This Vista Upgrade Won't Hurt
However, if you’re unhappy with your new setup, listen to Jake Raubenheimer,* a college student from Belmont, MA. He upgraded to Windows Vista the week it came out. In the first 30 days, he didn’t like the differences from XP. “I was excited about some of the new features, like better security, but initially, all the new ways of doing things were confusing,” he remembers. “I found that by switching everything to ‘classic view,’ I had no trouble finding my way around my PC. It was like I was still in XP.”
Getting to Know Windows Vista
To ease the transition, during the first 30 days, upgrade to Windows Vista gradually. “Be aware that Vista is a completely new OS, and you need time to get acquainted with its idiosyncrasies,” admits Barnett.
Before upgrading, you may want to do some research to understand what you’re getting yourself into. “I explored Vista topics for a few weeks before I felt truly comfortable upgrading,” notes Russ Murray, of Bangor, ME, a former IBM systems engineer. “I did a lot of reading to find out why Vista uses so much memory and basically what all the fuss is about.”
Once you’ve completed the Windows Vista upgrade, spend some time making it your own in the first 30 days. “Try all the new features,” recommends McCracken. “Customize anything that isn’t to your liking in its default configuration. If you have problems, troubleshoot them rather than letting them fester.”
If you can’t solve a problem yourself, there are plenty of helpful books and online resources. “Newsgroups are another magnificent source of knowledge and connect you with people who have similar problems,” suggests Barnett.
Every OS has its share of issues, and Windows Vista is no exception. Arm yourself with a little know-how, the right hardware and a positive attitude, and your first 30 days with Windows Vista will take you who knows where. With any luck, you’ll end up as pleased as Russ. “In short, I’ve been very happy with Vista,” he says. “As far as loading and using basic applications, Vista is by far the fastest OS I’ve ever used. I’ve had no problems with drivers and have been very pleasantly surprised by how well everything is running.”
* Names changed.
