Chris Smith is a pioneer in applying "coaching" principles to technology planning for small & medium-sized enterprises. He is founder and owner of TeknoCoach™, a company which is committed to helping small businesses "make Technology their #1 employee". Click on the Services or Solutions buttons on our website to find out what TeknoCoach can do for you.
vis-ta [vis-tuh] (n.)1. a view or prospect, esp. one seen through a long, narrow avenue or passage, as between rows of trees or houses.2. such an avenue or passage, esp. when formally planned.3. a far-reaching mental view: vistas of the future.
Certainly, one of the hot technology topics for 2007 is Windows Vista™.
For business owners, the big question is, "When should I upgrade?"
Obviously, no one (except, perhaps, someone selling Microsoft® products) has a definite answer to that question. It depends on what critical software your business is running and what you're trying to achieve with your technology infrastructure. To that end, I've listed 3 general questions for you to consider when deciding whether to alter your own technology vista.
1. Are your critical business applications compatible with Windows Vista?
Microsoft has launched a partnered initiative called Application Compatibility Factory. Part of that initiative is to ensure that businesses have a solid set of assessment tools at their disposal to make a decision on when to upgrade to Windows Vista. These tools include:
- Microsoft Application Compatibility Toolkit 5.0
- Windows Vista Hardware Assessment
- Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor
2. What does Windows Vista have that Windows XP™ doesn't?
Some key enhancements in Windows Vista:
- Better networking and mobility options
- Better organization of information through the new Windows Aero user interface
- Better OS-resident security features through the redesigned Windows Defender toolset
3. When are you planning on upgrading your computer hardware?
If you're planning on upgrading to new PCs anytime soon, it might be worth waiting to upgrade with the new PC purchase (most PC manufacturers are able to ship with Windows Vista pre-installed now).
Hopefully, this generates some good "food for thought" as you make a "Tekno Savvy" decision on when to upgrade your enterprise PCs to Windows Vista. To get more information about Windows Vista and other Microsoft products, check out our knowledge base.
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Love your articles. They're well organized, well written, and easy for anyone to understand. Thanks for the tips.
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