“ Which version of Vista do I go for? I use the PC only for the net and send/receive files over the home network. Meanwhile do you think this Vista Ultimate is the Ultimate version you can get your hands on? ”

Vista Basic, the name is self explanatory by itself. You probably will be pretty better off with Windows XP, a good anti virus program and a firewall. There is not much on the user interface point of view as well; you can get more using the Vista Transformation Pack on Windows XP.

To enjoy the true potential of Vista, it would be a better idea to go for the Vista Home Premium edition which would include the Aero desktop (glass and some 3D eyecandy), better multimedia features with media center and networking capabilities. The biggest bummer would be compatibility with your Windows XP applications, so if you think you cant live without your favorite applications, you might want to check the availability of the same or its alternative on Vista before going in for the OS change. Like for instance, DivX wouldn’t install, so you could try out alternatives like ffdshow or KLite codec pack. Nevertheless, major software vendors are already shipping vista compatible versions of their software. Vista Ultimate would probably be an overkill for the price you are paying.

A feature comparison between the Vista editions can be found on the Microsoft website. Its recommended to run the Vista upgrade advisor that generates device and software compatibility reports and recommendations.

One note, if you are a system builder, you could probably try to source a OEM version which will not drill holes in your pocket. The difference with the retail version would be that the product will not come in a fancy box, no technical support and the activation code will be tied with you motherboard. All other features with the OS including product auto updates will still be available.

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