How the typical desktop will look in Vista. Not really much of a change from Windows XP.

How the typical desktop will look in Vista. Not really much of a change from Windows XP.

Vista desktop during Tom's Hardware Guide's review. You can notice the lack of transparency from the non-Aero desktop.

Vista desktop during Tom’s Hardware Guide’s review. You can notice the lack of transparency from the non-Aero desktop.

Vista is nice enough to tell you that your machine may not be powerful enough to run some of the more CPU/Graphically-intensive eye-candy. You are given the option to disable those features.

Vista is nice enough to tell you that your machine may not be powerful enough to run some of the more CPU/Graphically-intensive eye-candy. You are given the option to disable those features.

Appearance settings looks much the same as Windows XP.

Appearance settings looks much the same as Windows XP.

Vista's start menu

Vista’s start menu

Windows Media Center-type functions are now integrated into Vista Premium Home.

Windows Media Center-type functions are now integrated into Vista Premium Home.

Picture gallery inside of Vista’s Premium Home edition.

Finally, Windows users get a built-in chess program.

Finally, Windows users get a built-in chess program.

Meeting Space, a collaboration application, is included in all versions of Vista, but Home Basic users can only view meetings.

Meeting Space, a collaboration application, is included in all versions of Vista, but Home Basic users can only view meetings.

Vista's gadgets look surprisingly similar to Macintosh's "Widgets"

Vista’s gadgets look surprisingly similar to Macintosh’s "Widgets"