Differences in Windows Versions

It is important to know the differences between Windows 7, Vista, and XP, and the minimum hardware requirements necessary to install each of the operating systems. We start with Windows 7/Vista and XP’s graphical user interface (GUI), which is what Windows employs to interact with the user. Normally, a keyboard and pointing device such as a mouse are used to input information to the operating system’s GUI, and whatever is input is shown on the screen. Basically everything you see on the display, including windows, icons, menus, and other visual indicators, is part of the GUI. Following the GUI section, we discuss system requirements for the different versions of Windows.

GUI

The Windows Vista GUI, shown in Figure 8-1, is similar to Windows 7 but different in several ways from Windows XP: