Microsoft

By now, you've certainly heard the news: Microsoft is selling Windows Vista, and computer users finally have an upgrade to the Windows XP operating system.

While I do have a copy of the software, I haven't yet installed it on any of the computers I work with regularly.

It's not that I don't want to use the new generation Windows Vista. Like a lot of other people, I use a lot of software and hardware every day that has to work as part of my job, and there simply hasn't been time to see whether Vista will function smoothly.

There was a bit of hoopla surrounding Tuesday's official debut of Vista. But while some stores even opened at midnight to cater to early adopters, it wasn't exactly like trying to find a PlayStation 3 or a Nintendo Wii. There were plenty of Vista boxes for everyone.

"I think the folks that are interested in lining up late at night to buy an operating system are kind of, by definition, a little techie," said Microsoft's Greg Sullivan. "I count myself among that group, but I think anybody who uses a computer and is into digital photography or listening to music or surfing the web or playing games ... is really going to be excited about what Windows Vista brings to the table."

Users might not be as excited about the kind of hardware Vista requires to perform its software magic: lots of memory (one gigabyte or more) and a high-grade video display card.

"This version of Windows really takes advantage of the graphics card that you have, and if you have decent graphics—which all of today's computers do ... Windows Vista will really take advantage of that, and give you you stunning three-dimensional graphcs with really cool translucent effects," Sullivan said.

The Microsoft spokesman concedes that most of us aren't really candidates for Windows Vista—at least not as part of an upgrade.

"It's true that most people historically get their copy of Windows on a new PC," Sullivan said, adding that the historical percentage of Windows users who upgrade to the next version are less than 10 percent.

There are some significant under-the-hood improvements that promise to make Vista work better than Windows XP, including improved security.

But a lot of what Vista does could be considered cosmetic, and installation will only make an existing computer run more slowly without potentially costly hardware upgrades.

If you're keen on a Vista upgrade for your PC, check the Microsoft Web site for a software tool that analyzes your current hardware and advises on what might be needed for success.

•Windows Vista: CLICK FOR LINK
• Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor: CLICK FOR LINK

If you do choose the "new computer" upgrade route to Windows Vista, you may be wondering: "How do I get all my files, photos, music and video clips from my old PC to this shiny new one?"

It's possible (but time-consuming) to burn those files to a series of CDs or DVDs on the old computer, then load them in to the second computer.

You could pop a keychain USB drive in-and-out, back-and-forth for kind of a "bucket brigade" file transfer, but you'd really need a lot of patience to do that.

The Tornado offers an alternative. It's a simple, pocket-size device that works by unraveling two USB cables. One goes to your new computer; the other to the old one.

Less than a minute later, you're looking at a split-screen view of the files on the two computers (the view appears on both screens simultaneously); no software is necessary for Windows XP or Vista users.

Moving files or folders from one machine to the other is as simple as dragging and dropping.

The transfers are really, really fast (as long as both machines have USB 2.0 ports), and The Tornado is certified to work with Microsoft's new operating system.

My only real quibble with The Tornado is its cable—fully unwound, it stretches only about four feet, and that's not quite long enough when one computer is on a desk and another is on the floor.

But the product does work as advertised, and you'll find it to be a handy accessory for your computer tote bag—even if you don't plan a short-term upgrade to Windows Vista.

•The Tornado: CLICK FOR LINK

Watch Computer Corner every week on News 8 Midday at noon, or online any time.

E-mail askwalt@wfaa.com