David Alfaro Siqueiros: The Activist Artist Essay

David Alfaro Siqueiros was a social realist painter known for his large murals in fresco. He was born in Chihuahua City in 1896 and by age fifteen David was already involved in artistic studies and political activism. Siqueiros was involved in direct political action more than most other artists. He was a sophisticated political ideologist who was involved in the political conflicts of the Mexican Revolution serving as a protestor, demonstrator, soldier and leader of an assassination squad. The type of art he produces are murals; he believed art should be public, educational, and ideological. He went probably the furthest of all the muralists in his attempts to combine his political views and aesthetic ideals with modern technical means to create a truly â€Å"public art†. Siqueiros was an activist in many different ways, controversy lies in his work, and he has many meanings of his work. In 1911 Siqueiros led a student strike at San Carlos Academy, one designed to force changes in teaching methods, this strike lasted six months and ended in complete victory for students. Through his fellows, he soon became familiar with communist and anarchist writings, embittering him further against the upper middle class to which he himself belonged. Following that in 1913 he joined the anti-Huerta Constitutionalist movement and contributed to its newspaper, La Vanguardia. After serving four years as an active combatant during the Revolution, he attained the rank of a captain. Siqueiros than organized a group called Congress of Soldier Artists in 1918. He then published a magazine called Vida Americana in 1921. These play the roles of him being an activist because he is reporting his issues. In 1924, Siqueiros finished work on The Burial of the Martyred Worker, also in the National Preparatory School, taking the bold step of painting a hammer-and-sickle on the coffin. This provoked outrage on the part of the students at the School, then, as prior to the Revolution, representing the conservative element in society. There were several clashes, and the muralists took to carrying firearms to defend themselves. At one point, a battalion of Yaqui Indians, all devout supporters of the Revolution marched into the school to defend the murals. A short while later, the artists received a major blow when Vasconcelos resigned from his post as Minister of Public Education. Quite soon, the government issued an ultimatum; either the painters had to abandon their Union, or they would be fired from the government payroll. The painters refused. When Diego Rivera adopted a more conciliatory tone, they voted to expel him from the Union. As a result, within a short period of time, he was the only muralist still allowed to work. In response, Siqueiros turned to political activism. Leaving Mexico City, he traveled to the state of Jalisco, where he helped organize trade unions for the silver miners there. He was so successful that by 1927 he was head of the United Syndicate Confederation of Mexico, a national trade union organization that brought together miners, peasants, factory and railroad workers, school teachers and other professional groups. He quickly was harassed and detained several times by the police.

Melting Point Determination Essay

Identifying an unknown compound can be a difficult task. In identifying a compound, researchers often measure several physical properties: melting point, boiling point, density and observes a few chemical properties: reactivity, acidity, basicity of the compound. The reason for determining several chemical and physical properties of the compound is that it is quite possible for two different compounds to have a few physical and or chemical properties in common; but it is highly unlikely for the two compounds to have very many identical physical and chemical properties (Gilber & Martin, 2010). The goal of this experiment is to determine the identity of the unknown using the melting-point technique. If the entire compound in the list given by your instructor had distinctly different melting points, it would be possible to determine the identity of the unknown by just taking its melting point. However, each of the compounds in this list has a melting point that is close to the melting point of another compound in the list. Therefore, the melting point of the unknown will allow you to break down the choices to two compounds (Pavia, Lampman, & Kriza, 2013). To determine the identity of you compound, you must perform mixture melting points of your unknown and each of the two compounds with similar melting points. A mixture melting point that is depressed and has a wide range indicates that the two compounds in the mixture are different. It should be pointed out, however, that it is not possible to accurately predict the physical properties of newly synthesized or isolated compounds. Therefore, tables of physical properties are only useful in identifying previously known compounds. However, useful information as to the compound’s identity and its purity can often be obtained from its melting point. Although the melting point can be used to help identify