When Microsoft introduced Windows XP it took them over three years to get it mostly bug free. So, the short answer is NO. I would wait until at least a year and several upgrades before considering it.

Microsoft has extended retail sales of XP for five more months until June 2008. The new end-of-availability pushed back to June 30, 2010. Shows what the market is demanding.

Sales of Vista have been lackluster, so maybe the buying public is making a statement? Only time will tell.

– Price. Very expensive. $399 new, or $299 for the upgrade to Windows Ultimate? The cheapest version, Basic ($199 full, $100 upgrade), isn't worth the trouble. The extra hardware needed is even more daunting. You need to check first which version you intend on upgrading to? You might need 2GB RAM, a very, very fast CPU and even an integrated graphics chip with it's own onboard RAM (not found in many laptops).

– Not much new. It looks pretty, but do you care about photo tagging and 3-D window flipping? Not me!

– It's annoying. Most Vista users have turned off User Account Control, which nags you with an "Are you sure?" prompt every time you try to do anything beyond run the calculator.

– Many, many missing drivers. Who wants their scanner or printer to stop working? Lots of software won't run on Vista, so one of your important applications might not run.

– It's confusing. Everything that XP could do, Vista can do… only it's buried under a different menu and it has a new name. Sigh!

– It's doesn't work that well. There are many bugs and flaws with the design of Vista and it needs a Service Pack. So, you should wait for one or maybe two.

On the other side I expect over time Microsoft with it's vast resources will fix the problems and you will get to the good stuff. AERO: Transparent windows, tasteful animation, elegant design. 2. SEARCH: Fast, smart, and you can create virtual search folders to revisit your searches with a single click. 3. NETWORK MAP: Finally, Microsoft gets networking right; it's a great way to get an overview of your network and its devices. 4. WIRELESS NETWORKING: Connecting to multiple wireless networks and hotspots is a simple affair. 5. SECURITY: You get a firewall with outbound filtering, a better browser, and a lot under the hood offering better protection. Maybe in 2008 or 2009 Vista will be something worth considering.

If you have decided to upgrade it is not simple a matter analizing your computing habits and then figuring out which of the seven versions of Vista meets your needs. Windows 9X, ME and 2000 cannot be upgraded without performing a clean installation. Various versions of XP can be only upgraded to various versions of Vista per the following article:

You should also note that Micrsoft has set up the Vista Upgrade to install only if your hard drive already has Windows XP or Windows 2000 already loaded. According to Microsoft, only the full retail license of Windows Vista can be transferred to new devices. OEM versions are ostensibly tied to motherboards, and upgrade versions are now technically tied to previous installations.

The first question to answer if you are student looking to purchase a laptop or a parent thinking about buying a laptop for your child is the budget. If there is no budget or you can spend $800 or $900+ consider buying a new laptop.

Once the budget is in hand then consider the intended use for the laptop.

For colleges and universities, visit the school's Web site for useful information. They will often provide a recommended minimum required laptop specification. However, don't be fooled they often will suggest much more than is needed. One final thought: students need a notebook that is small and light enough to lug back and forth across campus but rugged enough to withstand bouncing around in a backpack.

If it is to browse the web, instant messaging and type papers then a minimal laptop will work fine. Browsing the web only requires 128MB RAM. You can't type faster than a very old Pentium 90 laptop, so word processing runs fine on older laptops. If you have any specialized applications it is always a good idea to go to the software vendors website and check out the Minimum Systems Requirements to make sure the application will work. If you are a serious gamer all bets are off as you might need 2GB RAM, a fast CPU and even a specialized graphics chip and have to spend $2000.

Most college campuses these days have wireless networks. Older laptops can accept Wi-Fi cards, which cost $30, so they are easily to upgrade.

Older laptops often do not have working batteries and even on new ones after a year or two the battery may not work. It usually does not matter, as schools know students want to use their laptops everywhere and often provide many extra wall outlets, so they can be plugged in. New batteries often don't last more than 2-3 hours.

Pricing for full retail versions of the software will be Windows Vista Ultimate, $399; Windows Vista Business, $299; Windows Vista Home Premium, $239; and Windows Vista Home Basic, $199.

Upgrades from Windows XP are priced at Windows Vista Ultimate, $259; Windows Vista Business, $199; Windows Vista Home Premium, $159; and Windows Vista Home Basic, $99.

Pricing for full retail versions of the software will be Windows Vista Ultimate, $399; Windows Vista Business, $299; Windows Vista Home Premium, $239; and Windows Vista Home Basic, $199.

Upgrades from Windows XP are priced at Windows Vista Ultimate, $259; Windows Vista Business, $199; Windows Vista Home Premium, $159; and Windows Vista Home Basic, $99.

As is typical of Microsoft pricing, expensive, more expensive and most expensive. Only a monopoly could price a software product at these prices.

We are getting close to release of Vista, so I thought an update would be in order.

If you are thinking of buying a new laptop before Vista ships you should seriously consider waiting. Although Microsoft is offering an upgrade path I would not count on upgrading being smooth, based upon past upgrades. Why take a chance? Wait until it ships the end of January 2007.

However, if there is some compeling reason to upgrade now … Vista requires Microsoft DirectX 9, different versions of Vista have differing hardware requirements, a stripped down version requires at least a P3-800MHz CPU and at least a 60GB HD. My rule of thumb with new software is to wait at least six months after it has been released to buy. So, if possible wait until the dust settles and don't be in a rush.

It depends upon how you treat it. Laptops are designed to be move around, but still moving them around a lot could eventually cause problems. The most likely part to go first is the hard drive, as they have a moving head and if it crashes the hard drive could be damaged.

If your laptop stays in one place then it most likely should give you years of use.

Corporations tend to refresh their laptops every three or four years. Usually, they buy them with a three year warranty and once the warranty expires feel the need to upgrade. They continue to improve and change their software, so often need newer hardware. Microsoft pushes the latest OS and since their latest OS's often require upgraded hardware they sometimes have no choice.

Consumers on the other hand, often have simpler needs. Browse the web, e-mail and typing letters or simple spreadsheet. They will often get many years use of a refurbished laptop, as their needs do not change that quickly.