Which Version is Right for You?

Windows Vista dramatically improves the computing experience of every kind of PC user—from people at home who use their PCs for simple Web browsing, to business people who must organize and act on large volumes of data, to scientists who routinely perform complex mathematical analysis. To make sure that everyone has an offering tailored to meet their specific needs, Microsoft has created multiple versions of Windows Vista:

Windows Vista Home Basic

The operating system for home users with basic computing needs such as surfing the Internet and e-mailing friends and family.

 

Windows Vista Home Premium

Movies, media center, photos and more. Windows Vista Home Premium is the operating system for home users who want to get the most out of everything Windows Vista has to offer. It will help people use their computer more effectively while enabling them to enjoy new, exciting digital entertainment experiences—all with the benefit of added security and reliability, and improved mobility.

 

Windows Vista Business

For small- and medium-size businesses, this operating system will help keep PCs running smoothly and more securely so business owners will be less reliant on dedicated IT support. For larger organizations, Windows Vista Business will provide dramatic new infrastructure improvements, enabling IT staff to spend less time focused on day-to-day maintenance and more time adding strategic value to the organization.

 

Windows Vista Ultimate

The most comprehensive edition of Windows Vista delivers all the features available to both business and home users.

 

Home Basic Home Premium Business Ultimate Windows Ultimate Extras Stay up to date and get valuable tips, services, and software through Windows Ultimate Extras - available exclusively to customers with Windows Vista Ultimate       Install and use any supported language with the Multi-Lingual User Interface (MUI) Multilingual households or those learning a new language can install as many languages as they want and switch between them as easily as logging on.       Get the best data protection available with Windows BitLocker Drive Encryption BitLocker provides full-volume encryption and boot integrity checking to ensure that the data on your computer stays confidential, even if your PC is lost, stolen, or decommissioned.       Enjoy movies, music, photos, and more on your PC or TV with Windows Media Center With Windows Media Center, your PC becomes the convenient hub for all your home entertainment needs, such as watching live and recorded television, watching DVD movies, listening to your favorite music, sharing your photos with family and friends, and more.     Watch and Record Live TV with Windows Media Center With Windows Media Center, you can watch, pause, or record live TV so that you never miss a moment of your favorite show again. You can also get local TV, cable, and satellite programming information for free right on your PC.     Enjoy Windows Media Center on TVs throughout your home Enjoy your favorite recorded TV, movies, photos, and music on any television or device in your home using your computer as a Media Center and a simple receiver or Microsoft Xbox 360 game console.     Windows Movie Maker supports high-definition camcorders Retain high-definition (HD) quality as you capture, edit, and publish movies from your HD camcorder.     Author your own DVD movies with Windows DVD Maker Easily create professional-looking DVDs complete with transitions and chapters that you can enjoy in your home DVD player.     Parental Controls Parental Controls help parents ensure that their children are using the PC appropriately while keeping them safer online.   Run UNIX-based programs on windows with the Subsystem for UNIX-Based Applications Making your Windows-based workstations more versatile, Subsystems for UNIX-Based Applications (SUA) enables you to run UNIX-based applications on a Windows Vista Ultimate-based computer.       Protect confidential files with Encrypting File System Encrypting File System (EFS) keeps your data secure even on shared computers by encrypting the files of each user.     Host your own web site with Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Internet Information Services 7.0 Create and manage a secure web site with a built-in Web server: Internet Information Services (ISS) 7.0     Windows Aero offers an elegant, more visually compelling desktop experience Windows Vista Aero offers an elegant, more visually compelling desktop experience, giving you a greater ability to visualize and work with your information and a smoother, more stable desktop experience. Enhancements include Windows Flip 3D, Glass, and LiveTaskbar Thumbnails. Windows Flip 3D enables you to flip through your open programs in a three-dimensional, stacked view, quickly locating and selecting the one that you want. Glass is a translucent effect to window borders, allowing you to more easily focus on the content of a window rather than on the window interface. Live Taskbar Thumbnails show a smaller version of all your open programs, making it easier to find the window that you want with less toggling and hunting.   Windows Tablet Technology Windows Vista makes using a Tablet PC easier and more efficient than ever before for increased on-the-go productivity with better handwriting recognition and support, improved navigation using a pen, and using flicks and gestures to compete common tasks.   New Ways to Organize Flexible information management tools make it simple to instantly find and view your files any way that you want. Instant Search Instantly find information on your computer such as documents, e-mail, and media files with Instant Search integrated throughout the operating system. Increased security With a built-in firewall, Windows Defender, and built-in phishing filters for Windows Mail and Internet Explorer 7, windows vista helps protect your computer against the latest generation of threats, such as worms, phishing, and sypware.

Not all Windows Vista features are available for use on all Windows Vista Capable PCs. All Windows Vista Capable PCs will run the core experiences of Windows Vista, such as innovations in organizing and finding information, security, and reliability. Some features available in premium editions of Windows Vista—like the new Windows Aero™ user interface—require advanced or additional hardware.