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Re-activateWant a firsthand look at the features behind the Windows Vista hype without making a midnight run to the computer store? You can take Microsoft's new operating system for a quick test drive by going to www.vistatestdrive.com. The site installs a browser-based tool that allows you to control a Vista-based "virtual machine" over the Internet.
You can follow Microsoft's script, which lets you try out about 18 features, including gadgets, Sidebar, search, and the calendar. You can also explore on your own.
The test drive actually uses the Vista Business version, but it still covers some of the Vista highlights you might be interested in. You won't see Aero, however, or some of the other new graphical features.
You'll need Internet Explorer 6 (or later) and a broadband Internet connection. You should set your monitor's screen resolution to at least 1024 x 768. One caveat (and it's a big one): If you have a slow Internet connection, don't bother taking the test drive. The virtual machine needs a lot of bandwidth, and it crawls on a slow connection.
— Jeffrey Fox
—Jeffrey Fox
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