Mainly they just look different and and switching from XP to Vista is more of a visual change and the layout of some areas will be different.
The computers I worked on with Vista took an extra click to OK some actions.
I didn't care for that with my rsi, but it is a safety thing I guess, so people don't accidentally delete or remove something by mistake.

For the basic things of going online, making a video or typing a document it would be pretty much the same.

[Is there something else that XP, or VISTA can do? Or is it just the operating system?]
as soon as you pc boots up you are using the operating system.

Operating Systems {OS} general info
Win 98/XP /Vista are what makes the computer do things like the brains.
If you had no Operating System you would have a pile of parts that does nothing.

Linux is also an OS - and has many distro's and is free. Generally they use less system resources that the Windows OS and are less susceptible to viruses. But Microsoft got the mainstream in sales and back then Linux was more for geeks. But now they have some distros' that are very comparable to the Microsoft OS.

And there's Apple/ Mac which has it's own OS & hardware system.
you can't put a Mac OS on a pc and you can't put MS OS or Linus on a MAC computer.

unless you use a program to allow the conversion/emulation - but that's getting pretty deep into things LOL

[I go to the computer store, tell the guy there that all I want is the tower. I take a look at VISTA (hopefully he'll explain stuff to me but I doubt it). I then buy the computer and go home and simply unplug the stuff from the back of MY tower, and replug the stuff into the back of the NEW tower, and everything should light up, sing songs, my modem will be in sync and I'll lg on and go online, only with the new one, EVERYTHING WILL BE FASTER???]

Yes = faster more details below-
It should recognize everything for you, if not you can go online to get what you need.

I suggest playing around on one of the laptops at the store to "test drive" Vista - to see if you like how it looks compared to your XP. Around here they always have the darn things on all the time at the big stores .
do that before a salesperson is hanging over you. LOL

I think many of the big box stores have a keyboard & mouse along with the actual computer , if so you'll just have spares. Usually the monitor is sold separately.

You might even be able set up Vista to look more like XP if that is what you want to do. control panel /appearance/themes etc.


With a new computer you will not have any bookmarks/favorites/pictures/passwords etc...

so any of those that you want to have to put onto the new pc you will have to save as files and copy to a cd, flash drive or something so you can load them on to the new one.

BUT if you are concerned about possible viruses/Trojans/spyware on the old pc do full scans of those files before transferring to the new pc.

or you could write out all your passwords & websites and add them in manually.
same for any emails/ settings/ saved messages

anything on the old pc that you want to save to add onto the new one.
Of course you'll still have the old one around to get the info off of if you need to. I wouldn't toss it out if it still works.
Keep it around for awhile as a back up in case you need to get files off of it.

Most new pc come with 30/60/90 days free security on it.
I didn't care for the Norton layout so I removed it from parent's system and installed Zone Alarm sine I had a license/key for 3 pc's.

So you can do that too and put on what you prefer.

For what you use your pc for- you don't have to max out the memory/ram same with the hard drive size {is yours full now?} - just look in your price range and see what they come with.

I'm using an 80G hd and only 1/3 full, but I have a back up 200G and a USB 250 G external for long term backups and in case of major crashes.
Of course it all depends on how much and what you save and how often you clean it out.
my Ram is 1.5G so anything above that should work fine for you.

basically the more windows or programs you have running at one time the more ram you will need.
Gaming & intensive video/photo editing stuff are what requires more horsepower LOL