an unknown by comparing its melting point to literature values, it must be apparent that there are literally hundreds if not thousands of compounds that share the same melting point. To solve this dilemma the identity of a compound can be confirm using mixed melting point method. If you prepare a mixture of you unknown chemical and the one you suspect it may be and measure the melting point of the mixture then there are two possible results: The melting point of the mixture is the same as the pure compound which means that the unknown compound and the known compound are the same. The melting point of the mixture is lower than either of the two pure components and the melting range is large. This is because the two compounds are different with the result that one is an impurity in the other (Dean, Jones, Holmes, & Reed, 2011). Determination of the temperature at which the solid and liquid phases of a substance are in equilibrium is time consuming. It is also quite difficult with a small amount of sample. Thus, in practice, most melting points are determined as capillary melting points, which can be done quickly with a small amount of sample in a capillary tube (Bettelheim & Frederick, 2004). Melting point analysis is a quick, relatively easy, and inexpensive preliminary analysis if the sample is already mostly pure and has a suspected identity. Additionally, analysis requires small samples only. As with any analysis, there are certain drawbacks to melting point analysis. If the sample is not solid, melting point analysis cannot be done. Also, analysis is destructive of the sample. For qualitative identification analysis, there are now more specific and accurate analyses that exist, although they are typically much more expensive. Also, samples with more than one solute cannot be analyzed quantitatively for purity (Molavi & Barron, 2011) Methodology: Finding an Identical Compound: Two melting-point capillaries were filled with small amounts of your sample. One was used to determine an approximate melting point range for your unknown by allowing the temperature to rise at about 6oC per minute. Then the melting point apparatus was cooled to at least 5oC below the temperature at which melting began. A slow, careful determination of the melting point range was made on the second sample by allowing the temperature to rise at a rate of approximately 2oC per minute. It is important that the melting point was measured carefully because finding another student in the lab with the identical compound depends on it. The melting point range was recorded in the laboratory notebook and also on the data sheet provided by the instructor along with the student number. From the data sheet, another student in the lab was located whose unknown has a melting point range that is within 4oC. A small amount of the student’s compound was used to prepare a sample for a mixed melting point. The error range of  ±4oC was accounted for experimental error and the fact that the thermometers are not calibrated thus the ranges from different instruments may vary slightly. To prepare the mixed melting point sample, one part of the unknown given was used to one part of the other student’s compound. The sample was mixed thoroughly by gently crushing the mixture with a glass stirring rod until it looks homogeneous. The melting point range was determined and the result was recorded in the laboratory notebook. Search was continued until you identified a student in the lab with a compound identical to yours and a second student in the lab with an unknown with approximately the same melting point range, but whose compound is not the same as yours. Results and Discussion: |Table 1 Mixed Melting Point Unknowns | |Unknown |Structure |Melting Point Range | | | |(oC) | |Benzoic Acid |[pic] |121-123 | |DL-malic Acid |[pic] |131-133 | |Urea |[pic] |132-135 | |Trans-cinnamic Acid |[pic] |131-136 | |Succinic Acid |[pic] |184 | Table 1 shows the given unknowns to be identified in this experiment. The melting point range in the table was the basis of the researchers in identifying their given unknowns. Some chemical compounds given from the manual was omitted to limit the scope of the experiment. Other books give different melting point range on the compounds in the table. This is because temperature also varies in the fact that the thermometers are not calibrated. The unknown pure compound has a white powdery solid feature. Melting point range determination is only applicable for solid compounds. Two trials were conducted to observe the melting point of the pure compound. For the first trial, it was observed that the compound starts to melt at exactly 135oC and the solid in the capillary tube was completely dissolved at 137oC. The solid melts instantaneously because the temperature of the cooking oil used arises rapidly compared when using water as a boiling bath. The second trial was conducted to confirm if the result for trial one is precise and the finding for the melting point also ranges from 135-137oC. From the data collected, it was predicted that the unknown might be urea or trans-cinnamic acid. Since both urea and trans-cinnamic acid have