Windows Vista

On January 30, 2007 Microsoft released Vista, a new version of its Windows operating system. Not surprisingly, Vista is incompatible with certain other applications in use at Penn, and so Information Systems & Computing (ISC) recommends postponing adoption of Vista. Individuals and offices considering upgrading to Vista or planning to purchase new Windows systems are strongly advised to review the information below and to consult with their Local Support Providers (LSPs) before making a purchase.

General Recommendations

Upon release, Vista will be pre-installed by default on most new Windows systems, though it will still be possible to choose Windows XP on systems from Dell and Lenovo for some period of time. Vista will also be available as an upgrade for certain classes of Windows systems that currently run XP and 2000. To complicate matters further, five different editions of Vista will be available - for more information on which of these editions is best for you, see Windows Vista Editions. ISC strongly recommends that users of older versions of Windows, including Windows XP and Windows 2000 Professional, adopt a "wait and see" approach and defer upgrading until the initial bugs in Windows Vista are identified and fixed. Even then, users should only upgrade systems that meet or exceed ISC's recommended hardware specifications for Vista which are for workstations with dual-core or hyperthreading processors that have at least

2007 Daylight Saving Time Changes

Windows Vista is compliant with the new Daylight Saving Time and Standard Time rules.

See the 2007 Daylight Saving Time Changes page for more information.

Current Incompatibilities

A handful of the most important incompatibilities are listed below. A chart with compatibility information for a larger subset of important desktop and University-wide applications is also available.

• BEN Financials: Client software for BEN Financials, the University's core business system for purchasing, general ledger, and accounts payable functions, will not install on Vista machines. The BEN team is working with the vendors, but there is no projected date for a solution. BEN Financials users should not upgrade to Windows Vista or purchase new Windows systems running Vista at this time.
• Air PennNet/SecureW2: Air PennNet is the wireless service installed in campus residential buildings and certain Schools. SecureW2, the Windows client software needed to establish a wireless connection in AirPennNet locations, is not compatible with Vista. ISC is currently working with the developer to obtain a Vista-compatible solution.
• Directory lookup and certain email clients: Client/server email software such as Eudora and Thunderbird cannot obtain email addresses and other Penn directory information under Vista. Until the vendors provide fixes, users will need to look up addresses themselves in the Web-based online directory.
• Office XP: This version of Office does not install under Vista. Users need to upgrade to Office 2003 or Office 2007, though Office 2007 introduces a different set of issues (see companion article).
• Palm Desktop: The current version of Palm Desktop does not install or function correctly under Vista. This affects users of any Palm OS device including Tungstens, Zire PDAs, and Treos. Palm promised an update around the end of January.
• PennERA: PennERA, the University's core research system, will not work with Internet Explorer under Vista. The Firefox web browser is required to use PennERA under Vista at this time.

Testing & Evaluation

In anticipation of the Vista release, ISC and School/Center staff have been conducting compatibility tests for University-wide applications (financial, research, etc.), supported products, and local applications. Although many applications are Vista compatible, some are not, and as we work to resolve the issues, we will continue to keep the LSP community advised of the progress vendors are making towards Vista compatibility. We anticipate that status assessments will occur in roughly three-month increments until all issues are resolved, and we will continue to communicate progress both directly to LSPs and through web updates until we can recommend adoption of Vista.

Availability

Windows is commercial software that can be purchased from the Computer Connection at an educational discount.

Microsoft software is available to University of Pennsylvania departments through the Microsoft Select Volume License Program. A detailed description of the Microsoft Program including product information and a FAQ has been prepared by the Office of Software Licensing. All purchases of Microsoft Select software are made through the Computer Connection.

Support

Primary computing support is usually located in the schools, units, and residences, close to the faculty, staff, and students being served. Contact lists are available for:

• Faculty Support
• Staff Support
• Student Support

To look up your local support provider, select your University affiliation above. You may also call First Call at 215-573-4778 to request a referral if you are not sure who to contact.

Related resources

• Penn's Virus Information Center web site.
• Industry references:
  • Microsoft's Windows web site.
  • Microsoft's home page.
  • CNet's enterprise operating system software web site
  • eWeek
• The Penn PCNet site contains useful information for local support providers.