Please help!! I'm so confused!!!?

I recently bought a hp laptop and now I need to figure out what software to put in it. I'll be using it for school, my business which just consist of me, my digital camera and my ipod. I know I want Vista but as for which version I'm clueless.Any suggestions?

Any suggestions on anti-virus/spyware software, and entertainment software?

I would get spybot search&destroy, and adaware, both free and well respected antispyware. AVG is good. I also like programs from ca.com, Search for their free year here, http://home3.ca.com/SubscriptCenter/MSTr...

Also picasa is great for searching for photos. Try another browser such as firefox or opera. Less likely to be exploited by the bad guys.

If it is for business, I might run a hardware based firewall. I don't know much about Vista, so maybe the software one is good enough. But me being on Windows 2000, I've had viruses come right on in, even with updated antivirus and patched windows. Its really bad out there on the internet with viruses and other malware sniffing ports for vulnerabilities and why risk losing data? Do backups regularly. A PC can be fine one day, toast the next. And store that data safely whether CD, DVD or external hard drive or even USB (they're getting big now and have new features). Some software can add changed files daily to the CD burn routine, a nice convenient feature. Also, I keep hearing stories of yet another friend's laptop being stolen. They have lo-jack programs to assist in recovering them. A tad pricey, but likely worth it as they are hot, and targeted items by theives.

Oh, and get the software stuff for your ipod, the iTunes, which is big. Happy downloading, may take a while, but you'll be all set.

If you want to update your laptop to vista and you are using it for business and home and school, try the ultimate edition of vista, it has the most features,it has home and business features,

Did you buy it used, with no software at all? If that is the case you will have to pay for the operating system. You want Vista? Buy the latest version. It will have the least buggs.
Ask the software sales people for the Pict. and music handling stuff.

If you don't have Microsoft Office yet, a good free substitute is OpenOffice.

http://www.openoffice.org/