exactly the same melting point, it is difficult to determine which one is the given compound. The pure compound (Unknown A) was mixed to the compound (Unknown B) of one student with melting-point range of 134-136oC. Both unknown have the same physical feature which fell into conclusion that the two solids are same compounds. However, the temperature of the mixed compounds decreased by 80-84oC. Possible reason for this outcome is contamination of the mixed compound by the stirring rod used in mixing. Trial two was conducted for the mix-melting point determination. Another student whose compound (Unknown C) has a melting point that ranges from 131-134oC was mixed with Unknown A. Both unknowns have the same physical feature with Unknown B. The unknowns were mixed thoroughly with a clean stirring rod. The mixed compound starts to dissolve at exactly 134oC and solid in the capillary tube was completely dissolved at a temperature of 136oC. It is strong evidence that the two substances are the same. According to Mayo, Pike, and Forbes (2011), the crystalline lattice forces holding organic solids together are distributed over a relatively narrow energy range. The melting points of organic compounds, therefore, are usually relatively sharp, that is, less than 2oC. The range and maximum temperature of the melting point, however, are very sensitive to impurities. Small amounts of sample contamination by soluble impurities nearly always will result in meting-point depression. The drop in melting point is usually accompanied by an expansion of the melting-point range. Thus, in addition to the melting point acting as a useful guide in identification, it also can be a particularly effective indication of sample purity. The effectiveness of this technique depends on the relative solubility of the substances in each other. The usefulness of mixed melting points is limited in that you must have some idea of the chemical nature of your unknown compound and a sample of the suspected compound must be available. The researcher used melting points to determine the purity of organic compounds. Pure compounds were seen to have a narrow melting range, while impurities were seen to cause the melting range to become lower and broader. From the mixture melting points the researcher definitively able to identify the unknown as trans-cinnamic acid. 5. References: Aldrich, S. (n.d). Retrieved July14, 2013, from LLC, Sigma-Aldrich Co, http://www.sigmaaldrich.com/catalog/ product/aldrich/w228826?l ang=en ®ion=PH Bettelheim, Frederick, A., Landenberg, & Joseph M. (2004). Organic and Biochemistry (5th ed.). USA: A Division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Pages 17-20 Dean, J., Jones, M., Holmes, D., & Reed, R. (2011). Practical Skills in Chemistry (11th ed.). England: Pearson Education Limimited. Gilbert, J. & Martin S. (2010). Experimental Organic Chemistry: A Miniscale and Microscale Approach: A Miniscale and Microscale Approach (5th ed.). USA: Cengage Learning Mayo, D., Pike, R., & Forbes, D. (2011). Microscale Organic Laboratory with multistep and multiscale synthesis (5th ed.). United States: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Molavi, S., & Barron, A. (2012, May 29). Melting Point Analysis. Retrieved from the Connexions Web site: http://cnx.org/content/m43565/1.1/ Pavia, D., Lampman, G., Kriz, G., and Engel, R. (2013). A Microscal Approach to Organic Laboratory Techniques (5th ed.). USA Cencage Learning.

Bootlegging Essays

Bootlegging Essays Bootlegging Essay Bootlegging Essay Beeping noises are definitely necessary in this generation. Without them it would be crazy to survive, since we are so used to them. Imagine how life would be without any beeping noises would be. It would definitely be a lot more peaceful, but as well as dangerous. For example, every day in the street people use their horns to honk at other cars. Thats the way we communicate if something wrong was going on. In every way I feel like life wouldnt be the same if things were silent. Everyday day and night you hear beeping noises. For example, you hear them on television, the streets, inside buildings and phones of course. Sometimes you may hear BEEP BEEP a car honks or RING RING, when a telephone rings. There are a million beeping noises in this world and knowing the fact that they are their makes peoples life much easier and safe. We need the noises because they are a life safer. With the beeping sound knowing we know what the mean helps us be more cautious. Example, not everyones minds has it set on a certain time to wake up. Therefore that is where an alarm clock comes in andy. An alarm obviously makes noises so it will wake you up on an occasion. As well as fire trucks, police cars, trains, school bells, whistles, trailer trucks, elevators and much much more. Without the help of the noises each individual object makes we wouldnt know what would be going on. Some people may not agree and say it isnt necessary and life would be much easier and peaceful; but I strongly disagree. Hearing beeping sounds is how I live my life every day. Society wants to make it easy for us so we can have a better enjoyment and safety life.

