Windows Vista is the next generation operating system produced by Microsoft and scheduled for release in January 30, 2007. An interesting fact here is that it has been five years since the release of its predecessor, Windows XP, making it the longest time span between major releases of Windows.  The main goal that developers wanted to achieve with this product was to create an environment that adapts to the user, instead of the opposite. With Windows Vista, Microsoft has introduced a new level of desktop experience by making the system more secure, reliable and easier to manage.

Windows Vista contains hundreds of new features. Some of the most significant ones are the updated graphical user interface and visual style named Windows Aero, the improved searching features, new multimedia creation tools such as Windows DVD Maker, and completely redesigned networking technology, as well as audio, print, and display sub-systems.

This article puts the focus on the top ten reasons for upgrading to Window Vista, mostly the new features that you can’t find in the XP.

1. Higher Level of Safety and Security

There are a number of reasons making the switch, but according to Microsoft's Windows chief Jim Allchin the main reasons is Safety and Security. In fact, the priority of the Redmond based company was to have a system that is more secure and that was the most important aspect in terms of developing the system and thus the Vista has been engineered to be the most secure version of Windows ever.

With this product, you can enjoy a PC safe from malicious software, also known as mallware. The effects of mallware can range from small annoyances like the display of unwanted advertising when you view websites, to significant problems that can result in decreased PC performance, and even theft involving your personal information. To address the evolving nature of such threats, Microsoft’s security efforts are built around complementary technologies that together provide you with layered, in-depth protection. In keeping with Microsoft’s layered approach to security protection, Windows Vista includes new features that help prevent malware from being installed on your machine, help mitigate damage that malware can cause if it does infect your PC, and remove malware that has already been installed.

The anti-mallware features implemented in this OS are Windows Firewall, Windows Update, User Account Control, Internet Explorer 7 Protected Mode, Windows Defender(for protection from spyware and potentially unwanted software). You can combine them with other software like the Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool, Windows Live Safety Center, and Windows OneCare Live, or with antivirus applications available from one of Microsoft's partner companies.

Windows Vista includes advances that help protect users against phishing, a technique used by online scam artists to illegally obtain a user’s valuable personal information, such as credit card numbers, passwords, and other account data. With the Phishing Filter, Internet Explorer 7 warns users about suspected phishing sites or redirects users to a warning page in the case of a known phishing site. Another new feature is the Security bar right next to the Address Bar of IE7, that helps you quickly find out which site is authentic and which isn't.

Another new technology worth mentioning is the "InfoCard". It organizes and manages your personal information so when you visit a website that supports "InfoCard", you will have the option of submitting an "InfoCard" instead of entering all your data all over again. They are more secure because the personal information in the “InfoCard” is encrypted and stored on your PC.

2. Improved Responsiveness

Every user is mad when a PC is being inconsistent. One day all your applications load up and run quickly and smoothly and on the other day the computer slows down and the applications take longer to launch. Well, that is not the case with Windows Vista. Windows Vista includes a number of innovative technologies that help ensure that you can launch applications quickly when you start your machine, and that these applications will continue to be responsive throughout the day. This because the new operating system uses memory more efficiently, improving performance by providing new scheduling mechanisms for time-critical work.
Part of those new technologies are the Windows SuperFetch, Low-Priority I/O, Automatic disk defragmentation.

The Windows SuperFetch is a new memory management technology that helps make the computer consistently more responsive to user applications. Unlike the old scheme, now  when the system is idle (not being used by the user for some period of time) background applications take this opportunity to execute actions such as indexing, virus scans, or system management functions. Another feature of the SuperFetch scheme is that it increases the responsiveness by tracking which applications are used most often on a given machine and preloading these applications into memory.

The Low-priority I/O concept allows background processes to run with lower-priority access to the hard drive than user applications. This is a different approach from the  XP where the applications had to compete to access the hard drive. In that way, a real multi-tasking is achieved and you can run several applications and you can run several applications at the same time without decreasing the overall system responsiveness.