Duel for Your Desktop: Windows XP Versus Windows Vista

Microsoft has touted Windows Vista as the "largest upgrade since Windows 95." However, ever since its release, Windows XP users have been slow to upgrade to this new operating system. This article reviews three main reasons why.

Software Compatibility
Many people choose to stick with Windows XP because of its software compatibility. Windows XP has countless numbers of compatible programs in its software library. Windows Vista, on the other hand, is a relatively new operating system. As such, several software developers have not developed and released software for Windows Vista. For this reason, it is incompatible with many types of software.

Windows XP cannot be considered an outdated operating system yet, because many software developers still consistently develop software for this particular operating system. Until Windows Vista has complete software support, Windows XP will still be considered the better operating system in terms of software availability and compatibility.

Cost of Use
Another reason why many people feel reluctant to upgrade to Windows Vista is cost. So far, Windows Vista is proving to be a relatively expensive operating system. The cost of using Windows Vista tends to exceed its price tag. Some older computers, for example, may not meet the demanding hardware requirements of Windows Vista. For this reason, most people with older systems will be required to upgrade their hardware in addition to purchasing the operating system.

Windows Vista also requires loads of memory to run, and this has many current and potential users concerned. The Vista premium ready designation, for example, requires 1 GB of RAM. For those who do not have this much, a feature called "Support Ready Boost" enables the user to extend the RAM by plugging in a USB key.