Patrick Shaw’s Weblog

1. The allure of new software is almost too much to resist sometimes – and to be sure, the new offerings from Microsoft offer a lot of features and functions that leave many in the for and nonprofit communities eager to purchase and install and use!
   That said – there are also some compelling reasons to wait – and here are just a few:
2. 1. Microsoft and Techsoup have a terrific partnership. It’s likely that Vista will be available at a very steep discount to nonprofits via Tech Soup Stock. Save your hard won resources for your programs and people!
   2. Let the early adopters figure out where the pain points are! There will likely be a few annoyances and compatibility issues during the first few months of adoption. Let someone else work through those issues – waiting a bit will mean that your installation will likely be easier!
   3. You may have to buy new hardware. Although the minimum requirements for Vista might mean that your existing hardware will work – it might also mean that you won’t be able to use some of the new features – they will be automatically disabled if your hardware doesn’t support them.

We recommend upgrading when you have a strong business need. If your computers have reached the end of their useful life (3-4 years for a worksation and 2-3 years for a laptop), you have access to funding that willl let you standardize on a hardware and software platform, or you have a demonstrated business need to upgrade (your custom software vendor tells you you have to - and that software is crucial to your business).
Finally, make sure you consult with your IT expert to make sure that you’ve addressed any other issues before you purchase!