OS Raises Questions

The release of Windows Vista has raised questions about Microsoft's latest operating system. Should UConn students upgrade now or should they wait until more is known about Vista? Should they even bother upgrading at all?

Gary Hendrickson, the Director of Technology for the NEAG School of Education, urged students to wait until the end of the semester to upgrade. Hendrickson advised that Vista could potentially have a negative impact on student studies and productivity, because it is still unknown how Vista will work with UConn systems and in conjunction with its applications.

Vista's effect on various UConn applications is a major concern, especially since Internet Explorer 7 (the browser that comes with Vista) is known to have problems with WebCT. It is also unknown how Vista will affect security systems.

"We're looking into how Vista will impact the university," said Mick DiGrazia, the assistant manager of University Information Technology Services (UITS). For the time being, new computers sold at the UConn Co-op will still come with XP installed as their operating system.

"We want to get IT staff up to speed before making Vista available," said DiGrazia.

UITS finalized a proposition Wednesday, explaining the University's approach to Microsoft Windows Vista and Office 2007. The proposition, which can be viewed at software.uconn.edu explained that "offering Vista and Office 2007 as an option for new HuskyPC purchases [would] be delayed till after the end of the spring semester 2007 and coincide with the new HuskyPC contract, scheduled to go into effect July 1, 2007."

The proposition also gave a glimpse into the informal testing currently being done on Vista at UConn. Some of the categories being tested included, but were not limited to, usage and compatibility with existing UConn systems, network integration and related security features and issues. The proposition also described risks and costs associated with both Office 2007 and Vista. Primary concerns listed included navigating the new interface, hardware requirements and the new licensing structure. The proposition listed the target date for adoption of the new operating system as March 1, 2007.

Also, each individual school may have a different time frame for adapting Vista.

"The different schools [at UConn] have different hardware platforms. Each school has its own IT support," said Karen Skudlarek, the IT support for Undergraduate Education and Instruction. "We want to transition gracefully [into Vista], with the least impact on the widest range of students and faculty. You don't want to use the first versions of software, especially since Microsoft is notorious for service packs. You need to get the bugs out first. Problems need to be detected and UConn doesn't want to take the stance in fixing these problems."

There are, however, advantages of using Vista. "[Vista] has the potential to be a more secure operating system," said Hendrickson.

Windows Vista uses a program called Windows Defender, which works with Internet Explorer 7 in order to help the user ward off spyware and other potentially unwanted programs. Windows Defender also allows the user to better monitor installed software on their computer.

"Microsoft's number one concern is security. Vista puts an emphasis on security," said DiGrazia.

The University has actually been working with Vista for a few months prior to its release. DiGrazia, Hendrickson and Skudlarek are all part of the committee testing Vista with the objective of deciding how to deploy Vista into the UConn community.

Despite Vista's alluring new features, such as enabling computers to boot up faster, new interface, a new media center and the ability to easily tab through multiple applications, it can be risky for users to update their systems without first looking into compatibility issues. It also may be unclear as to which version of Vista to purchase, seeing how there are four different consumer editions, including Home Basic, Home Premium, Business and Ultimate. Descriptions of each can be found on Microsoft.com

"Windows Vista Home Premium is essentially warmed-over Windows XP Home Edition," according to cnet.com. "If you're currently happy with Windows XP SP2, we see no compelling reason to upgrade. On the other hand, if you need a new computer right now, Windows Vista Home Premium is stable enough for everyday use."

Vendors will be shipping out computers with Vista in the fall to the UConn Co-op. Despite the hype encircling Vista, upgrading does not appear to be vital at this time.