Should You Install Microsoft Vista or Stick With XP

Now that Microsoft Vista has been around for a couple of years, is it time to switch from XP? The answer is a resounding NO! Here’s why.

For most small business users, the operating system of a computer is all but invisible. We use applications and share files. The technical stuff in the background might as well be operating in ancient Aramaic. We want it to run our word processing, spreadsheet, database, accounting and point of sale programs reliably, securely and economically.

Reliability

The latest versions of XP are quite reliable. Even though Apple wants you to believe you are dealing with mass occurrences of the blue screen of death (BSOD), you aren’t. You and your employees turn on your computers in the morning and they work. Vista doesn’t have any advantage here. Verdict: It’s a tie.

Security

Neither Vista nor XP are devoid of security issues. You need a good Internet firewall and good, up-to-date virus protection. It helps to train your employees not to click on everything that appears on their Internet browser screen as well. While you can’t be 100% safe from employee stupidity, you can follow a reasonable regimen of backups, adware and spyware removal. Neither operating system has an advantage here. Verdict: It’s a tie.

Economic Costs

Here is where Windows XP beats Vista by a mile. I’ll divide this category into three sub-categories: Software, hardware and training costs.

Software

All of the current software for Windows PCs runs on XP. Some of the current software doesn’t run on Vista. That’s right. You may have to upgrade your software to run on Vista. There is no advantage to changing to Vista and there may be significant costs to do so.

Hardware

Windows XP runs well on computers with any of the Intel or AMD processors made in the last five years. It will run with 512 megabytes of random access memory (RAM), although I prefer at least one gigabyte. Vista is a slow, bloated memory hog by comparison. Microsoft say is will run on less than one gigabyte of RAM, but I wouldn’t consider running it with less than three. Even then Vista is much slower than XP. The level of equipment needed to run Vista means that you will probably have to replace computers over two years old.

Next, you have to consider the hardware you have plugged into your computers. Printers, scanners, cash drawers and even some of the plug-in cards inside your computers may not work with Vista. For many of your hardware devices, you will need to install new drivers (programs that tell Vista how to run them). For some, there are no drivers available. In some cases, you will have to replace the hardware. Vista will surprise you with many hidden costs in this category.

Training

Vista doesn’t look like Windows XP. Your employees will not be able to find some of the functions they are accustomed to using on a daily basis. This means training costs and time wasted searching for OS functions. This may be the most expensive part of the whole changeover.

Summary

Microsoft is claiming that they will stop supporting XP at the end of June. I don’t believe it. Recently, Microsoft announced that a copy of XP will come with every new copy of Vista. All you will have to do is push the “go back to XP” button to uninstall Vista and install XP in its place. They have admitted defeat. XP is good for at least two more years.

The next version of Windows, Windows 7 is expected to ship at the end of 2009 and is expected to address many of the negatives of Vista.

My evaluation: Skip Vista and wait for Windows 7. There is no good reason to change from XP to Vista and there are lots of reasons to keep XP. If you have already bought some Vista machines, keep an eye out for a Microsoft offer to revert to XP. Your Vista machines may function without problems, but if they do wreak havoc with your office, go back to XP.