Microsoft is is the process of releasing a new operating system called Vista. Windows Vista is suposedly available for businesses and schools to purchase on Nov 30th 2006, but not yet ready for home use. The home version of Vista will be released in January 2007, which makes perfect sense if you think about it.
There are two levels of computer recommendations for Windows Vista, those dubbed Vista-Capable and those dubbed Premium-Ready. Microsoft has now revealed the specifics in each category, and here they are.
Minimum Requirements of Vista-Capable PCs.
800 MHz Intel-compatible processor
512MB of RAM
DirectX 9.0-Capable Graphics Processor
20GB HD
Recommended Requirements for Premium-Ready PCs
1 GHz Intel-compatible processor
1GB RAM
DirectX 9.0-Capable Graphics Processor, with 128MB graphics memory. 64MB of graphics memory to support a single monitor less than 1,310,720 pixels - no more than 1440x900
128MB of graphics memory to support a single monitor at resolutions from 1,310,720 to 2,304,000 pixels no more than 1920x1200; 256MB of graphics memory to support a single monitor at resolutions higher than 2,304,000 pixels more than 1920x1200
40GB HD with at least 15GB of free space.
I am guessing what Microsoft wants to do is get everyone to buy these nice, expensive, new, top of the line computers for their families for Christmas that have the ability to upgrade to Windows Vista. Then in January, the very few days after Christmas, Vista will hit the shelves and computer companies will introduce their new best models, rending all the best computers everyone just got for Christmas pretty much average computers.
This way, both computer companies and Microsoft make more money.
A few possible solutions around this
1. Buy a computer without an operating system and install a FREE version of linux untill Vista comes out. Then look for the OEM version, its just the cd without any booklets.
Go to softpedia.com click on operating systems then click linux.
You can find numorous versions that run off a cd disk, without an actual install. That is you boot up your computer with the cd in and Linux loads into the Ram to run. Also as with any Linux download you will need to burn the cd as an iso image. Either Nero or a free burner, Burn4free(available at download.com) can do the iso burning for you.
2. Install an older version of windows then later on buy the vista upgrade.
3. Buy a low cost hi-quality computer online and with the savings upgrade to vista.
