The Good Aspects.
There are lots of good aspects of a window air conditioning unit. The first is that they are relatively affordable as compared with a central unit. You can buy one and stick it in the window, another great aspect is that theyre very easy to hook up, and youre prepared to go. If it breaks, you can just buy another one since they are so cheap. They will cool off the room you set it in, and eventually it will cool the entire residence. They dont use much energy as compared to central units, and they will decrease your energy costs substantially.
The Bad Aspects.
The bad part about window air conditioning units is that theyre very loud http://www.kkellyinc.com/ . If you have ever heard a central air unit, you know they can be very quiet. Compare that to a window air conditioning unit and its like night and day. Window air conditioning units also dont cool as much as central units do, and they take a long time to cool. The window air conditioning units also sit inside open windows so they sometimes allow warm air to escape around the edges. They can become congested from dust and pollen and various other air pollutants, and they also dry the air out severely.
As you can see, the good and bad aspects are on an even keel. Just remember that any air conditioning unit is much better than not having any at all, so get what you can afford, but recognize that having a window air conditioning unit is all about what you make it.