Windows Vista Ultimate with SP1 Upgrade

I bought the upgrade version of vista ultimate with service pack 1. The installer chose the 32-bit version of the os due to my printer (no 64-bit drivers). You can actually open a ticket with MS if you expect a 64b install but don't get it. Remote windows login required domain after username to work. Media center needs to be restarted when going from window to full-screen (minor bug). Love the power management. Almost all drivers were found online by vista! Overall am pleased with this upgrade!

399$ for a XP remake with just glossy big icons, eyecandy hungry interface?
The Ultimate version brings poor improvements and the little "bonuses" do not justify its outrageous price.
i.e:
MacOS 10.5 Leopard which is really easy to use (ergonomic) and eyecandy cost 129$ and 199$ in family pack.
and a Linux distribution like Ubuntu 8.04 (Hardy Heron) is free and Compiz is the Nec-plus-ultra of eye-candiness (also free).
Vista invented nothing but just copied things from MacOS and from Linux, in terms of security and interface / eye-candy application. To copy open-source products is by far not the most difficult thing which exist.

There is no reason to switch from XP to Vista for a normal customer and actually there is no more reason to stay with costly bugged Microsoft products anymore.
Just choose something else and you will be better served.

I waited until Vista was available in a retail box so that I would not have to deal with a large download. Amazon was the first place that had the product available. There are many differences between XP and Vista. Learning the newer version takes a little time but it is well worth it. My boot time is 20 seconds compared to my XP's boot time of 45 seconds. There are many new features in Vista. One of my favorites is the sleep mode with a keyboard wake.

The reviewer below mentions it costs money to upgrade to SP1 that is not true, SP1 is totally free, and downloadable from Microsofts website, this version of Vista has SP1 for those installing Vista for the first time or after a reinstall.

To others that say Vista is a waste of time, that depends on what outdated or slow computers you have, I built a new computer just a few months ago, Feb. of 2008, and Vista smokes on it, I got the 64 bit version, with a 3.0Ghz dual core 2 CPU, 4 gigs of memory for about a month, and everything flew, all games and programs I use, then I got another 4 gigs of RAM for a total of 8 gigs, I can run Crysis, Test Drive Unlimited, Doom 3, Bioshock and many online games at FULL graphics resolutions. I know that the other hardware I have help with making my graphics run smooth, but Vista Certainly doesn't hinder any of them at all and everything runs in Vista, I have had ZERO problems with Vista running any game or other productivity software I have.

So, some of you really should stop trying to run Vista on an XP machine, with 2 gigs of RAM and a 256 meg video cards, if you do build your own computers and buy the right gear, you'll never go back to XP again.

From the box "You must perform a clean install....unless you are upgrading from...or any edition of Windows Vista." I specifically bought the upgrade w/SP1 to avoid having to download and install the SP separately -- a no brainer for less than $8 difference in price. Currently installed OS is Vista Home Premium base. Guess what? This item can't be installed as an upgrade until and unless you first install SP1! Oh well. Again, the stars are not for the OS but for the "Upgrade" package.