Decision: Go with Windows XP to start

 If we document the process well, it should only be a few hours extra work to create a new image with whichever operating system we want at a later time.  We will still need to test the new VM.

Windows XP

Pros

• Smallest footprint (fewest GB for base OS)
• Well understood
• All the applications run on XP
• Provides access to XP only apps on Windows Vista, Windows 7 and Mac OS
• Still maintained and supported by Microsoft
• Already tested by DUSP for this purpose
• Fairly robust and stable

Cons

• Lacks features of Vista and Windows 7 (not critical)
• Lacks KMS (Key Management Service) support to mitigate risk of MIT's Windows license being abused
  

Windows Vista

Pros

• Includes more features than XP such as Aero, Windows Gallery etc. (not critical)
• Support KMS - lower risk for MIT's Windows license being abused
• More modern

Cons

• Generally not liked in community
• Not all applications of interest run well under Vista
• Bigger footprint (base OS install)
• Considered buggy

Windows 7

Pros

• Most recent OS
• Reported to fix number of Vista short comings
• Supports KMS - lower risk for MIT's Windows license being abused
• Added features over XP & Vista

Cons

• Untested in MIT evnironment
• Least understood Windows OS as of now
• Minor work around needed to get ethernet driver to work under VMware Workstation
• Applications may not be supported under Windows 7, yet