Aero uses 3d hardware acceleration for it's effects (which are turned off on low end systems) t o allow Dynamic reflections and smooth animations. This is also used for the new version of alt-tab called windows Flip and Windows Flip 3D, Windows Flip 3D creates a view of your open windows in a three-dimensional stack on your desktop. Using the Windows logo+TAB keys, you can flip through the open windows to quickly locate and select the window you want. If a movie is playing it is displayed, still playing, in the 3D stack. Regular flip is like alt tab except instead of icons you see a thumbnail of what is physically happening in that window (like a movie that might be playing).
My point wasn't that vista did anything first. It was merely a reference point for the majority of computer users that aren't familiar with linux builds (and why should they be?) but like Chris are actively following the upcomming vista release for various reasons. Myself even, I toyed with redhat back in the day, but I can't be bothered to use linux today because there's nothing I do that merits it. I really don't have any reason to bother.
