LIVING WITH VISTA

Another new version of Windows has arrived, and you are probably wondering if the new Windows will really be so different from the old Windows. The answer is that Windows Vista, like all previous Windows releases, comes with some significant new features and some insignificant new features pleasantly bundled in an over-hyped potpourri. Any way you look at it, though, the proliferation of Windows systems means that a new version really is worth noticing – even if you aren’t a Windows fan. Most networks with Linux are actually heterogeneous networks that may include a number of different Windows systems. The flawless functioning of your network is most likely the result of past troubleshooting efforts that you may not even remember, but as soon as a new version of Windows rolls out, you’ll have to start that troubleshooting all over again. The recently reported problems with networking Vista and Samba are just the first step in a long process of keeping Windows and Linux connected, and if the present is anything like the past, the open source community will need to take the lead in the quest for Windows/ Linux compatibility.