Windows Vista Upgrade: Are you ready?

So, you think you're ready for Windows Vista?! Let's take a step back, or forward, depending on how you feel about it, and take a closer look. Some say it's just a change in how you communicate with your computer and word on the street is you either love it, or hate it.

Though it can feel rather ominous, we'll all have to learn to use it at some point. Some features are obvious enhancements from previous releases, and some ideas must have come from some pretty interesting brainstorming sessions. For a computer-lover like myself, the new features are really cool, but I don't think the average computer user will get a thrill over all them.

For many of us, it's time for a computer upgrade. If you're like me, I like the latest and greatest, bigger and better when it comes to computers, but one hold up for many users is transferring files from the old computer to the new one. Some enlist friends and relatives to help, but many of us don't want the stress of figuring out to make the transfer so we just move on without our old files. Vista has created a simple wizard for just that. It allows you to easily transfer important documents, emails, photos, settings and more.

Vista has made some things a bit more streamlined. For instance, all things about security have been grouped into what they call Windows Security Center. Here you can see how security is set up on your machine and make changes - an obvious help for both home users and IT professionals, a word to the wise you must have admin credentials.

We all know spyware is an issue when it comes to performance so it's a given that Windows Defender is a good thing. Windows Firewall is also a plus when it comes to managing multiple computers on a network. Some other security tools, however, are not so black and white. We know security is good, but existing software that doesn't work around Vista's new security rules can cause some frustration. A little tweaking or a patch from the software company should fix it, but it comes back to knowing how to use Vista's many tools and features.

Windows Backup and Restore Center is also among the hit list for many users. Just as the name suggests, you can back up and restore everything – from files to the operating system itself - in one place.

Vista has also made its Media Center more streamlined with improved user interface and easier navigation. It also includes built-in support for numerous tasks. Here you can access many other tools, like Movie Maker and DVD Maker, to create and share your media.

With all the new features and tools packed into Vista I have to ask, how much is enough? Will these tools make my business run smoother? Will it make my employees more efficient? When we focus on the intended outcome, will this operating system make the outcome of our lives better?

Many of the tools we need to achieve greater efficiency are built-in to Vista, but again, they can only help us if we learn how to use them. So how do we learn how to use them? LearnKey has created interactive training for Windows Vista for basic users and administrators. Learning Windows Vista will help new users adjust to the interface and give instructions on how to use many of the built-in tools. The Vista Client Troubleshooting and Vista Configuration courses will help administrators get the systems running smoothly in your environment.

Once you've harnessed the strength of this operating system and get over the initial differences of what changed and what didn't, you'll find that Windows Vista makes your computing experience less frustrating by giving you fully-integrated tools and maybe even puts a little fun back in the overall process of getting the work done.