1.    Windows Vista Starter Edition

Vista Starter is aimed at the novice computer user in emerging markets, working on low cost PCs. It is a subset of Vista Home Basic and ships in 32-bit version alone. Vista Starter will allow only three applications (and/ or three windows) to run simultaneously, will provide Internet connectivity but not incoming network communications and does not provide for logon passwords or Fast User Switching (FUS). Windows Vista Starter lacks a number of unique features found in the other Vista product editions. Apart from omitting the new Aero user interface, it does not support Microsoft's new domain-like home networking scheme, does not include DVD Maker, has no gaming common controller support or image editing/ enhanced touchup capabilities.

“Windows Vista Starter edition is for beginner computer users in emerging markets, who can only afford a low cost PC. It provides a more affordable and easy introduction to personal computing because it is lower priced, tailored to the needs of beginner personal computer users, compatible with a wide range of Windows-based applications and devices, and tailored to each market” is Microsoft’s marketing spiel...

WellOiledPC Recommendation: DO NOT go for Windows Vista Starter edition – it has nothing in it for you as it is thoroughly starved on features! You will be a whole lot better off with XP Professional!

2.    Windows Vista Home Basic

The next higher Vista edition is the Windows Home Basic edition. It is aimed at single PC homes and is the baseline version upon which the remaining versions are built. While it does include features such as Windows Firewall, Windows Security Center, Secure Wireless Networking, Parental Controls for keeping kids out of undesirable sites, AntiSpam, AntiVirus, AntiSpyware functionality, Network Map, Windows Search, Movie Maker, Photo Library, Windows Media Player, Outlook Express with RSS support, P2P Messenger, etc., it does not support the new Aero User interface. Nor does it support advanced Networking or security features, Media Center, DVD Making, Wi-Fi support, Internet File Sharing, PC-to-PC sync, etc., as it is aimed for the single Home PC user.

In our opinion, very few users are likely to NOT want many of the missed-out features a year or two down the line, even if they do not currently have a need for, say, Wi-Fi or DVD Authoring. Such features grow on the user! And those already used to these features on XP would find no reason to ‘upgrade’ to a version that omits these features, for it is in fact a downgrade!

WellOiledPC Recommendation: DO NOT go for Windows Home Basic edition either – this is yet another crippled version of Vista, you'd be a whole lot better off with Windows XP Professional!

3.    Windows Vista Home Premium

The next higher Vista edition, called Home Premium, additionally has Media Center and Media Center Extender functionality (including Cable Card support), DVD Maker, DVD authoring, Tablet PC functionality, Mobility Center and other mobility and presentation features, auxiliary display support, P2P ad-hoc meeting capabilities, Wi-Fi auto-config and roaming, unified parental controls that work over multiple PCs, backup to network functionality, Internet File Sharing, Offline Folders, PC-to-PC sync, Sync Manager, and support for Microsoft's upcoming Quattro Home Server, a Windows Server 2003 R2-based server product aimed at the home market.

Windows Vista Home Premium has emerged as the volume edition due to its features-pricing mix. Home Premium focuses on integrated entertainment (movies, memories, and more), mobility (media and productivity on the go), and connected living (connect with family, friends, and home). Home Premium supplies whole-home entertainment and personal productivity throughout the home and on the go. For your Home Computer, this is the recommended Vista edition.

4.    Windows Vista Business

The Vista editions discussed so far did not include features such as domain join and management functionality, compatibility with non-Microsoft networking protocols (Netware, SNMP, etc.), Remote Desktop, Microsoft Windows Web Server and Encrypted File System (EFS) or Tablet PC functionality. This Vista Business version is aimed at businesses of all sizes, decision makers and IT Managers. This is the recommended Vista edition for office Computers.

So what does it lack? Well, the entertainment features of Home Premium have been left out of Vista Business. Therefore Vista Business gives you security and robust Network Support (considered unnecessary for Home Computer users and therefore, left out of Home Premium by Microsoft!), while Home Premium gives you entertainment features (considered unnecessary for business users by Microsoft!). So what if you want security, robust Network support AND entertainment features? What if you want to eat the cake and keep it too, as Microsoft is likely to call such a demand? What if, like a certain Master Oliver Twist, you 'Ask for more?' Simple! You fork out more – by way of a higher-priced edition of Vista!

