I've been playing around with Vista for a bit now, installing 32 and 64 bit versions, from Home to Ultimate, and now with Vista being final, and playing around with various versions of those installs, have come to a few observations:
Vista 32 bit - nicely done graphics and UI, albiet the common interfaces for things such as setting up a NIC are not readilbly available, which then takes some playing/searching around, as does for other 'settings'. Just needs getting used to. Currently a good number of compatibility issues with apps, like ZoneAlarm, Norton 2006 and pre. A good OS for use in the 'near' future when more manuf's get in line with the release and post release. The ASUS P5W DH drivers have worked fine for me in 32 bit, as well as in 64 bit, for the most part (audio did not, and the only 64 bit driver from ASUS is for the Wifi, which worked fine on the 64 install.
Vista 64 - same UI as 32 bit, and much more difficulties finding apps that will load without issues/conflicts. Drivers currently are scarce and some work only marginally. Norton 2007, NAV 07, ATI catalyst and ZAP (ZAP does not exist currently for 64) are no go's. Q-3 does not function, no matter the emulation/compatability setting - it's a pretty old game. To me it seems that, as with XP 64 in some ways, this OS is destined to a long haul delay with the software industry coming up to speed for 64 bit installs and drivers so they do not have conflicts and work properly. XP 64 was never really taken to the software industries heart anyway, was it? I feel that Vista 64 will be. It seems the 'coming' wave of the Windows OS.
Both Vista's have a much more intense amount of 'security', so installing programs, coping files, ect, can be a nusiance, repeatedly checking 'yes' to authorize the various things you wish to do, and on teh stock setting post install, you may have to 'authorize', click yes, more than once for any such activity. The UI can be softened, or turned off entirely, however, which obviates some or all of the intention for the newer, added security. There is a lot of discussion about running your PC as the default (open) administrator.... and inconvieniences if you don't.
Unless an individual is very adventourous to install and mess about, for what I believe will be a long time, months and months of trial and error and waiting for apprpriate drivers, the 64 bit version is not ready for prime time, as there are very limited, outside of the OS inherient apps, ways to protect the PC and OS.
Vista is, in my opinion, a beautiful piece of OS, very fluid and offers some interesting new additions to the UI, as well as improvements with overall stability/useability. It should be a very nice, much more intergrated OS once all these are updated to service the level the OS can perform.
These types of observations are pretty commnon for an OS release. The last significant Windows release was XP. The roll-out of software and drivers should happen pretty smoothly for the 32 bit version, partiularly commencing the Jan, retail release, of Vists. The 64 bit counter-parts seems a ways off for a thorough, well rounded roll-out and broad availability.
As soon as some of the major vendors get their apps in sync for 32 bit, I'll be using that OS, until the 64 bit field is 'mature' enough to take good advantage of, without the waits and headaches.