Windows xp or windows vista and why??

Stay with Windows XP. I have read TOO many negative reports about Vista.

For instance, if a component (printer, monitor, sound card, or even memory) is not "digitally signed", in XP, it will ask if you want to continue anyway. In Vista, it won't let you install it at all. That means you may (or may not) need to buy new mother board, sound card, memory chips, printer, monitor, etc. if you move to Vista. When you install Vista, you do so at your own risk, because you don't know if one of the components will work or not until AFTER Vista is installed.

That's just ONE example of some of the problems I've seen in Vista.

Where I work, those that make these kinds of decisions, are keeping us in Windows XP until we just don't have any more choice in the matter.

XP

Windows XP because it is more stable, better supported, cheaper, in many cases faster, and the drivers for it usually work much better. Other circumstances (do you buy new games a lot?) may dictate a different choice though. The newest games might eventually be Vista-only, whereas non-gaming application software tends to stay backward compatible for longer because it's run by businesses.

Neither Linux.

The best fully loaded Linux distro with most of the software preinstalled is Linux Mint 4.0 Daryna (Main Edition). Its directly based on the immensely successful kernel of Ubuntu 7.10 Gutsy Gibbon.

Its easy to install and easy to use.

Information link : http://linuxmint.com/
Download link : http://linuxmint.com/download.php

It also includes the awesome 3D effects of Compiz Fusion : http://wiki.compiz-fusion.org/

Enjoy what is possibly the pinnacle of Home computing.

LUg.