What does Vista offer over XP?

[Darth Wong]

Not an original question I know, but I've been trying to find a list of the extra features. Is there anything besides the new interface?

[CorSec]

One key feature that is a vast improvement over XP is the control an administrator level account has on lower level accounts. Namely the parental controls. In the handful of hours that I had to fiddle with it, I was quite impressed with how tightly one could control another account's access to both the computer programs already installed and the internet.

I'm positive there are other advances - many of which I'll never know about or use - but that's the only one I've had the opportunity to work with first hand.

[Ace Pace]

Not an original question I know, but I've been trying to find a list of the extra features. Is there anything besides the new interface?

Yes.

Apologies for quoting wikipedia but it's the easiest place to find a comprehensive list of end user features.
Selected excerpts.
Wikipedia.

Windows Shell: The new Windows shell is significantly different from Windows XP, offering a new range of organization, navigation, and search capabilities. Windows Explorer's task pane has been removed, integrating the relevant task options into the toolbar. A "Favorite links" pane has been added, enabling one-click access to common directories. The address bar has been replaced with a breadcrumb navigation system. The Start menu has changed as well; it no longer uses ever-expanding boxes when navigating through Programs. Even the word "Start" itself has been removed in favor of a blue Windows Orb (also called "Pearl").


Windows Search (also known as Instant Search or search as you type): significantly faster and more thorough search capabilities. Search boxes have been added to the Start menu, Windows Explorer, and several of the applications included with Vista. By default, Instant Search indexes only a small number of folders such as the start menu, the names of files opened, the Documents folder, and the user's e-mail. Advanced options allow to choose for a specific file type how it should be indexed, the properties only or the properties and the file contents or exclude it.


Windows Sidebar: A transparent panel anchored to the side of the screen where a user can place Desktop Gadgets, which are small applets designed for a specialized purpose (such as displaying the weather or sports scores). Gadgets can also be placed on other parts of the Desktop, if desired.


Backup and Restore Center: Includes a backup and restore application that gives users the ability to schedule periodic backups of files on their computer, as well as recovery from previous backups. Backups are incremental, storing only the changes each time, minimizing the disk usage. It also features CompletePC Backup (available only to Ultimate, Business, and Enterprise versions) which backs up an entire computer as an image onto a hard disk or DVD. CompletePC Backup can automatically recreate a machine setup onto new hardware or hard disk in case of any hardware failures.


Windows Mail: A replacement for Outlook Express that includes a completely replaced mail store that improves stability, and enables real-time search. It has the Phishing Filter like IE7 and a Junk mail filtering which is enhanced through regular updates via Windows Update.[7]


Windows Photo Gallery, a photo and movie library management application. WPG can import from digital cameras, tag and rate individual items, adjust colors and exposure, create and display slideshows (with pan and fade effects), and burn slideshows to DVD.


Windows DVD Maker, a companion program to Windows Movie Maker, which provides the ability to create video DVDs based on a user's content.


Windows Media Center, which was previously exclusively bundled as a separate version of Windows XP, known as Windows XP Media Center Edition, will be incorporated into the Home Premium and Ultimate editions of Windows Vista.



Previous Versions
Previous Versions automatically creates backup copies of files and folders, with daily frequency. Users can also create "shadow copies" by setting a System Protection Point using the System Protection tab in the System control panel. The user can be presented multiple versions of a file throughout a limited history and be allowed to restore, delete, or copy those versions. This feature is available only in the Business, Enterprise, and Ultimate editions of Windows Vista and is inherited from Windows Server 2003.[8]



Windows Update: Software and security updates have been simplified, now operating solely via a control panel instead of as a web application. Mail's spam filter and Defender's definitions will also be automatically updated via Windows Update.


Parental controls: Allows administrators to control which websites, programs, and games each standard user can use and install.


Improved audio controls allow the system-wide volume or volume of individual audio devices and even individual applications to be controlled separately. Introduced new audio functionalities such as Room Correction, Bass Management and Speaker Fill.

Thats for the end user, theres some more neat technical stuff but I assume you don't want it.

[Arrow]

In addition to the interface and security upgrades, you've DX10 for games, and in the 64-bit version, support for more RAM; but both of those aren't needed right now. Most of Vista's changes are under the hood; better kernel, new driver model, etc. On the surface, it doesn't look like much, and that's MS's biggest problem with selling Vista for existing computers.

[Admiral Valdemar]

A lot of that stuff is either not needed, long overdue, or already on another system. The public wants a new experience, and I'm sorry, but they're not getting it, even with shininess.

The price is also extortion in the eyes of many for such small gain right now, that, and buying any software as soon as it's released is bad ju-ju.

[Jon]

Having never used OSX or wanted to download 3rd party apps to give me pretty bells and whistles, many of the features are new to me as a windows user, and I'd think the same could be said of the majority? I can't argue there is anything new or innovative in Vista, compared to what exists on the market, but as a bit of a sheep too lazy to try anything else out I guess I'm the kind of customer they rely on, sadly. I'll get Vista purely 'because' and probably appreciate some of the 'new' features too. OEM disc of course, retail prices are insane.

[General Zod]

Having never used OSX or wanted to download 3rd party apps to give me pretty bells and whistles, many of the features are new to me as a windows user, and I'd think the same could be said of the majority? I can't argue there is anything new or innovative in Vista, compared to what exists on the market, but as a bit of a sheep too lazy to try anything else out I guess I'm the kind of customer they rely on, sadly. I'll get Vista purely 'because' and probably appreciate some of the 'new' features too. OEM disc of course, retail prices are insane.

What exactly do you mean by "third party apps to give me pretty bells and whistles"? Are we talking utilities that do their jobs better than the default Windows offering like Firefox and Media Player Classic, or things that simply make Windows look pretty like Stardock?

[Edward Yee]

I'll 'just' take advantage of the Express Upgrade program, maybe order at the beginning of March; don't know if there'll be any fixes in the version that I get by ordering that late, but I wouldn't going to buy from the get-go either. Seeing as the computer eligible already has MCE, I don't see anything wrong with leaving the Vista copy unused until it's needed.

[Jon]

What exactly do you mean by "third party apps to give me pretty bells and whistles"? Are we talking utilities that do their jobs better than the default Windows offering like Firefox and Media Player Classic, or things that simply make Windows look pretty like Stardock?

Yeah the likes of Stardock, I'm not attacking decent programs like Firefox and other replacements of dire stock features I couldn't live without, indeed. I'm not even 'attacking' Stardock, but I just don't like installing... unnecessary extras where I needn't, it'll be cool to have some of those features vanilla though.

[phongn]

Ace Pace posted the Wiki link to the general Vista article, but a more comprehensive list is also available.