Vista was Microsoft's most recent Windows operating system released in 2007 with the goals of improving security and manageability. While it enhanced security features like user account control and BitLocker encryption, Vista was also not compatible with many older PCs and performed more slowly than the previous Windows XP according to reviews. As a result, Vista failed to gain widespread adoption by users and businesses, contributing to Microsoft's first revenue decline in years. The company is now rushing the replacement Windows 7 to market in hopes of better success.

1. Microsoft VistaRachael GregoryRachael Gregory

2. The ProductVista was released worldwide on January 30,2007. It was the most recent generation of theflagship product of the world's largest softwarecompany.

3. Its Perceived BenefitsVista was created to improve the security of the most widely used PC operating system in theworld. With five years of development between Windows XP and Windows Vista, Microsofthas worked hard on significant improvements that truly matter to businesses. Security has been significantly enhanced with User Account Control, which limits the damage that viruses and other malicious software can do.BitLocker Drive Encryption conceals corporate data on the hard disk from unauthorized eyes. Deployment has been streamlined.Vista is more open to to centralized management than any of its predecessors. In a market in which sales of portable or mobile computers nearly equals that of traditional desktops, Vista brings better manageability, configuration, and wireless networking to mobile computers.Desktop networking has also been strengthened.

4. Why it FailedThe securities features were not much better than the previous versions of Windows based on most reviews of the software. Vista was also not compatible with a number of older PCs which limited the number of users who were likely to upgrade from the earlier version of Windows, known as XP. Many analysts claim that Vista also ran more slowly on PCs than XP.When Vista was launched, PC Magazine said, "Call it a nice-to-have product rather than a must-have." Microsoft recently announced its first quarterly revenue drop in 23 years. "Microsoft's Vista operating system, which was released in early 2007, never took off like the company had hoped.”The company is rushing Vista's replacement, Windows 7, to market and hopes to have it out by the end of the year.