I have used Windows 98, Windows Me, and I am still using Windows XP, Windows Vista but I do have a single Apple laptop with Snow Leopard. I never have any need for fixing, updating, protecting my Apple but I must have spent hundreds of hours and $ doing the same over the years with the Microsoft products. I realize everybody is using Microsoft software and I, therefore, expect I'll have to continue to spend many more hours I could be doing something else on fixing, updating, etc...my Microsoft computer(s). Can anyone give me some convincing reasons (not Pie-In-The-Sky stuff I heard with previous versions)why I should spend $100-$200 for Windows 7? My Windows XP computer still does about "as well" as my Vista computer...
That statement alone doesn't justify my telling you anything about Windows 7!! Windows 7 has many features that make it a valuable update. However, you may not update to Windows 7 from XP without wiping the HDD first. You must save your drivers but you will not be able to retain your programs. Make sure to have everything important backed up. This is not a hard task if you know computers, but for many it may be difficult. To upgrade from Vista is much more simple. You should be able to do a direct upgrade without losing any information, however, I still suggest you back up any critical documents. Windows 7 is faster on start up and shut down, offers more security (without all of the Vista hoopla that you have to go through), and is a far more stable system than Vista ever was. Now for many users, staying with XP Pro is a choice that they make. I've personally tried the OS and am looking forward to adding it to my new build. So for your answer: Windows 7 is a winner OS. I think that it is perfect for a new computer and/or build. However, if you are going to use it on an older computer, I would suggest that you stay with what makes you happy. Vista in my opinion is crap. Unless you get the basic version and strip it down to run like XP then it uses too many system resources and too much RAM to make it worth it. I would suggest sticking with XP. I hope that gave you a little insight. There are many reasons why PC users tend to stick with Windows. Many people say that MAC is the way to go, and I have to say that MAC has a nice system. However, MAC does not give me the opportunities that Windows does. There are many applications for Windows that are not available for MAC, not to mention a ton of other aspects of the MAC. The MAC is very user friendly, and for your typical computer user or graphic artist it is perfect. However, for real computer guru's it is the bottom of the barrel. Don't get me wrong, I did say that MAC was a nice OS, it is just not for everyone. I've run Windows PC's for many years. I know what is best for security, and I know how to scan for issues with the OS. I also know how to keep my system running at top performance, and most typical users do not know how to do this. I hope I answered your question!!
Thanks. As I said, I run several computers because of the Microsoft ONLY applications. After reading your post, I am more optimistic about Windows7 but I do remain a bit wary, because of the history of so many duds. Spending $200-300 on Vista and then being told it is terrible a few months later is not a fun experience. In many other fields a refund would have been appropriate. I'll keep my Apple and XP but will update my Vista to Windows7. If severely disappointed in a few months, I'll probably kill myself(...just kidding).
I don't think that you will be disappointed. I don't know if your Vista is running 64-bit or 32-bit, but as long as you have at least 3 Gigs of memory, then you will love it. Remember when XP first came out? It was a total disappointment, but Microsoft was able to fill in the gaps for security and although it too a good year to get things rolling, XP is the ground work for a great OS. Vista could have been, but like ME it failed to make standards as a great OS in the tech field. Windows 7 has taken the extra precautions, by allowing user to not only use but also give there feedback on the OS and it's problems. Windows 7 is actually being released as a grade A OS. There will still be a few flaws as with any new OS, but Windows actually laid a nice ground work on this one. Microsoft lost a lot of money with the release of Vista, and to this day I still have to repair Vista machines. The same holds true for just about any OS including MAC. MAC does not have many problems, just like Linux does not hold many problems. This is because the mass majority of users use Windows. Anyway, I hope your Vista is a 64X so that you may receive the full benefit of Windows 7. By the way, a 64X with Windows 7 can run 8 Gigs of RAM.
MAC does not have many problems because they do not have much compatability. Windows still runs software from the early days of DOS...MAC drops support for older MAC software far more frequently. Also, Apple uses very low quality components...this leads to a lot of problems that cannot be fixed with a simple hotfix. This isn't a big advantage for companies like Acer, Asus, or Gateway...but it is a big advantage to quality computers. Windows Vista was trash; it was released a few years to early, with many features left half-done and completely untested...Windows 7 is much better in this way, as the kernal is a tweeked, tuned, fixed Vista kernal. The features are completed, and even overdone in many ways (for example, the calculator now displays the last few inputs and outputs, much like a graphing calculator does). Software compatability is also much better...supporting more software than vista did, and with a new virtual machine to fill in the tiny gaps. Apple can keep claiming reliability untill that kid is blue in the face...but PC remained in the lead in the Vista days, and can only gain ground now that the operating system is good.
