Softweare

Softweare

The good: Windows Vista Home Basic does improve some features within Windows XP; fewer system crashes than Windows XP; and Windows Vista offers better built-in support options.

The bad: Windows Vista Home Basic does not put Search on the desktop (it's buried within applications, within the Start Menu); no Aero graphics system in Home Basic; no new software yet written exclusively for Windows Vista; optimized only for the Microsoft Windows ecosystem (for example, RSS feeds from IE7 get preferential treatment); and little reason to leave Windows XP.

The bottom line: Windows Vista Home Basic is essentially warmed-over Windows XP, Windows XP SP3. If you're currently happy with Windows XP SP2, we see no compelling reason to upgrade. On the other hand, if you need a new computer right now, Windows Vista is stable enough for everyday use.

Windows Vista Home Premium

The good: Windows Vista Home Premium does improve some features within Windows XP; fewer system crashes than Windows XP; and Windows Vista offers better built-in support options.

The bad: Windows Vista Home Premium does not put Search on the desktop (it's buried within applications, within the Start Menu); no new software yet written exclusively for Windows Vista; optimized only for the Microsoft Windows ecosystem (for example, RSS feeds from Internet Explorer 7 get preferential treatment); Tablet PC support unnecessary; fax and scan support missing; and there are too many editions of Windows Vista.

The bottom line: Windows Vista Home Premium is essentially warmed-over Windows XP Home Edition. If you're currently happy with Windows XP SP2, we see no compelling reason to upgrade. On the other hand, if you need a new computer right now, Windows Vista Home Premium is stable enough for everyday use.