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Windows Vista: Creating a 3-D Desktop 

Windows Vista's desktop environment requires considerably more computer resources than

previous versions of the OS. For this reason, and to make the OS more stable, Vista's graphicssubsystem is different from its predecessors.

First, Windows Vista uses a new graphics driver model, known as the Windows Display

Driver Model (WDDM). Previous Windows graphics drivers ran in kernel mode. They had directaccess to the graphics hardware, and their performance could affect the operating system. This is

why graphics errors could cause the entire system to stop responding. WDDM, however, runsprimarily in user mode. It has little direct access to the graphics hardware or to critical parts of 

the operating system. Microsoft instituted a similar change to Vista's audio subsystem as well.These changes should help make the OS more stable.

The WDDM manages the workload of the graphics processing unit (GPU). It allocates the videomemory required for different tasks, and it prioritizes applications that need access to the GPU. In

other words, it helps budget the computer's video processing resources. This is particularlyimportant, since the OS and applications that use lots of 3-D graphics have to share the

computer's graphics resources.

Photo courtesy © 2006 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. 

Windows Vista desktop view 

A driver called the Desktop Window Manager (DWM) is part of the WDDM. This driver isresponsible for updating what you see on the desktop. The DWM draws all of the objects you see

on your screen and holds them in a buffer until you need them. By keeping different desktop

views in a buffer, the DWM should help prevent the blank square of space that often appearswhen programs stop responding. The DWM creates the thumbnails used in Flip and Flip-3D, and itcan scale on-screen images to fill high-resolution monitors.

Cap Bits

Previous versions of DirectXused capability bits, or capbits, to describe differentDirectX features. Hardware did

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not necessarily have to supportall of the cap bits to be DirectXcompliant. For this reason, videocards and other componentsdidn't always work properly evenif they were DirectX compliant.DirectX 10 does away with thissystem, designating only threefeatures as optional. 

Although the WDDM is central to creating the windows you use to access your applications, itdoesn't communicate with those programs directly. Instead, it interacts with programs through

an application programming interface (API). APIs help hardware and software communicatemore efficiently by providing sets of instructions for complex tasks. Windows Vista can use DirectX

9 as its API, although a new version, DirectX 10, is a built-in, exclusive part of the OS.

All this 3-D rendering requires lots of processing power. To use Aero and some of the morehardware-intensive features of Windows Vista, a computer must be Premium Ready. It has to

have enough system and graphics memory to handle constant creation and manipulation of 3-D

images. This is why the requirements for a Premium Ready computer sound like what you'dexpect from a 3-D game. It must have:

• A 1 GHz 32-bit or 64-bit processor

• 1 GB of system memory

• A 40 GB hard drive with at least 15 GB of free space

• At least 128 MB of graphics memory

The computer also has to support DirectX 9, have a DVD-ROM drive and have access to theInternet. Microsoft has a list of all of the necessary components for a Premium Ready system.

If you're considering upgrading to Windows Vista and want to use the Aero interface, you shouldkeep in mind that these are the minimum requirements. If your computer meets exactly these

specifications, it will be able to create the 3-D interface. However, it may bog down if you're

multitasking or playing image-intensive games. If you hope to run Vista on a laptop or a desktopthat doesn't have a dedicated video card, you may find that the GUI's benefits don't outweigh thestrain it puts on your system resources. To get optimal performance from the Aero user interface,

a computer needs to exceed the minimum recommendations, including a separate video card withits own graphics memory.

Microsoft has published different minimum requirements for computers using the basic interface.They include:

• An 800 MHz or better modern processor

• 512 MB of system memory

• A graphics processor that supports DirectX 9

Microsoft has also made some changes to how Vista handles networking and security. We'll look at

these changes in the next section.

Changing the Volume

You may have had the experience of trying to talk to someoneover IM while listening to music on your computer. Sometimes,your choices are to hear your IM notification sounds blaring over 

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your music or to turn them off entirely. Windows Vista eliminatesthis issue by allowing people to change the outbound volume of each application.