Cross Cultural Communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Cross Cultural Communication - Essay Example The major features of high context and low context cultures can be understood through critical elements such as association, interaction, territoriality, temporality, learning, through patterns and social perspectives (Hofstede, 2001; Hall, 1976). 1. Knowledge is generally embedded in the current situation. Things are synthesized and connected as well as global. For information, multiple sources are used. Thinking is from general to precise or specific. 1. Reality is compartmentalized and fragmented. One particular information source is used for developing knowledge. Thinking is generally inductive and proceeds to general ideas from specific issues. More focus is given on details (Chaney, 2005). Japan is a model example of a high context culture. Japan and China are considered as model examples of this culture. In Japan and China a major part of the communication is implicit and internalized. For instance, they speak very less words in a conversation and convey more through facial expressions (Richardson and Smith, 2007). Low context messages are very difficult to understand without having backed with proper background information. According to hall, in Japan and China communication style, much of the meaning depends on physical context such as voice tone, facial expressions and gestures. As a result, the verbal message is itself very less. For instance, a Japanese executive visiting a low context culture such as US will face problems with their extremely direct approach (Hendon, Hendon and Herbig, 1999). Individuals prefer interacting and conveying their message through indirect communication and body language. The major reason behind this can be attributed to their object ive of preserving and strengthening relationships by ensuring harmony and saving face. The culture of Japan and China is influenced by a well-structured hierarchy in society, strong norms of behaviour as well as closeness in human

Brand management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 3

Brand management - Assignment Example One of the brand names which has existed over the years is Pura, a milk produced by Lionco in Canberra, Australia. Pura is a milk product by Lionco Company. The company has been in the market for a longer time to build a competing brand like Pura. The company also purchases billion liters of milk from over 500 Australian farmers each year towards processing its milk (Lionco, 2015). Its products range from full-cream, flavored, fresh to UHT milks (Lionco, 2015). Among of its popular brands includes Pura, Dairy Farmers, Dare, Farmers Union, Classic and Big M among others (Lionco, 2015). Pura, the company’s outstanding brand has been in the market since 1935. It has a combination of natural vitamins and minerals and a creamy taste (Lionco, 2015). The products naturally provide nutrients for all family members and very essentially when taken daily. Moreover, the brand comes in nine variants to suit the emerging and every need of the occasion (Lionco, 2015). Pura has been in the market for the last 80 years, it is still doing well, and competing with other products recently introduced in the market. The products success in the market has been facilitated by its brand name. Customers identify the company with its products, hence contributing to the maintenance of their loyalty. Similarly, its continuous stay in the market makes it meets generation, which has preferences, hence has to deal with the new emerging market to remain competitive. However, there are emerging trends in the market that might affect the brand, and there is a need to take measures to counter the effects. First, consumer preferences are changing very fast, and not likely to maintain their loyalty is the product cannot meet their demands. The consumers who were present 80 years ago during the launching of the product are not the consumers of today; today’s consumers have a different need, which they want the

Group Behavior Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Group Behavior - Essay Example Successful management of the conflict makes the team stronger. Knowing the origin of a conflict helps a leader determine whether it is functional or dysfunctional. Functional conflicts are productive while the dysfunctional conflicts are disruptive. Common sources of conflict in the team are the limitation of resources and the values, attitudes, goals, roles, personalities, interdependency and interaction of the team members. Allan C. Amazon has identified two types of conflict, namely the cognitive conflict and the affective conflict. Amazon’s research suggests that both types of conflicts are necessarily present in any kind of group, with the cognitive conflict being productive and the affective conflict being disruptive. Cognitive conflicts lead to the personal growth of the team members, identification of a workable solution, increased integration and cohesiveness of the team members whereas the affective conflicts lead to unresolved problems, waste of energy, decline in t he team’s morale and team division. Training of the team members in such core competencies as knowledge of conflict resolution