Well Vista is finally here! This will be one of many articles I will blog about concerning the new Microsoft Windows Vista operating system (O/S).
To be perfectly clear, (for those that view this outside of the AALS libraries) I am writing this with the mindset for public libraries and not the typical corporate world.
According to dictionary.com the word vista is defined as " a view or prospect, especially one seen through a long, narrow avenue or passage; A far-reaching mental view" I find that to be appropriate as I try to explain a little about Vista today. To upgrade or not? It's a good question.
It would be natural for some to ask "I have Windows XP, should I upgrade to Vista within AALS libraries?" My response would be--"you could, but I wouldn't." At least not yet. Of course this is my personal opinion, you can do so if you wish. But here are my reasons why not.
- Windows XP has been for the most part a stable and robust O/S for years now when all the updates and service packs are applied properly. And the adage if it isn't broke, don't fix it should apply.
- Existing software or legacy (older) software products may not be compatible with Vista at this time. Most applications and software like anti-virus, Adobe, and Office software are expected to run just fine. And it is possible that your ILS software or other library related software programs will run too. But there is no guarantee on the library related software. Some software companies haven't written or tweaked their programs/code to be Vista compliant yet, so there could be some concern about that.
- If you are going to upgrade, I recommend at least waiting until the first service pack comes out. Why? It is one thing to have experienced people at Microsoft conduct tests and betas. But when it is going out to the entire world, there will be things/issues that do come up that will take time to fix(bugs, glitches, tweaks, and etc).
- As with any windows new O/S, Microsoft hardware requirements changes some with Vista. For instance, does the pc have a DVD player? You need to know that because Vista ships on a DVD, not a CD. But for the most part, I would make sure you have sufficient memory ( I recommend at least 2 gb) a new graphics adapter with a minimum of 128 MB of video RAM. Click here to see the hardware requirements. Keep in mind this is the minimum requirements. I would scale 20 to 25% higher than what they project to be on the safe side.
- From what I understand, most new Windows pc's are being shipped out with Vista and not XP. In other words, like it or not, Vista will be coming to your libraries as you buy new systems anyway. Vista has some exciting options available with this new O/S. But this is not a reason to upgrade existing pc's in itself just yet. It is ok to wait or choose not to upgrade.
In closing, I have downloaded and tested a beta version of Vista Ultimate. I know it's a beta, but for the most part there aren't many differences that I have seen so far. I bring this up because this will allow me to test and give blog insights concerning Vista and your public libraries in the future.
Some topics I will probably cover:
- Hardware requirements.
- Versions of Vista (I would recommend Vista Business for libraries) approx $299 for Full package price as of this writing.
- Application compatibility and tools.
- Windows Aero, which is Vista's premium user interface (Look and feel of desktop features).
- Flip 3D and Windows Sidebar.
- What new programs within Vista could help within libraries?
These are just a few to hopefully whet your appetite. If someone outside of AALS libraries wants to be added to the blog mailing list, feel free to send me an email at rodney.greensage@sanantonio.gov. You could also just add an RSS Feed to this blog.
Thanks for reading everyone. I covet ALL, and I do mean ALL comments you may have on this subject, both good and bad. This product is still very new and I am learning just like most of the world .
That's my insights, lets hear from you.
Rodney.
