Microsoft's Windows Vista may be the latest in Windows technology, but it is proving to be difficult for the average user to handle. Microsoft made a number of changes to Windows XP, launching Vista to businesses late November 2006, and releasing the operating system to the general public two months later. Vista's evolved infrastructure may have proved successful for corporate users that have the specifications and hardware to upgrade their former operating systems, but home users are still experiencing difficulties. Windows Vista was launched with several editions, promising to fulfill the needs of small businesses, large enterprises and home users. However, nearly all individual users interviewed by The Daily Star Egypt complained that the operating system was "very complicated. Moreover, it "operated slowly and "had a complicated interface. Amr Fahmy, Microsoft Windows product marketing manager told The Daily Star Egypt that all the feedback they have received since January has been "positive. "We have a Customer and Partners Experience (CPE) department that solves the problems clients have with the product, but we never received any complaints, he said. Yomna Bassiouni, a 24-year-old oil and gas employee, complains that she is unable to understand the Vista icons. After downloading it to her personal computer, she reverted back to the XP version. On that note, Fahmy says that the tutorial available for download from the official website should explain everything to users who are having problems with the system. "Vista has a very easy interface, he said. Speaking from the technical point of view, the problem with individual users could be that they "liked the idea of having Windows Vista, even if their hardware configurations do not allow it, he added. Unlike XP, Vista needs a minimum of 1GB of RAM and a 250MB graphic card, configurations that may not be available to many home users. In other words, as a pre-requisite to installing the new system, Microsoft is asking end-users to dispose of their old personal computers and buy newer, more advanced ones. The problem could be that Windows Vista was targeted primarily at businesses rather than individuals. Most of the modifications and the advanced systems it features were promised to revolutionize the IT sector and raise the standards of productivity. Speaking at the launch, Microsoft Egypt General Manager Karim Ramadan asserted that Windows Vista will represent a turning point in the history of information technology and the use of computing systems in different businesses. He added that the new system - the most advanced operating system ever built by Microsoft - is expected to change the way people run businesses worldwide. "Windows Vista will definitely start a new age of creativity that will have the greatest effect on business management in the coming decade, which makes Microsoft highly proud to offer it to Egyptian businesses at the same time as its worldwide release, added Ramadan. As a result to the business strategy, home users were left confused. Although Microsoft created a Windows Vista Home Edition, users still found it confusing with a choice between three versions: the Windows Vista Ultimate, the Windows Vista Home Premium and the Windows Vista Home Basic. Each version features extra specifications, and consumers had to choose whether these "add-ons were necessary or not. According to Sherif Akoush, who works in IT, "Many people were interested in the Vista when it was first launched, but when I personally went to buy it, I was not happy. The grab-and-go option was not there. I just want the software. Akoush never bought the Vista. On the Microsoft website, tables comparing all the editions are available with the differences listed to make the choice easier. Fahmy did say that businesses are Microsoft's target and they focused on making their shift to Vista as simple as possible by "developing the compatibility tool that will help them adapt to certain solutions. Moreover, Fahmy says sales to individuals will increase in time and that Microsoft had projected a "slow start, but retailers are giving good feedback. Vista may have "revolutionized the business industry, bringing the future of operating systems to the doorstep of big businesses, but it looks like home users will stick with the present for a bit longer.
