Review: Top 5 Vista Features For VARs
on schedule to ship Windows Vista
Last week, Microsoft unveiled Vista Release Candidate 2, which stands to be the latest interim build before the product goes to manufacturing. So it's indeed safe to say that Vista is almost here.
But should the channel really care about Vista? Though Vista will bring much change to the operating system market, Windows XP has done an adequate job of fueling hardware sales and meeting the needs of the end user.
With that in mind, the CRN Test Center took a close-up look at Vista RC2 to come up with the top five features that VARs can highlight to drive upgrades and sales.
1. SECURITY
Microsoft has gone a long way to improve security with Vista. The product includes several technologies that better protect users from malware and other exploits.
The company has layered three tools that help to secure Vista from threats: Windows Defender; Windows Vista Firewall and the Malicious Software Removal Tool (MSRT). Basically, Defender protects against spyware, while the Vista Firewall keeps intruders at bay. MSRT cleans off any malware that may have slipped through the cracks.
Those security enhancements should help to make Vista more resilient against compromise. That said, solution providers still should offer antivirus solutions to supplement Vista's security.
2. HARDWARE SUPPORT
Vista includes thousands of hardware drivers on the installation media. That makes installs much easier and eliminates many of the manual setup tasks that installers would encounter with Windows XP.
Test Center engineers have thrown multiple hardware configurations at Vista, and RC2 has correctly identified and properly installed all of the hardware tested so far. What's more, if a driver isn'tt on the installation media for a particular piece of hardware, the installation process can automatically go on the Web and locate an appropriate driver.
3. USABILITY
Vista's new interface, especially Aero-Glass, offers users a cleaner view of the desktop. Users can quickly locate applications, find options and customize the desktop to their liking.
The ability to preview windows and quickly switch between tasks also brings productivity gains, and a new Windows Explorer offers a more unified look at the system. An improved start menu, too, avoids the clutter and cascading menus that were found in XP.
What's more, an integrated search capability eliminates the need for third-party search tools and can quickly locate documents, images and so on, based on content or metatag data.
NEXT: More key features in Vista RC2. 4. PERFORMANCE
Vista offers enhanced performance in several areas. The most notable: The system doesn't slow down over time. That slowdown was a common problem with XP and was caused by ill-behaved programs, spyware or just general clutter.
Vista prevents most of those problems by using enhanced security and, more important, limiting what users can change and install. For many installation and setup tasks, an administrator account is needed, which forces end users to seriously consider which applications are installed or changed. That helps to prevent those unknown bits of code to worm their way into the system.
Other performance boosts come from technologies such as SuperFetch, which automatically preloads frequently accessed applications in RAM so they load faster.
5. BUNDLED APPLICATIONS
Vista includes a slew of bundled applications that brings a great deal of value to the end user. The OS includes Windows Sidebar, Photo Gallery, Windows DVD Maker and Windows Calendar, all of which bring functionality to the desktop that was only previously available via third-party add-ons.
In addition, applications like Internet Explorer and Windows Media Player have been updated significantly in Vista, offering safer browsing and enhanced multimedia performance.
ALSO OF NOTE
Those five elements -- security, hardware support, usability, performance and bundled software -- top of the list of items that VARs can rattle off to answer the inevitable customer question, "What's better about Vista?". Yet solution providers will be pleased to know that those enhancements just scratch the surface of what's improved with the next-generation OS.
Vista users also will find better network support, integrated tablet PC features, Media Center capabilities and so on, all of which helps sweeten the pot for VARs and their customers.