If Microsoft ran a daily newspaper, you'd get Monday's paper on the following Friday.

Veterans of the computer wars know Microsoft routinely misses promised release dates.

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So it shouldn't have come as a surprise when Microsoft recently delayed the release of Windows Vista, the operating system that will replace Windows XP.

Instead of being available before the holidays, it will be at least January before Vista is on shelves.

Some of you have been postponing the purchase of a new computer until the release of Vista. In fact, I offered that advice myself. Buying the computer with Vista already installed would have made things easier.

But life with computers isn't always easy. So, now that the landscape has changed, we need to have one of those "what do I do now" talks.

The first thing to know is that Vista will eventually arrive. Bands will play. News stories will be written. People will stand outside stores at midnight on the release day. It will all seem like a huge deal.

But truth is that it isn't.

We are not talking about a delay in the cure for cancer. Vista will be a nice improvement — faster and with better graphics. But after a few weeks, it'll be old hat — even if it will be a good old hat.

Still, it's time to do some thinking for those of you who need a new computer but have been waiting for the release of Vista.

If you really need that computer, I wouldn't wait. Go ahead and buy it. (Print out this column and show it to your husband or wife if you need some moral support at home.)

But here's the rub: Keep the requirements of Vista in mind when you make the purchase. That way, when it finally does arrive, you can upgrade without much fuss.

Get as much memory as you can afford

That means buying a computer with 512 megabytes of memory. If you can afford it, go ahead and pop for 1 gigabyte of memory.

Also keep in mind that Vista will need a computer with a separate graphics card. Some computers, especially laptops and lower-priced desktops, incorporate the video capability right on the motherboard. In that case, there's not a separate video card. The video circuitry shares memory with other computing tasks instead of having separate video memory.

Vista really does offer a step up when it comes to what you see on the screen. The price you pay for that is the need for more video horsepower.

Look for a video card that has at least 64 megabytes of dedicated video memory. If you can, get one with 128 megabytes of memory.

You needn't worry much about the processor. Microsoft says any modern chip will work fine. But I'd recommend a Pentium 4 chip operating at 2.8 gigahertz or faster. While you're at it, make sure the PC comes with a hard disk that offers 160 gigabytes or more of storage.

Now forget about Vista and worry about how you're going to convince your spouse that it's OK to buy a new computer.

When you get the computer home, put Vista out of your mind for a while. In fact, even when Vista hits stores, I recommend doing nothing for a while. Let the dust settle a bit.

For one thing, most new operating systems meet the world with enough bugs to fill several hollow logs. So let the other suckers — er, customers — take the early hits. Technical support lines will be jammed for the first weeks after Vista hits the streets.

Follow the news and gauge how things are going. When the furor over bugs and glitches begins to subside, wait another week or so and then buy Vista.

The same advice holds for the rest of you, by the way. If you plan to hang onto your current computer until Vista arrives, you should still wait a bit after the debut.

As for me? I'll ignore most of the advice I just gave you. In fact, I already am running a beta copy of Vista.

I tell my wife that, because of my job, I need the finest of computers and the newest of software. I wish I could add that she is completely taken in by all of that. And I could as long as I didn't mind lying.