KEY POINTS:
The home computer's first facelift in five years becomes possible tonight with the launch of Microsoft's new Vista operating system.
But despite the extra bells and whistles, commentators expect PC users will be slow to convert and warn that it works well only on grunty computers.
Windows Vista is the redesign of the Windows XP system, which PCs have used for the past five years.
It was released to businesses last year, but New Zealand will be the first country to launch the home versions, which go on the shelves at one minute after midnight.
The new Office 2007 software will be launched at the same time, with upgraded versions of programs such as Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
Commentators have applauded the new system for its extra security, easier design and better handling of media such as digital photographs, video and audio.
The standard price of upgrading ready computers to Vista ranges from $259 for the home basic version to $349 for the premium home version.
To buy the full package costs $499 for the basic version and $589 for the premium.
Herald technology writer Peter Griffin said Vista had good new features, but given its price and the level of satisfaction with Windows XP, most people were unlikely to upgrade until they bought new computers with Vista already installed.
"While there are lots of little great new features, it's not the revolutionary change as when Windows 95 was launched in 1995, which was a sea change.
"This is off the back of Windows XP, which is very robust, so it is less of an explosive thing than in 1995.
"It will be a couple of years before this version takes off."
The vice-president of Internet NZ, blogger David Farrar, also did not expect it to go out the doors quite as fast as U2 tickets.
"I usually wait for six months after a Microsoft product comes out before I try it because there are usually some bugs in there."
He expected Vista would arrive in households slowly as people replaced their computers.
"I think it's an improvement, like they are all meant to be, but considering its cost there won't be a huge rush of people getting it.
"I expect it will gradually get on board as people buy new PCs, because the operating system is cheaper if you buy it with a new PC."
Griffin said the biggest drawback was that Vista would work well only on a powerful computer with at least a one gigahertz processor and one gigabyte of memory.
"Those people running 512 megabyte computers - which is pretty much all people who bought computers in the last six months - will struggle to run all but the most basic version effectively."
However, he praised Vista for including a better search system and better handling of media, such as photographs and video.
He also liked the inclusion in the premium edition of the Media Center - a program which plays music and video and records live television - which comes only as a separate package from Windows XP.
He said there were valid concerns first raised by Auckland University computer science researcher Peter Gutmann last year that the copyright protection built into the system would result in a lower quality of songs and movies, especially of high-definition movies.
The launch of Microsoft Windows Vista and Office 2007 will kick off with a ceremonial laptop purchase by All Black Daniel Carter at midnight in Dick Smith Electronics' PowerHouse Manukau store.
Carter will autograph the laptop before it is auctioned on Trade Me along with 15 copies of the limited edition of Windows Vista Ultimate signed by Microsoft chairman Bill Gates to raise funds for the Cure Kids charity.
Upgrade Costs
* The standard price of upgrading ready computers to Vista ranges from $259 for the home basic version to $349 for the premium home version.
* To buy the full package costs $499 for the basic version and $589 for the premium.
* It provides extra security, better design and better media handling.
