The new system was also launched in America yesterday, where it will cost between $100 and $249 (£51 to £127) depending on the sophistication of the version, whereas in this country it will be priced from £100 to £249, almost exactly twice as much.
Can your computer handle Vista?
The minimum specifications for a PC that Microsoft claims Vista will run on:
• 800MHz processor
• 512Mb memory
• DirectX9 capable graphics processor
For what is called the Premium Ready status, the following is the recommended minimum:
• 1Ghz processor
• 1Gb memory
• 128Mb graphics memory
• 40Gb hard drive
• DVD-ROM
• Internet access
To tell if your machine will run the new software, visit
www.microsoft.com and download a program which will analyse your computer and offer advice on whether it can handle the new Vista system.