methods, entrustment and cooperation are fundamental to the success of a team. The Monmouth University proposes a five-stage conflict management strategy. The five stages are awareness of the conflict resolution, training of conflict resolution, mediation, reinforcement workshops and program institutionalization. Conflict resolution requires a leader to remain impartial and promote mutual understanding among the team members. To help prevent the conflict from occurring, the leader should establish ground rules at the outset, develop team agreement on the way to resolve conflict, train the team members on communication skills, and focus on the team’s objectives. There are numerous reactive strategies that a leader may adopt to resolve the conflict. The leader can either adopt an authoritative style, a splitting

Microsoft Vista and Home Computing Essay Example for Free

Microsoft Vista and Home Computing Essay In 2005, Microsoft announced that it was working on a new version of their Windows operating system that would fix many security problems that were plaguing Windows-XP users. Consequently, many software lovers eagerly anticipated the launch of the upgraded operating system, named Widows Vista. Unfortunately, after Vista was released in 2007, it disappointed most users and critics because of its lack-luster performance, high cost and incompatibility with XP software. It is worse than Windows XP, and home-computer users today are better off using Windows 7 Home Premium. Windows Vista was released five years after XP, taking longer to produce than previous versions of Windows. XP had numerous security flaws that allowed hackers to manipulate or destroy a computer user’s data or cripple network communication, and Microsoft aimed to fix these with Vista (Ricadela 2006). Viruses, spyware, trojans and other forms of malware can easily infect XP, especially when users access the internet. Microsoft’s preoccupation with fixing these bugs in XP eventually delayed the production and release of Vista (Ricciuti 2004). Unfortunately, after Vista was released in 2007, it met harsh criticism from press reviewers, corporate users and home-computing users. A corporate satisfaction survey launched in 2008 indicated that only 8% of Vista users were very satisfied compared to 40% for XP users (Keizer 2008). Netmarketshare (2010) also estimates that Vista has the smallest portion of users (14. 34%) among the currently-used Windows operating systems, with Windows 7 at second place (14. 46%) and XP with the most users at 61. 87% (2010). Home users will find it difficult to use Vista, especially if they have been used to the more stable XP operating system. XP users will realize that Vista’s system requirements are higher than XP’s. Consequently, existing users have to upgrade their computer hardware or buy a new computer altogether if they want to upgrade to Vista. Microsoft recommends at least a 1 GHz processor, 1 GB of Random Access Memory (RAM), a 128-MB video-graphics card capable of DirectX 9. 0, at least 40 GB of Hard Disk Drive (HDD) capacity with at least 15 GB of free space, and a DVD-ROM drive to install the software (Microsoft 2010). It may be possible to run Vista with less, but the performance will crawl. In reality, one needs much more than the stated requirements to achieve reasonable performance. Vista’s performance is also slower compared to XP and Windows 7. XP users will immediately notice the difference in speed when they start using Vista. Many tasks seem to crawl compared to XP. Benchmark tests run by Tom’s Hardware indicated that XP is generally faster than Vista, and the testers recommend sticking with XP because â€Å"it cannot perform better than Windows XP† (Schmid 2007). For example, basic tasks, such as copying files, are much slower than XP. Microsoft released a Service Pack upgrade to fix this problem, but ZDNet benchmark tests indicate that the upgraded Vista is still slower than XP (Kingsley-Hughes 2008). In fact, computers that were purchased pre-installed with licensed Vista software performed so poorly that customers wanted to downgrade it to XP, but retailers charged a fee for it. Consequently, customers sued Microsoft for this (Melanson 2009). Avid gamers will also be very disappointed if they use Vista in their home computers. Just like Tom’s Hardware, Techgage processed comparative tests using different games running in both Vista and XP. Naturally, XP was faster than Vista (Williams 2007). The graphics drivers of Vista are simply not developed enough, and the basic requirements of Vista itself are heavier than XP. Microsoft attempted to fix this again through a Service Pack upgrade. However, even after the â€Å"fix,† game developers still recommend Vista users to double the requirements of XP users. For instance, Capcom, the publisher of the game Devil May Cry 4, requires a minimum of 2 GB of memory for Vista users. However, XP users only need 1 GB (PC Game Requirements 2010). Some XP software and hardware are also not compatible with Vista. Existing home computer users who already spent a considerable investment in software will be frustrated again with Vista’s inability to run some of their existing computer programs such as virus scanners. Even many businesses did not