Site offer Vista has finally arrived. As of 30 January, Microsoft's new operating system was released to the general public.

Most PCs shipped will now have Vista installed, and as it is the biggest step forward by Microsoft in terms of GUI applications since the introduction of Windows 95, there's going to be plenty of things that are strange and new to you.

Analysts say improvements in quality, performance and reliability will ensure Vista is quickly adopted. And the best way you can be sure of being ahead of the game? A book, of course!

As the hottest topic in computing at the moment, there are plenty of titles out there, but below is a selection of what we consider to be the best, all of which are either available now or due out very soon. And, once again they are all at 40 per cent off*.

• Windows Vista: Beyond the Manual (http://books.theregister.co.uk/catalog/browse.asp?ref=805961&advert=VistaLaunchArticle)
  Windows Vista: Beyond the Manual is a comprehensive guide to installing, configuring, exploiting, and using the richest Microsoft client operating system on the market. It guides you through the complexities of configuring and running a successful Windows Vista client computer. It also takes an in-depth look at the wealth of features and functions comprising the various flavours of the software. Due early March.
• Windows Vista™ Inside Out (http://books.theregister.co.uk/catalog/browse.asp?ref=800440&advert=VistaLaunchArticle)
  Learn everything you need to know for working with Windows Vista - from the inside out! Written by the authors of the immensely popular Microsoft Windows XP Inside Out, this book packs hundreds of timesaving solutions, troubleshooting tips, and workarounds for using the latest version of the Microsoft Windows® operating system - all in concise, fast-answer format.
• Mastering Windows Vista Professional (http://books.theregister.co.uk/catalog/browse.asp?ref=796476&advert=VistaLaunchArticle)
  Combining the three elements of Vista Professional - Windows Vista Small Business Edition, Windows Vista Professional Edition (previously known as Professional Standard Edition), and Windows Vista Enterprise Edition (previously known as Professional Premium Edition) - explains how to install, configure, run, and troubleshoot Vista Pro. Using a task-focused approach and clear, no-nonsense instructions, this book delivers all the information that users need to master the new Windows paradigm. Due April 2007.
• Administering Windows Vista Security: The Big Surprises (http://books.theregister.co.uk/catalog/browse.asp?ref=822007&advert=VistaLaunchArticle)
  Administering Windows Vista Security: The Big Surprises is a short, just-in-time explanation of two things. First, it tells the current Windows expert how to get around the administrative tools, which are all still there, but have been scattered to the four corners of the desktop. Second, and more important, it covers the handful of things in Vista that are not only new, but completely alien to anyone who knows pre-Vista Windows in depth.
• Windows Vista™ Step by Step (http://books.theregister.co.uk/catalog/browse.asp?ref=793110&advert=VistaLaunchArticle)
  The smart way to learn the latest version of Microsoft Windows - one step at a time. Work at your own pace through the easy numbered steps, practice files on CD, helpful hints, and troubleshooting help to master the fundamentals of working with Windows Vista, including how to navigate the new user interface and how to use the new search features for finding anything on your desktop.
• Special Edition Using Microsoft® Windows® Vista (http://books.theregister.co.uk/catalog/browse.asp?ref=813101&advert=VistaLaunchArticle)
  Que crafted this book to grow with you, providing the reference material you need as you move toward Vista proficiency and use of more advanced features. If you buy only one book on Vista, Special Edition Using Microsoft® Windows® Vista is the only book you need.
• Windows Vista™ Administrator's Pocket Consultant (http://books.theregister.co.uk/catalog/browse.asp?ref=804738&advert=VistaLaunchArticle)
  Portable and precise, this pocket-sized guide delivers immediate answers for the day-to-day administration of Windows Vista. Zero in on core support and maintenance tasks using quick-reference tables, instructions, and lists. You'll get the precise information you need to solve problems and get the job done - whether you're at your desk or in the field!
• Applications = Code + Markup: A Guide to the Microsoft® Windows® Presentation Foundation (http://books.theregister.co.uk/catalog/browse.asp?ref=787335&advert=VistaLaunchArticle)
  Get the definitive guide to the Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF), the new client programming interface for the Microsoft .NET Framework 3.0 and Windows Vista. Award-winning author Charles Petzold teaches you how to combine C# code and the Extensible Application Markup Language (XAML) to develop applications for the WPF. You'll get expert guidance and hundreds of practical, hands-on examples - giving you the skills you need to exploit the new interface and graphics capabilities for Windows Vista.
• Foundations of WPF: An Introduction to Windows Presentation Foundation (http://books.theregister.co.uk/catalog/browse.asp?ref=802499&advert=VistaLaunchArticle)
  Windows Presentation Foundation is a cutting-edge presentation framework for creating high-fidelity applications for Windows Vista and Windows XP. WPF is a composite technology with a noteworthy graphics engine that gives you more control over your application's screen output than has ever been possible in Windows before. New control frameworks and a new XML-based markup language, XAML, complete the core WPF package. On top of this, WPF can be linked to the new Microsoft Expression Suite to simplify the creation of your user interfaces, and it can be linked to .NET 2.0 to handle complex business logic.
• Foundations of WF: an Introduction to Windows Workflow Foundation (http://books.theregister.co.uk/catalog/browse.asp?ref=792954&advert=VistaLaunchArticle)
  Foundations of WF: An Introduction to Windows Workflow Foundation introduces you to using Visual Studio 2005 and the Windows Workflow Foundation (part of Windows Vista) to create workflow packages. The book begins by giving you an overview of Windows Workflow Foundation. Then it introduces and shows examples of the various types of workflow that can be created.

* Offer correct at time of going to press. ®

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