Microsoft News
Windows
Vista: The Facts
When choosing a new operating system, the
first thing many people ask is, "What will
it help me do?" In answer, much of this site
shows you the great experiences Windows
Vista helps you have. The second thing many
people say is, "Prove that it's better." In
particular, many of you have asked about
performance and safety improvements. The
following information provides specific
proof that Windows Vista with Service Pack 1
is faster and safer.
People are waiting less
The majority of Windows Vista-based PCs boot
in less than a minute1, which can be an
improvement over Windows XP boot times. And
the new Windows Vista sleep and resume
features can bring your PC to life in a
snap—in fact, the vast majority of all
Windows Vista-based PCs resume from sleep in
less than 6 seconds.2
Who doesn't wish their PC was just a little
faster? Windows ReadyBoost is a terrific new
innovation in Windows Vista that lets you
speed up your system in seconds—without
opening the cover or adding software. Just
plug a USB flash drive into your computer,
and Windows Vista will automatically start
using it to speed up memory access to
important data3. PCs running Windows Vista
that are equipped with 512 MB memory
experience a performance boost of up to 40
percent4. Speed it up! Only on Windows
Vista.
Plugging in memory is a cool way to add
speed, but it's not the only way Windows
Vista is faster. Out of the box, Windows
Vista performs as well, or better, than
Windows XP on common home and business
tasks5. Windows Vista users generally
experience 20 percent fewer application
"hangs" than those running Windows XP6. And
Superfetch, an ingenious new Windows Vista
technology, helps your computer adjust to
your schedule, so your apps are ready to go
before you even launch them. Use Microsoft
Outlook every morning? Superfetch will serve
it up just in time for breakfast. Play the
same game every night? Superfetch gets your
computer ready for the next big win. Waiting
less means you can do more. Only on Windows
Vista.
People are more
confident about their PC's safety
One aspect of security can be measured in
terms of vulnerabilities, or, in a nutshell,
how many "holes" an operating system has.
Based on their first 180 days of
availability, Windows Vista has been shown
to have fewer vulnerabilities than Windows
XP or MacOS X 10.47.
In fact, Windows Vista security has improved
so much that PCs running it are 60 percent
less likely to be infected with viruses,
worms, and rootkits than PCs running Windows
XP SP2. And Windows Vista-based PCs are over
90 percent less likely to be infected than
systems running Windows XP without a Service
Pack8. And the experts agree: "[Windows]
Vista is arguably the most secure
closed-source OS available on the market."9
Also, many websites place programs on your
computer without your knowledge or
permission. This "spyware" often runs
quietly in the background, scanning your
computer, recording your keystrokes, and
sending the data to someone you may not
know. With Windows Vista, you can be more
confident that your PC is doing just want
you want it to do, and nothing that you
don't.
Windows Defender automatically scans
Internet Explorer 7 downloads10 to help
bring spyware to your attention before it
can infect your computer. And thanks to
SpyNet, an online community of millions of
users around the world that constantly
reports new spyware back to Microsoft,
Windows Defender can even help to cure your
PC even after it's been infected. The facts
are impressive! Windows Vista-based PCs are
almost three times less likely to be
infected with potentially unwanted software
than Windows XP-based PCs.11
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