Why I didn't skip Microsoft Vista: Security

It's been a hard road for Microsoft's Windows Vista, but even though negative perceptions have followed the operating system since its release, recent data and positive user feedback show a glimmer of hope for Microsoft that Vista's ship is turning around.

Microsoft's recent Security Intelligence Report shows that Windows Vista was more resistant to exploits than Windows XP in the first half of 2008.
In addition, veteran Microsoft blogger Ed Bott recently ran some numbers and concluded that Vista has a security edge over Windows XP.

Another security report, from last month, by Jeff Jones, Security Strategy Director in the Microsoft Security Technology Unit, cites that Windows Vista was affected by 50 percent fewer vulnerabilities than other desktop operating systems in the first half of 2008 and had 19 percent fewer vulnerabilities than Windows XP SP2 in the same time period.

Security reports from Microsoft touting its own operating system have been met with endless debate over the metrics used to crown Vista the most secure operating system.

Nevertheless, some IT professionals contacted for this article who have upgraded or are upgrading to Vista point to the OS's security as a major plus as compared to Windows XP.

(For the IT viewpoint from the other side, see our recent article "Why I'm Skipping Vista").

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