Vista Home Premium or Vista Business

Vista Home Premium:
- multimedia features (moviemaker)

Vista Business:
- can use license to use XP Pro until ready to use Vista
- doesn't have the multimedia features
- more expensive

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Which should I choose! I want the multimedia features of Home Premium, is there alternatives I can consider if I choose Business? If I choose Home Premium, am I really losing out anything? I don't have any need for the networking features, the backup feature is probably the only thing but is it reliable/good?

 

I'd go with Business. Its easier to find freeware alternatives to supplement its media capabilities.

 

can you provide suggestions for alternatives to the media capabilities? I have searched and cannot find... i don't understand why i need to pay more for Business version when it is actually a version with less features!

 

Your features list for Business doesn't seem to have any "pros" in it, only "cons".

1) If you're buying it new, then why do you need to use an XP license? They only do that so people can still buy an XP license even though MS is not technically selling them anymore.
2) It doesn't have multimedia features, but those are what you are looking for.
3) More expensive is not a good thing.

If you don't need any of the features you have listed in business, and you specifically DO need features of Home Premium, I don't understand why you are asking the question.

The version that has all of the features is Ultimate.

You pay more for Business because you will supposedly get better/long term support... the kind of support a business would want.

 

If I get Business, I will probably use the license key to install XP Pro (it is called downgrade rights, according to MS they will allow that) and use XP Pro until such time in the future when Vista is as fast as XP.

XP Pro also has Moviemaker (the older version) - needs to be downloaded.

I am asking just in case I am missing out something in Business I am not aware of. What is this better/long term support that Home Premium will not get?

 

Yes, with VB you can downgrade to XP, but OEM's will charge a fee for those CD's.

You can look here to see what each has to offer:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/windowsvista/editions/choose.mspx

 

i already have installation CD from old laptops, so that is not a problem... just have to call MS for the license key.

i have already seen the comparison chart many times, i am still confused. why am i paying more for Business when they take out the Home Premium features? If they left the features in, the choice is clear, just get Business. But now, if I get Business I pay more for less features?

 

Are your eyes ok man? Just because you don't use the features doesn't mean they aren't there.

 

Well, in XP, the PRO versions included Home features + extra features, so the additional price was justified. Now in Vista, you take many features out, put in some other (less useful) stuff, and it costs more? "Windows Fax and Scan" - my scanner comes with its own software. "Backup and Restore" - how reliable is this? I see many tweaks suggest we disable System Restore? "Remote Access" - admittedly, I am clueless about what this is.

 

Again, like I said, just because you don't use them, or know what they are doesn't mean they're not features. Remote Access is just what it sounds like, access a computer remotely from a different computer.

 

The Backup and Restore is not the same as system restore. Backup and restore actually backs up files and folders over the network or to external device. It also includes an option to create an image of your whole system just like Norton Ghost (same file extension).

System restore simply restores your system to a previous state before you did an update or installed a driver that made your system choke. I know some like to advise to disable system restore to save HDD space, but having worked tech support, I would have to say that is not sound advice, without being rude. 7 out of 10 times system restore resolved the customers’ issues by running from safe mode (5-10 minutes). The other 2 failed because the customer states they disabled it and moment of silence from both of us, I tell them to reimage and call back if he has any more issues. The last 1 failure is if there has been a major change to the system after the restore point.

 

Thanks, appreciate that! I didn't know it's different from system restore. But if I am using the US$49.99 Acronis True Image 11, I wouldn't need the Vista Backup service - am I right? Just want to be sure before I decide on Home Premium. Thanks!

http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing/products/trueimage/