Microsoft has released the consumer version of the latest update to the worlds most used operating system.

That's right - Windows Vista, after more than five years in the making, is for sale at retail stores starting today.

Are we as "wow-ed" by Vista as Bill Gates has promised we would be? We have been hearing a lot about Vistas new "Aero" graphical interface and security improvements.

But the hefty price tag may be creating some "wows" of its own, with a retail cost of almost $200 for the basic version and twice as much for the advanced versions.

One thing that won't be surprising anyone is that a lot of bugs will still need to be worked out. Microsoft has already taken some heat from security companies who have pointing out flaws in the new operating system.

A common theme from security pros seems to be that Vista has been worth the wait, but it wouldn't hurt to wait a bit longer.

We're not expecting to see people lining up in droves to get at Vista, either. Only about 10 percent of computers worldwide will have Vista installed by the end of the year, and it is not likely to replace Windows XP as the leading operating system until late 2009, reports are saying.

Whether or not you decide to make the move to Vista, keep in mind that you always have the right to choose additional security options to protect yourself from the range of online threats that are out there. And that, of course, includes using Ad-Aware.

The Release Candidate 1 (beta release) for Ad-Aware 2007 is coming soon and is Vista compatible. We plan to be Certified for Vista for the final product launch. Stay tuned...