The Wargamer

A note to our readers: Given the wide range of interests and levels of computer literacy, it's very difficult to put my finger on precisely where the background information on various technical aspects pertaining to Vista should start and stop. In some instances throughout this series on Windows Vista, the discussion may get a little too technical and as a result some readers may have difficulties following along. Allow me to first apologize in advance for such difficulties. All is not lost, however, because our Tech Talk forum provides a perfect medium to ask questions about Vista or any technical computer issues. I frequent these forums very often and would be more than happy to field any questions or comments pertaining to Vista or related hardware covered in this series of articles.

When I first sat down to write about Microsoft's next operating system, I found the task daunting. People use operating systems on a daily basis, and few of us think much about what happens under the hood. When a new OS is launched, however, it isn't done casually. As a result, switching to a new OS isn't like trying a new brand of coffee - the switch shouldn't be made lightly. But often a new OS can be in order. I'm writing this column to help readers understand some of the features and issues that surround upgrading to Vista.

The first place I started is with the most humble of documents, the End User's License Agreement, or EULA. Never heard of it? Sure you have. It's the legalese that you're supposed to read through that says you won't pirate the software - the place where you click "Yes, I Agree to Those Terms" and then start installing it on your computer.

Now a EULA isn't the most stimulating prose I've ever read, but there's a reason why this first column is dedicated to it. At first glance, most readers might think that one copy of Vista is the same as another. While what is under the hood is largely similar, there are differences in the code and more importantly different legal rights to using it. Now, I'm no lawyer, but I spent a full day visiting numerous websites and sources so I think I've managed to correctly form a picture of the different kinds of Vista that are on store shelves. If you're thinking about upgrading this weekend, it's worth catching up on what you pick up, because it could make a big difference, both in terms of price, and what you can do with the software.

It may come as a surprise, but there are more than 20 different flavors of Vista. With varying licensing agreements, transfer rules, and other various legal headaches, choosing which version of Windows Vista to buy is much more important than it was with Windows XP. Because of this, I've dedicated the entirety of my first installment of the Windows Vista Impressions series to the different flavors and various restrictions covering the new operating system. Bear in mind, however, that this is not a piece offering a laundry list of what you do and don't get in Vista Home vis-à-vis Business. But rather, this article is concerned primarily with the do-it-yourself users among us who are thinking about upgrading Vista on their machine rather than buying a brand new system with Vista already on it from a computer manufacturer like Dell, Gateway, HP, et al.

Licensing Limbo

I must confess that I conducted my installation of Windows Vista in a somewhat unorthodox fashion; as a result, many readers may experience quite a different situation when upgrading to Vista. I guess the easiest way to put it would be that I "wimped out" after purchasing my copy of OEM Vista Home Premium because I installed the OS on its own hard drive, separate from my other hard drive running Windows XP. How will this change my experience with installing Vista? Well for starters, I'm not forced to use Vista should I have trouble installing drivers or other software. But this also means that I'm running what is called a "dual boot" setup which means that every time I turn on my computer I am prompted with a black and white screen that asks me which OS I would like to load up.

Users with only one hard drive (with only one partition, too, but let's leave partitioning out of the equation for now) will be forced to upgrade to Vista should they elect to install it, and this will give them no way of going back to Windows XP if things go awry. More importantly, upgrading by overwriting one's Windows XP install has certain ramifications as well.

According to the Microsoft Vista EULA, installing the upgrade version of Windows Vista invalidates one's Windows XP license. This basically means that by claiming that a new Vista upgrade license is in use, the user surrenders the original XP license, thus completing the "upgrade." The Vista upgrade isn't treated like an isolated installation of a new piece of software but rather the direct overwriting and alteration of an existing "full" Windows XP license. Therefore, Microsoft stresses that once XP has been upgraded, its original license is no longer valid because the upgrade version of Vista is entirely dependent on a previous legal copy of Windows XP, hence the reduced cost vis-à-vis the full version of Vista. This is the exact wording from the EULA:

13. UPGRADES. To use upgrade software, you must first be licensed for the software that is eligible for the upgrade. Upon upgrade, this agreement takes the place of the agreement for the software you upgraded from. After you upgrade, you may no longer use the software you upgraded from.

It's important to note, however, that such "replacement" of an XP license only occurs when purchasing the Upgrade version of Windows Vista and not the original full version. However, with a substantial difference in price tags - the retail Vista Home Premium Upgrade is $120, while the full version is about $70 more - makes the "no going back" option of the Upgrade version about as painful as that of shelling out the extra seventy dollars. The decision to buy the full version, as opposed to the upgrade version, is largely a reflection of how much a risk one is willing to take in trusting a fledgling OS. But faced with $70 or the potential of a broken OS, it may be time for many users who have the gumption to try to partition their hard drive or add a new device altogether to do so to allow for a "dual boot" option.