More on Windows Vista

If you are going to run Windows Vista, I would recommend buying a separate video card with at least 256 megs of ram.

Depending on the Vista version you have, a card is required for many features to run correctly.
In the full version, each window that you open is actually stored in video memory while it is running.

Therefore, you need a Windows Vista compatible video card or you will get error messages or things will run slowly.

If I had a business and were buying a new machine, I would stick with Windows XP for awhile until the industry get drivers for many of the devices that you will want to run on Vista.

You can always upgrade later though it will cost you a bit extra.

Many devices including printers, modems, etc. will not now run on Vista until the drivers are updated by the companies that make them.

Windows Vista

We have been working with the new Windows Vista program for about a week now and, as usual with new Microsoft products, found it frustrating.

First, Microsoft has put out at least six different versions of the program.

Their purpose is to use different pricing for different markets in order to maximize profit.

The result is confusion as to which version to buy.

Second, in order to use their highest level version, most computers, even many of those bought in the last year, will have to be upgraded in order to run right.

The video card and ram will be two of the most common upgrades.

Third, new components installed off the self will probably not run without driver upgrades or in some instances complete new versions of the component.

For Example, a modem which we have used for years, starting with Windows 95, crashed Windows Vista when it was installed.

That being said, sooner or later you will have to go to Windows Vista.

From what I have read, it is a better and more secure operating system for the Internet environment.

Ironically, it mimics many features already found in Apple computers.

However, Microsoft rules the world and you will be forced to adopt.

Nevertheless, unless you are buying a new fully equipped computer and don’t intend to add components to it right away, I would wait awhile until all the little glitches are worked out and until the software and hardware companies develop components for the new operating system.

Backing Up

We all know that valuable data must be backed up. It can be lost in an instant.

I know of many instances where customers were working away on their computer and suddenly it froze and crashed.

Or they turned it off one day and the next pushed the button to start work and nothing appeared on the screen.

All data was lost. Some of it irreplaceable.

Fortunately, there is an excellent backup solution which will serve for most users.

Flash drives.

They are small thumb sized devices which plug into the USB port of the computer.

They come in different sizes and are steadily getting larger.

The beauty of flash drives is that unlike zip disks, tapes or even floppies, they don’t require any additional device such as a zip drive or tape drive to be installed in the computer.

You can just plug the flash drive into the USB port and the computer will recognize it as a part of the computer, giving it a drive letter such as “F”.

You can then simply copy your data to the “F” drive, and you are backed up.

If something happens to your data, you can plug your flash drive back into the USB port and restore it to your computer.

Remember, you only back up the data that is important to you: Word and Excel
documents, Quickbooks files, photos, e-mail, etc.

In case of a total crash, your programs and operating system can always be restored from their
original disks.

Back up.

Eventually, you will need it.