Compare the features and functions of two different operating systems.

C) Compare the features and functions of two different operating systems selected in Task 4 (Part B) above.

§ Windows Vista

The release of Windows Vista came more than five years after the introduction of its predecessor, Windows XP, the longest time span between successive releases of Microsoft Windows.

Further reading
§ Features new to Windows Vista – So many new features compared with previous Microsoft Windows versions, covering most aspects of the operating system.
§ Management features new to Windows Vista - Windows Vista contains a range of new technologies and features that are intended to help network administrators and power users better manage their systems.
§ Security and safety features new to Windows Vista – Is a new security and safety mechanisms include User Account Control, parental controls, also Windows Vista is more secure the operating system than its predecessors.
§ Windows Vista editions - Windows Vista is available in six different marketing editions. All editions support both 32-bit (x86) and 64-bit (x64) processor architectures, except for Windows Vista Starter, which supports only 32-bit architectures.
§ Windows XP

Windows XP is the successor to both Windows 2000 Professional and Windows Me, and is the first consumer-oriented operating system that was produced by Microsoft to be built on the Windows NT kernel (version 5.1) and architecture.

As of the end of September 2008, Windows XP is the most widely used operating system in the world with a 69% market share, having peaked at 85% in December 2006

Further reading
§ Windows XP editions - Windows XP is available in many languages. In addition, add-ons translating the user interface are also available for certain languages.
§ Features new to Windows XP - Windows XP introduced many features not found in previous versions of Windows.
§ Development of Windows XP - The issue for USB 2.0 and Bluetooth is only the timing of availability for native support for Windows, and not any decision to choose support for one technology over another.
§ Criticism of Windows XP - Windows XP was the first version of Windows to reflect a serious effort to isolate users from the system, so that users each have their own private files and limited system privileges.