bother to upgrade from XP to Vista when it was released because of this incompatibility issue (Deare 2007). The US Department of Transportation has also banned any upgrades from XP to Vista citing software incompatibility issues, costs and the lack of additional features that could prove to be useful or advantageous (McDougall 2007). Using Vista with WiFi will also be difficult. While connecting to networks with XP is not a problem, Vista sometimes refuses to connect with some networks (Claerr 2008). Even if one is able to connect to the router, the Internet may be absent or access to network files and printers may not be available. The user may also be disconnected intermittently from the router if he or she is able to connect, or the speed may be very slow. Fixes may involve upgrading routers, but if the router is not owned by the user, such as in airports, cafes or other public Wifi hotspots, then connections are not possible unless XP or other compatible operating systems are used. Vista also consumes more power than XP. This means that laptop batteries will drain faster using Vista. It is due to Vista’s higher hardware requirements that use more energy. Attempting to turn off some of Vista’s features, such as its fancy graphical interface, will make it more energy-efficient. However, doing the same with XP still makes it greener than Vista. Vista is also more expensive than XP or Windows 7. Microsoft Vista Home Premium currently retails for $239. 95 in online software retailers. On the other hand, Windows 7 Home Premium retails for only $199. 99. And if one buys a new, discounted, old-model personal computer today, with a CRT screen, a tower CPU and an extended keyboard for around 200 to 250 dollars, sometimes Windows XP is already bundled together with the entire package, making it virtually free. This is why Vista is not cost effective. Some of the new features of Vista are also not impressive compared to its predecessor, Windows XP and its successor Windows 7. The new graphical interface of Vista is more aesthetic than XP, but it slows down performance to the point where it is not worth it. The new versions of bundled software such as the internet browser, media player, email manager, photo manager, appointment manager and movie maker are either downloadable for free for XP users or available for free either from third-party vendors or packaged together with purchased hardware like cameras and scanners. The new security prompts can also be nagging or annoying. The most noticeable new feature for Vista is the Aero graphical user interface. Compared to XP, it appears more three-dimensional. The new eye candy has improved icons, animations and thumbnails that are live. The transparencies are also new. However, since Aero uses more energy, it drains the battery life of laptops. Turning it off will save power (Murph 2007). Another new feature that is immediately noticeable is the Windows Sidebar. It is a transparent panel where various applets or small programs called Desktop Gadgets can be attached or removed. These applets include gadgets such as clocks, weather information, news, photographs, currency converters and so forth. In Windows XP, a similar panel called Google Gadgets can be downloaded for free, courtesy of Google. Internet Explorer 7 also comes with Vista. This version has new features including multiple tabbed windows, the ability to zoom pages, a filter against phising (hackers attempting to gather important data such as passwords from users), additional security features, including restricting suspected malicious software from writing beyond the Temporary Internet Files folder without consent, and International Domain Name (IDN) support. However, these features and many more are included in free internet browsers such Mozilla’s Firefox and Google’s Chrome, which can be downloaded and installed using Windows XP or other operating systems for free. A new version of Windows Media Player, version 11, is also bundled with Vista. A new feature in this version allows users to search for music or video files while they type. This is called â€Å"word wheeling. † It also includes a new media library Graphical User Interface (GUI), a photo organizer and an Internet file-sharing feature. However, new versions of Media Player can be downloaded from Microsoft’s website under Windows XP for free. Moreover, there are other third-party software applications that provide free video and audio software, including codecs, to play all the latest types of media for free. Again, these can be downloaded from the Internet using XP or other operating systems. Vista also includes a new version of Outlook Express which was renamed Windows Mail. It features continuously-updated junk-mail and phishing filtering. However, there are better email management programs, such as Mozilla’s Thunderbird, that can again be downloaded for free from the Internet using XP or other operating systems. Windows email systems have also always been the prime target of hackers and malware authors, so using a different email program such as Thunderbird is more secure and safe. There are also new multimedia applications that are included In Vista, but these programs are usually included for free with the hardware that they