5.    Windows Vista Ultimate

So did you 'Ask for more?' Microsoft has Windows Vista Ultimate for hungry people like you! It is, in their words, “The best operating system ever offered for a personal PC, optimized for the individual”. It is a superset of both Vista Home Premium and Vista Business, so it includes all the features of both of those versions, while adding Game Performance Tweaker with integrated gaming experiences, online "Club" services (exclusive access to music, movies, services and preferred customer care) and other "Vista Ultimate Extra" offerings. Naturally, you need to fork out more for these 'goodies!' If you want everything (and who doesn't?), then this is the Vista edition for you - only, it is a whole lot costlier than XP Professional, but has nothing that is substantially better than XP Professional, except for the much hyped "Aero Interface!"

Microsoft is still tweaking Vista Ultimate’s positioning, while looking into offering Vista Ultimate owner services like extended A1 subscriptions, free music downloads, free movie downloads, Online Spotlight and entertainment software, preferred product support, custom themes, etc. Vista Ultimate is aimed at high-end PC users and technology influencers, gamers, digital media enthusiasts, and students and is priced accordingly.

6.    Windows Vista Enterprise

Windows Vista Enterprise is optimized for the enterprise and is a superset of Windows Vista Business. It is available only via volume license to Software Assurance (SA) customers. It will include unique features such as single-instance Virtual PC, the multi-language user interface (MUI), and the Secure Startup/ full volume encryption security technologies ("Cornerstone"). This version is aimed at business decision makers, IT Managers and decision makers and information workers/ general business users.

Home users need not take the trouble of checking out Vista Enterprise, it is something for the IT Heads of large organizations to bother about.

With some consumers raising issues with Vista's performance – specially the need for much more RAM and larger Hard Disks, lack of support for other software and devices like printers, etc., Microsoft have announced that they would continue to sell Windows XP until June 2008, delaying the complete scheduled transition to Vista.

WellOiledPC recommendations with respect to the Windows editions (XP as well as Vista ) are summed up below:

1. If you have either Windows XP Home, XP Media Center (or of course, Windows XP Professional), DO NOT touch Windows Starter or Home Basic editions – you are better off with your current XP edition! Even though XP has been discontinued, purchasing either of these Vista editions is ike throwing your money away!

2. Whether you are a novice or a seasoned Computer user, if you are purchasing fresh/ additional copies of Windows, ignore Vista Starter and Home Basic editions, don't throw your money away! Instead, stretch your budget and go in for Windows Vista Home Premium or Windows Vista Business. You really have no choice but to fork out the extra moolah for these editions of Vista!

3. With XP Professional now discontinued, there is no question of purchasing XP Professional for a new Computer - therefore as far as new purchases are concerned, our recommendations are as follows:

• If it is a Home Computer, your choices are to go in for Windows Vista Home Premium at the very least and Windows Vista Ultimate at the highest end

• If it is an office Computer, your choices are to go in for Windows Vista Business at the very least and Windows Vista Ultimate at the highest end, with Windows Vista Enterprise being the edition of choice, if you are purchasing tens or hundreds of copies

4. The real question therefore is whether to continue using Windows XP on your older Computer or whether you should upgrade to one of the Vista editions. Here are our recommendations on this score:

1. Continue running Windows XP Professional if ONE OR ALL of the following apply to you:

   1. Your budget is a tight one

   2. Your PC is older – you do not have more than 1 GB RAM or more than a single 120 GB Hard Disk, and do not plan to upgrade these

   3. You run older versions of specialized programs like AutoCad/ SPSS, etc., and do not plan to purchase their latest versions. Beware - Windows Vista may not run older programs at all!

