Six versions of Vista sounds like a lot, but in fact there were seven offi¬cial editions of Windows XP - Home, Professional, Starter Edition, Media Center Edition, Tablet PC Edition and two versions for fancy 54-bit processors. Despite this, though, with Premium you use the Media Center to most people were only turn your PC into a personal video recorder ever asked to choose between two: Home and Professional. With Vista, it's more complicated, as it's easy to go online and buy a notebook PC with one of four different versions. Two other versions of Vista are so rare that they can be quickly discounted. Windows Vista Starter is sold at a very low cost. Its only hidden features are limitations: it can only run a handful of programs at once, doesn't work with all processors and can't use hard disks larger than 250GB.



Vista Enterprise Edition has some interesting fea¬tures and no such limitations, but it's only sold to large businesses so you should never be offered a copy, or a PC running it, for sale. the cheapest version of Vista that you are likely to be offered is Vista Home Basic. You can pick up a boxed copy for around approximately and although it isn't hobbled like Vista Starter it, too, is characterised more by HPremium has an what it lacks than what it includes.

Most enhanced backup tool notably it can't create DVD discs without extra software, and the backup tool can't schedule backups to run at certain times. Aero (the name for the technology that creates fancy translucent windows and the new Flip 3D effect that it a.ppears when you press the Windows Key and Tab) is also missing from Home Basic. The only two hidden features that you find useful are the Vista Parental ControTs, which are included in full, and the Mobility Center, although this is lacking one of its most useful tools - Presentation Settings.