless connections is easier with consistent, one-click connections to available networks, whether those networks are based on Wi-Fi, mobile broadband, dial-up or corporate VPN.

HomeGroup

Connect Windows 7 PCs on a home network in just four clicks and easily get to the photos, music and files on each one--even shared printers--with HomeGroup.

Easy to browse the web

Microsoft Windows 8 Question?

Yes Windows 8 Consumers Preview has been out and available for beta testers for a few days now. However, if your Windows 7 is doing well, I strongly suggest that you stay away from the beta version of Windows 8 unless you have a spare computer to play with. It's too buggy and as expected, it crashes on a lot of applications that aren't ready for Windows 8 yet. Some wifi drivers don't work as well so they can't connect to the internet.

A lot of dumb users who replaced their Windows 7 with the beta version of Windows 8 without giving much thought are now faced with the problem of how to go back to their Windows 7 as Windows 8 wiped out their recovery partition. Now, they are forced to buy the Windows 7 recovery disc from their computer manufacturers or install a fresh copy of Windows 7. If you are brave enough like me and have another computer to try it on then go ahead and get the feel of Windows 8.

If you don't have a spare computer but you still want to try it out, make sure you create a complete system image of your hard drive to a couple of DVDs. This is what those idiots failed to do before they took the plunge. Now they have to pay the price, especially if they've lost their Windows 7 product key.

@Marcus, you don't need a touch screen for Windows 8. Click on the screen, hold it and drag the mouse just as you swipe with your fingers on a touch screen.