2. Choose Windows Vista Home Premium if ONE OR ALL of the following apply to you:

   1. You do have a cap on your budget, but you have a few bucks left over...

   2. You are sure you can do without the robust Networking features of Windows Business

   3. You DO NOT run older versions of specialized software applications like AutoCAD/ SPSS, etc., at all

3. Choose Windows Ultimate if;

   1. You DO NOT run older versions of specialized software applications like AutoCAD/ SPSS, etc., at all

   2. You want the full experience of Vista and are willing to pay extra for it

   3. You want everything - all bells and whistles included and not a crippled version of Windows!

We look forward to your vote in our Forums! Click here to cast your vote!

OS Upgrade Paths

Vista Home Basic

Vista Home Premium

Vista Business

Vista Ultimate

Windows XP Professional

C

C

U

U

Windows XP Home

U

U

U

U

Windows XP Media Center

C

U

C

U

Windows XP Tablet PC

C

C

U

U

Windows XP Professional x64

C

C

C

C

Windows 2000

C

C

C

C

Legend

U

Upgrade in-place option available

It is possible to upgrade to Windows Vista while keeping your applications, files, and settings

C

Requires clean install

You need to format your Hard Disk. You may use Windows Easy Transfer or CA's Desktop DNA Migrator to move data and settings, before upgrading.

Legend

Y = Feature included

O = Feature is optional

N = Feature is not included

Fundamental Features

Vista Home Basic

Vista Home Premium

Vista Business

Vista Ultimate

Backup (Network-based)

N

Y

Y

Y

Backup (Scheduled)

N

Y

Y

Y

Encrypted File System (EFS)

N

Y

Y

Y

SafeDocs backup and restore

Y

Y

Y

Y

Shadow copy client

N

N

Y

Y

Supports migration from XP

Y

Y

Y

Y

Productivity  Features

Vista Home Basic

Vista Home Premium

Vista Business

Vista Ultimate

Aero glass, animations, visual effects

N

Y

Y

Y

Desktop Window Manager (DWM)

Y

Y

Y

Y

Fast User Switching (FUS)

Y

Y

Y

Y

Productivity features (rolodex, tab previews, task bar previews)

N

Y

Y

Y

Unlimited screen resolution support

Y

Y

Y

Y

Communications Features

Vista Home Basic

Vista Home Premium

Vista Business

Vista Ultimate

P2P Meeting Place (ad-hoc meetings, people discovery, presentation broadcast)

N

N

Y

Y

RDP/Remote Desktop

N

N

Y

Y

Windows Fax client

N

N

O

O

Windows Web Server (Optional)

N

N

Y

Y

Entertainment and Digital Media Features

Vista Home Basic

Vista Home Premium

Vista Business

Vista Ultimate

Advanced Photography features

N

Y

O

O

Direct Media Mode

Y

Y

Y

Y

DVD Video Authoring

N

Y

N

Y

Media Center (including Extender and games)

N

Y

N

Y

Movie Maker HD Publishing

N

Y

N

Y

Number of remote Media Center sessions supported

Not Applicable

5

Not Applicable

5

Premium Games (3D Chess, Shanghai Solitaire)

N

O

O

O

Windows Media Player 11 and related components

Y

Y

Y

Y

Networking Features

Vista Home Basic

Vista Home Premium

Vista Business

Vista Ultimate

1:1 Network Projection

N

Y

Y

Y

Domain Join Support

N

Y

Y

Y

Internet Connection Sharing

Y

Y

Y

Y

Number of supported Network connections

5

10

10

10

SNMP Support

Y

Y

O

O

Mobility Features

Vista Home Basic

Vista Home Premium

Vista Business

Vista Ultimate

Auxiliary Display support

N

Y

Y

Y

Mobility Center

N

Y

Y

Y

Offline folders with client-side caching

N

N

Y

Y

PC-to-PC Sync

N

Y

Y

Y

Tablet PC functionality

N

O

O

O

PC Management Features

Vista Home Basic

Vista Home Premium

Vista Business

Vista Ultimate

Multi-Language User Interface (MUI)

N

N

N

O

Secure Startup (Cornerstone)

N

N

N

O

Single Session Virtual PC

N

N

N

O

Subsystem for UNIX-based Applications (SUA)

N

N

N

O

Legend

Y = Feature included

O = Feature is optional

N = Feature is not included