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This column is for self study or classroom use and gives guided help with reading the wide variety of writing styles and topics that appear as feature articles in the Bangkok Post. The lessons include background information, skill building practice and vocabulary explanations. February 6, 2007   Making the move to Vista INTRODUCTION

The Microsoft Advisor says the computer can easily run the Business version of Windows Vista. But a second opinion from the careful and more objective Cnet gives the same machine a flat F grade. Microsoft's new operating system, Vista, has now been officially released in Thailand. Many people, including myself, are wondering whether it is worth upgrading to Vista from Windows XP. Below you will get some good advice from popular Post Database columnist, Wanda Sloan. You should have no difficulty understanding Wanda's basic advice, but you might be a bit confused at the way she gives it. Wanda writes in an amusing, light-hearted style and once you realise that, it won't be long before you can join in the fun. Here is one example to look at before you start to read. Wanda is describing how a Microsoft software programme analysed her computer to determine if it was capable of running Vista. Then, in a very amusing way, she analyses Microsoft's answer. Pay close attention to where she writes: "But eventually Microsoft told me what most of us want to hear: My test computer would, and should, run the Windows Vista Business edition, the one that's comparable to the current Windows XP Pro." Well, yes. But define ''run''. A more honest answer to the question would be, "This computer can run Windows Vista and give good performance when pigs can fly and carry passengers on their backs." So, is her computer really ready to run Vista? The answer is clearly "no".

OUR STORY FROM THE BANGKOK POST

Upgrading for most will be a distant Vista Get a second opinion before upgrading to Windows Vista WANDA SLOAN A laptop with the startup page of Windows Vista is shown with Microsoft Group Project manager Steve Ball mirorred in the computer screen, Thursday Nov. 9, 2006 in Redmond Wash. Some people spend 18 months working on a whole album. At Microsoft Corp., that's how long it took to perfect just four seconds of sound. Of course, this isn't just any four-second clip. Along the edges of the dance floors of Ratchada, and all up and down the street where the Beemers point inwards to the laptop-ready apre's- disco khao thom benches, there is just one subject of conversation these early mornings. ''Khun Wanda,'' asks Lek the Speck, the cutest but heavyweight thinker among the rice-soup servers, ''Do you think I should upgrade to Windows Vista now?'' I asked Microsoft last year (Post Database, November 8) if it thought my computer was equipped for Windows Vista. Heck yes, came the reply, via Microsoft Advisor, a free programme you can download and use to test any computer. It took a couple of tries; this is not the world's best software. But eventually Microsoft told me what most of us want to hear: My test computer would, and should, run the Windows Vista Business edition, the one that's comparable to the current Windows XP Pro. Well, yes. But define ''run''. A more honest answer to the question would be, ''This computer can run Windows Vista and give good performance when pigs can fly and carry passengers on their backs.'' I found that out the same way I found out I had a broken foot bone and not a strained ankle from stepping off a kerb too quickly while trying to beat a rude man to the last seat at the broadband plug-in table at the khao thom ladies' night buffet: By asking for a second opinion. In the computer case, I asked Cnet, on the probable assumption they aren't trying to sell me either a computer or an operating system. On top of that, their advisor was faster, easier and at least as complete and informative as the kludgy Microsoft Advisor. And this second opinion was that I would be able to run Windows Vista Business edition on my computer so long as Singapore holds a successful politeness campaign and celebrates the event at the opening ceremony for the Kra Canal. Microsoft, green; Cnet, red. I don't doubt I can put Windows Vista on my current computer and depend on it for my everyday tasks. In fact, I know I can do that; I already have, in order to test the new operating system. But my advice is to hold off getting Windows Vista on your desktop or lap, for these two reasons. First, it's highly likely that the most popular Microsoft product of 2007 will be Service Pack 1 for Windows Vista. The company rarely gets everything right on its first release, and why should we pay them to test their new software? It's not like Vista will do anything that XP won't do for the next few months. Second, almost no Post Database readers have the hardware to handle the actual potential of Vista. Cnet advises me to have a dual-core, 64-bit main processor - ''or better,'' you have to love that - 2GB of RAM, a 256MB colour card, and huge hard drives, meaning 120 gigs minimum with 40 gigabytes currently free. You may well get something like that the next time you buy a desktop computer, which in any case will probably come with Vista already loaded, saving you the problem of installing it. Laptop users, unless they are true sugar daddies, will probably have to make do for a while with the basic version of Vista, without much of the Aero eye candy and some of the more powerful features. Microsoft's Vista Upgrade Advisor is available without a validation check at www.windowsvista.com/getready. The superior Cnet advice is all done via the web, starting at tinyurl.com/ y3t937. vista a beautiful view, e.g. of the country side or a city; of a range of things that might happen in the future (This will help you with the headline) khao thom Thai for "boiled rice", a very popular late night, early morning food after a night's entertainment strained injured, especially from pressure, but not broken ankle the joint connecting the foot to the leg kerb (American English - curb) the edge of a raised path at the side of the road, usually made of long pieces of stone Cnet a technology-based website at http://www.cnet.com kludgy clumsy; poorly constructed Singapore holds a successful politeness campaign here, Wanda is being sarcastic about Singaporean politeness, which is an especially harsh comment now because the relations between Thailand and Singapore are not very good. Kra Canal a proposed canal over the narrowest point between the Andaman Sea on the one side and the Gulf of Thailand on the other. This canal was first proposed many years ago, but it has never been built. All this is a very long way of saying that Wanda's computer is not ready for Vista Business edition. Microsoft, green; Cnet, red Microsoft gives the green light for Vista (i.e., the computer is ready) and Cnet gives the red light tasks pieces of work; jobs hold off to wait to do something until a later time Service Pack 1 the first set of changes, fixes and improvements that are released for a large computer programme such as a Microsoft Windows operating system potential qualities that exist and can be developed or used sugar daddy a very rich older man Aero new visual effects found in more expensive and powerful versions of Vista eye candy something that makes a product look more attractive without necessarily making it better validation check before you can download many additions to Microsoft programmes, you must allow your computer to be checked online to see if you are running a legal version of the programme via through Read our other instant lesson here. Return to our home page. | ? The Post Publishing Public Co., Ltd. All rights reserved 2006 | Last modified: February 5, 2007