The Look of Vista
Often people do not upgrade to a new version of software because it would be inconvenient to learn a new, updated interface. This is not the case with Windows Vista. The Vista interface is only slightly different in appearance from Windows XP so most users will have little problem adjusting. Today I will examine some of the changes users will notice.
First, the start button is now a windows logo. I personally think it looks nicer and anyone who has been using XP will immediately recognize it as the start button. Otherwise, the only difference that is immediately noticeable is the sidebar. This allows of a number of small to run directly on the desktop. Initially a clock and photo slideshow are displayed. While this is new, it does not change the operation of Windows so shouldn’t be a problem for new users. I personally find it very nice and much better than the similar dashboard available to Mac users.
The start menu is organized differently than it was in Windows XP with the most noticeable being that it is now necessary to scroll through the programs if there are more than can be displayed at once. It also puts programs first and folder second which is the opposite of XP. Since most programs install in a folder, this may be a little confusing at first, but most users should be able to quickly figure out the differences.
The area most users will find frustrating, if they use it, is the control panel. This is reorganized and a number of additional options are available from Windows XP. There is a classic view which helps to an extent, but, because of the additional options it may be difficult to find the appropriate selection.
The other main interface change is the infamous dialogue box asking the user if he or she wants to continue before allowing specific events. In my experience, this has not been a major issue. End users who are basically running software that is already installed may never even encounter such a dialogue. The majority of criticism probably stems of computer workers who are constantly installing software and reconfiguring machines since this is when these dialogues are likely to occur.
Overall, if your reason for not ordering Vista on a new machine was that the interface would be unfamiliar and you wouldn’t be able to get work done, there is no need to fear. If you are currently using Windows XP, you will feel very comfortable using Windows Vista.
What do you think? Is the Vista interface a radical change from XP? Are you holding off on upgrading because of the interface? Are there any changes you would not have made? I look forward to your comments.