What’s New in Windows Vista?

[Kalyan]

Operating System Upgrades
Perhaps the most glaring change users will notice in the new Windows Vista is the increased security on all levels of the OS especially the OS kernel. The new Windows Vista comes with its own Windows Defender and Firewall to secure a computer from hackers, viruses and spywares through limiting access to the critical parts of the OS to windows programs. Vista has also increased capabilities in hardware and drive management as well as application programming interfaces.

Enhanced I/O scheduling, multi-processor sync and memory management through OS kernel changes are also available with the new Vista. Other low-level function upgrades also improve some basic tasks or functions such as task switching, security, performance and reliability of the system. Vista's SideShow makes it possible for devices with auxiliary screens to display pertinent information without the need for the system to be powered on

Networking Upgrades
The new Windows Vista will also have an upgraded networking capability with its auto-tuning means through TCP window scaling and IPv6 native support in the new TCP/IP stack.

Performance Enhancers
Performance enhancers are also a part of the new Vista package. SuperFetch monitors frequently used programs and preloads them for faster user access. ReadyBoost permits faster flash memory data transfer through high-speed USB drives; this makes it a very effective supplementary swap file. ReadyDrive allows faster data transfer for hybrid hard drives as it has built-in flash memory caches and low priority I/O mechanisms that enable maintenance and security checks without excessive operations disruption. This means that you can run the anti virus or defrag applications in the background without noticing any degradation in the system's performance.

NET 3.0 Framework Incorporation
The new Vista also incorporates the NET 3.0 framework. This extends the capabilities of Windows API such as Windows CardSpace known formerly as InfoCard, Windows Communication Framework known formerly as Indigo and Windows Presentation Foundation or Avalon. Central RSS store and native RSS support allows the users to detect RSS feeds through an RSS reader sidebar in the new Internet Explorer 7.

Hardware Support and Capabilities
The new Windows Vista is compatible with the new computer devices coming out of the market today. Furthermore, more realistic simulations and games are possible with graphics hardware virtualization, graphics memory paging, supporting geometry shaders, DirectX10 and a lot of other features integrated in the OS. This upgrade in graphics capability is also readily evident through the live previews of windows and documents, scalable icons, animations, flip 3D view in switching windows and glass-window frames that Vista users will see on their desktops.

Vista is also capable of supporting newly released computer technologies and peripherals like Blu-ray and HD DVD devices, HDTV cards, etc. Architecture of drivers for the printer and Audio were also upgraded along with the integration of Media Center in the Vista Edition (for tablet PC and laptop users) for stability and enhanced performance. Further upgrades to Tablet PC and laptop users includes personalized handwriting recognition, improved pen navigation and touch screen support.