support. For example, Vista includes Windows Photo Gallery, which allows users to import pictures from digital cameras, organize them, adjust their properties and produce slideshows. But software that is bundled for free with digital cameras is more advanced than Vista’s basic Photo Gallery. There are also new games included with Vista. A new chess and mahjong game is included. A folder is also included to organize all of the games. Unfortunately, like previous versions of Windows, the bundled games are not the type of commercial games that users like or want to play. And if they have an existing game collection already, they will run slower on Vista and may not even run at all. Vista also has speech recognition software integrated within Vista. It allows users to hear words in computer applications by allowing the computer to speak them out loud in a robotic voice that may not be comprehensible occasionally. This feature may be useful for those with visual problems, but usually the visually impaired purchase better speech recognition software such as Dragon Naturally Speaking, which is available in XP and other operating systems. Vista also has other minor new features. It has new fonts and improved international fonts. For mobile computer users, there is also a centralized control panel called the Windows Mobile Center for controlling properties needed by laptop user such as battery life, wireless connections, brightness, screen orientation and other settings. There is also a new version of Netmeeting renamed Windows Meeting Space. This allows different users to share their entire desktop or individual applications over the Internet with other users. And there is also a new version of the back up and restore application which facilitates the restoration of damaged data. The improvements however are not significantly new. In conclusion, home computer users should avoid Windows Vista altogether. If one is an existing XP user who is thinking about upgrading, one should just forget about it since it may make home computing worse. It is also overpriced. However, if one is purchasing a brand new state-of-the-art PC or laptop with an option for choosing one’s operating system, then Windows 7 is the answer. On the other hand, if one is on a budget and wishes to purchase new, discounted, old-model PCs pre-installed with licensed versions of Windows XP, then that is a satisfactory option as well. But whatever one does, one should always avoid Vista. It’s a lemon. References Claerre, J. (2008). Vista Problems With WiFi. eHow. Retrieved August 13, 2010, from http://www. ehow. com/about_5106461_vista-problems-wifi. html Deare, Steven. (2007, May 14). Gartner: App testing delaying Vista rollouts. ZDNet. Retrieved August 13, 2010, from http://www. zdnetasia. com/gartner-app-testing-delaying-vista-rollouts-62012902. htm Devil May Cry 4 Game Requirements. (2008, Jul 26). PC Game Requirements. Retrieved August 13, 2010, from http://www. pcgamerequirements. com/game-index/devil-may-cry-4-game-requirements/ Keizer, G. (2008, Mar 26). Leopard drubs Vista in corporate satisfaction survey. Computerworld. Retrieved August 13, 2010, from http://www. computerworld. com/s/article/9072218/Leopard_drubs_Vista_in_corporate_satisfaction_survey? nlid=1source=NLT_AM Kingsley-Hughes, A. (2008, Feb 15). Vista SP1 vs. XP SP2 – Benchmarked. ZDnet. Retrieved August 13, 2010, from http://www. zdnet. com/blog/hardware/vista-sp1-vs-xp-sp2-benchmarked/1332 McDougall, P. (2007, Mar 2). Microsoft Hit By U. S. DOT Ban On Windows Vista, Explorer 7, and Office 2007. Information Week. Retrieved August 13, 2010, from http://www. informationweek. com/news/security/showArticle. jhtml? articleID=197700789 Melanson, D. (2009, Feb 16). Microsoft gets sued over Windows XP downgrade fees. Engadget. Retrieved August 13, 2010, from http://www. engadget. com/2009/02/16/microsoft-gets-sued-over-windows-xp-downgrade-fees/ Microsoft. (2010). Windows Vista Enterprise Hardware Planning Guidance. Technet. Retrieved August 13, 2010, from http://technet. microsoft. com/en-us/library/cc507845. aspx Murph, D. (2007, May 3). Vistas Aero interface blamed for truncated battery life. Engadget. Retrieved Aug 13, 2010, from http://www. engadget. com/2007/05/04/vistas-aero-interface-blamed-for-truncated-battery-life/ Netmarketshare. (2010, Jul). Operating System Market Share. Retrieved Aug 13, 2010, from http://marketshare. hitslink. com/operating-system-market-share. aspx? qprid=10 Ricadela, A. (2006, Feb 14). Gates Says Security Is Job One For Vista. Information Week. Retrieved August 13, 2010, from http://www. informationweek.com/news/windows/microsoft_news/showArticle. jhtml? articleID=180201580 Ricciuti, M. (2004, Apr 1). Microsoft: Longhorn beta unlikely this year. Cnet News. Retrieved August 13, 2010, from http://news. cnet. com/Microsoft-Longhorn-beta-unlikely-this-year/2100-1008_3-5183385. html Schmid, P. (2007, Jan 29). Windows XP vs. Vista: The Benchmark Rundown. Tom’s Hardware. Retrieved August 13, 2010, from http://www. tomshardware. com/reviews/xp-vs-vista,1531. html Williams, Rob. (2007, Jan 29). Windows Vista Gaming Performance Reports. Techgage. Retrieved August 13, 2010, from http://techgage. com/article/windows_vista_gaming_performance_reports/2