Windows Vista: Networking and Security 

In the past, computer networks primarily existed in schools, businesses and computer enthusiasts'

homes. But today, many households have several computers that need to share files, printers andconnections to the Internet. Unlike most businesses, many average home users do not have anetworking expert to set up and maintain their networks.

For this reason, Windows Vista includes several network setup wizards, which walk users throughcreating networks and sharing devices. It also has several built-in network tools that are

accessible through a Network Center:

• Network Explorer lets users find files on networked computers and move them from to

place. It's similar to other Windows Explorers that let people find files on their own computers.

• Network Map creates a visual map of all the computers and devices on the network.

Vista also includes a Network Awareness feature for people who need to use their computers inmultiple locations. Network Awareness detects which network a person's computer is using and

applies the appropriate settings.

Photo courtesy © 2006 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. The Network Center  

Vista also includes tools to help people maintain and repair their own networks. The Network

Diagnostics feature can detect and repair some network issues on its own. It can also walk usersthrough the necessary steps to restore their network connections. To do this, it uses a collection

of tools that use the Windows Diagnostic Infrastructure (WDI).

The WDI provides the structure for several components, including the Network Diagnostics

Framework (NDF) and several APIs. The NDF identifies and troubleshoots client-side networkissues using a Network Diagnostics Engine as well as Microsoft and third-party helper

classes. The helper classes are troubleshooting protocols, and the Network Diagnostic Enginecommunicates with them through the helper class API. Applications that need to access the

Internet can also use APIs to access Vista's troubleshooting capabilities.

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Other changes to Vista should improve computers' security once they're connected to a network

or the Internet. Some experts blame the Windows kernel for previous issues with security[Source: Extreme Tech]. Although Vista uses essentially the same kernel as previous versions of 

Windows, Microsoft has made some changes to how applications interact with it. In addition to

making the computer more stable, this change will also make it more difficult for people to writemalicious code designed to exploit applications and affect the kernel.

Vista also includes applications and tools that people can use to make their systems more secure.As with previous versions of Windows, Vista can check for, download and install security updates

automatically. In addition, it has several new security features:

What's a Kernel?

A kernel is a small but integralpiece of an operating system.It's usually the first piece to loadinto the computer's memory,and it stays there while thecomputer runs. Many other applications and devices rely on

the kernel extensively, soproblems with it can causesystem-wide issues. 

• User Account Control (UAC) lets each Windows Vista user for a particular computer set

up his own account. A user with administrative privileges can determine what kind of applications different accounts can install and what kind of changes they can make to the

computer's setup. In many cases, installing software and making changes to the operatingsystem requires an administrator's password.

• UAC also lets parents use parental controls to manage what kind of games their children

can play and what kind of Web content they can view. Parents can also set time limits for

computer use.

• User Account Control, Windows Firewall, Windows Defender and the Malicious

Software Removal Tool improve system security and help prevent andremove viruses andSpyware. However, many industry experts advise users to install additional

virus protection.

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Photo courtesy © 2006 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. The Family Safety Center  

Although Microsoft has presented Vista as safer and more secure than previous versions of 

Windows, the new OS is not without controversy. Critics have pointed out that many of its

features, including search, Sidebar and preview pane functions, already exist in other operatingsystems, like Linux and Macintosh OS X. Beta testers have described the UAC password

requirements as invasive and annoying. Some claim that the improved security that comes fromchanges to how applications interact with the kernel will be short-lived. Vista has also been

accused of antitrust violations in several countries, particularly because of its integrated malwareremoval tools.

Other criticism is laptop-specific. Aero's hardware requirements for 3-D rendering may drainlaptop batteries more quickly than older versions of Windows. The sleep state may also drain

laptop batteries when the laptops are not in use.

Vista hit the market for volume license buyers on November 30, 2006, and it became available to

the public on January 30, 2007. With the 3-D GUI and related hardware requirements, it has thepotential to change how people shop for computers, especially when it comes to graphics

hardware. Only time will tell whether the differences between Windows Vista and prior versionsmake it a more stable, secure OS or whether its most significant changes are cosmetic.

Check out Microsoft's site for more detailed information about Windows Vista's features and costs.

See the links on the next page for more information on computers, operating systems and related

topics.