My Thoughts on Windows 7

[Rasta]

I am a user that has resisted going to Windows Vista and have been looking forward to windows 7.

I've read that you can not go directly from Windows XP --> Windows 7. The current workaround this is to install Windows Vista without activating it and then install windows 7. I just installed Windows 7 from a fresh install.

User Account control pop up issues are still there but you can disable it completely or partially.

Windows 7 has a very much improved troubleshooting software that I have never seen in any of their products. It past versions of windows you would recieve and error and at best you could "Send Report" or "Close" program. Windows 7 now offers possible solutions to fix the error and to my surprise the solutions actually work. Futhermore when windows does offer a solution it explains it in common english rather than devicexx.sys failed... to "Your device drivers are not installed correctly".

If your planning on making the jump to windows 7 make sure at the very least your ethernet card has windows 7 drivers. Windows update was able to find basic drivers for my 3 year old computer to give it basic functionality. The drivers from my manufacturer's website will bring back the full features of my devices assuming a windows 7 driver was posted.

I've heard that Windows 7 is what Vista should have been. From what I've seen, I agree.

[Ken_ver_1_5]

good review.
I believe my system is to old for windows 7. but maybe in the future.

[dutchdude]

I think Microsoft rip Vista user's off . All Vista user's should be given a free upgrade or a huge discount to W7 or ( Vista sp3 ) . But rather giving the Vista user's a discount they give college and university kids a discount only .
Good for the kids but bad for everyone else . I will stay using XP .


http://www.microsoft.com/canada/windows/discoverytour/student.aspx?wt.mc_id=can_co-win7launch-en_vanity_student

[Buka12]

The above is only for U.S students.

[dutchdude]

The above is only for U.S students.

Are you sure becoz its a Canadian link site ?


Eligible Canadian College & University students only.

[Mr. Apollo]

I think Microsoft rip Vista user's off . All Vista user's should be given a free upgrade or a huge discount to W7 or ( Vista sp3 ) . But rather giving the Vista user's a discount they give college and university kids a discount only .
Good for the kids but bad for everyone else . I will stay using XP .


http://www.microsoft.com/canada/windows/discoverytour/student.aspx?wt.mc_id=can_co-win7launch-en_vanity_student
There were lots of discounts on Vista if you re-ordered it. I think at one time back in the summer it was 50% off on preorders.

[Mr. Apollo]

The above is only for U.S students.
It says "*Applies to Windows 7 Professional version. Based on estimated retail price; reseller pricing may vary. Eligible Canadian College & University students only."

[dutchdude]

There were lots of discounts on Vista if you re-ordered it. I think at one time back in the summer it was 50% off on preorders.

Thats true and all but at that time would you even trust Microsoft with another newer operating system ? I mean after they made a mess with Vista. MS doesn't even care for Vista user's . Its like their hopeing for Vista just to disappear. I like the dirty tastics they are trying now , get the kids hook unto W7 . They want nothing more than to get people off using XP .

[Mr. Apollo]

Thats true and all but at that time would you even trust Microsoft with another newer operating system ? I mean after they made a mess with Vista. MS doesn't even care for Vista user's . Its like their hopeing for Vista just to disappear. I like the dirty tastics they are trying now , get the kids hook unto W7 . They want nothing more than to get people off using XP .All companies want you to move from their older products and on to the newer ones. Personally I never had any problems with Vista and after the SP2 I think it's a really nice OS. I only upgraded to W7 becuase I can get it free from work.

[dutchdude]

All companies want you to move from their older products and on to the newer ones.

Then make it affordable with the current times . Our economy isn't that good now . Give the people a break .

[linuxguru]

I like the price of Linux - FREE

[smirnoff]

I like the price of Linux - FREE

Can't argue with free.

Problem is the higher learning curve and easy compatibility with other software.

Ubntu though is getting quiet close to changing that.

Tried the 9.10 beta and its quite impressive.

[Steven]

I still say the ONLY thing keeping me from going to Linux permanently is lack of DirectX. Emulation is slow and buggy, would rather run windows.

[DazedNConfuzed]

So I picked up 7 Professional x64 and will load it onto my Mac with bootcamp.

I want to witness first hand everything that i've been reading about. I like the little review by OP.

[Lesley]

So I picked up 7 Professional x64 and will load it onto my Mac with bootcamp.

I want to witness first hand everything that i've been reading about. I like the little review by OP.

Let me know how that turns out, it's on my list of things to do but I need to get my removable drive back from a friend, run a backup on my macbook, delete the partitions on the drive and format it because bootcamp won't work on a drive that's been divided into two or more partitions. Bah.

As for Windows 7 I've been playing with it for awhile on my desktop and so far it seems they've got it right. Very nice, reasonably fast on my older desktop, it does what Vista promised but failed to deliver.

[lovey]

I built a puter and put windows 7 beta on it and it worked good but never really used that puter much,a few weeks ago I turned it on and the motherboard light was flashing,turned out the power supply went south and took the hard drive with it.I got a new power supply but not sure what I want to install when I get a new hard drive

[smirnoff]

I built a puter and put windows 7 beta on it and it worked good but never really used that puter much,a few weeks ago I turned it on and the motherboard light was flashing,turned out the power supply went south and took the hard drive with it.I got a new power supply but not sure what I want to install when I get a new hard drive



Think we can safely say the no os was reasonable this time...lol.

All though the beta did have a timebomb in it i don't think that's quite what they had in mind....lol

[compygeek]

I put Win 7 Pro on my desktop just last night and had a few hours to play with the new OS and somewhat new interface from my previous Vista OS...

1. Boot time is faster in Win 7 (although could be due to a clean install, need more testing to verify)
2. UAC is not as annoying anymore - I actually left it enabled... for now
3. Time to perform a format drive and clean install of Windows 7 - super fast, although this may depend on your hardware.
4. Third party drivers (video, audio, chipset), seem to be rock solid stable.
5. Windows search is pretty darn fast!!!
6. My computer seems to be running alot cooler than it did when I had Vista installed. CPU idle temps dropped almost 10 degrees!!! I used three apps to confirm this. GPU idle didn't drop as much, however the fan speeds have slowed by 10% on my video cards at idle.
7. Shutdown/restart time is faster in Win 7
8. Home network sharing - easy
9. Aero shake is cool - useful? probably not
10. Windows 7 "snap" is cool - useful? more useful to me than Aero shake.

That's all I can think of right now... still have to play a little more with 7, and do some more tweaks here and there, but overall, a very good OS.

[Lesley]

thank you I'll report back once I've installed it. I have a 500gb 7200 rpm drive so my boot times are already crazy fast.


I put Win 7 Pro on my desktop just last night and had a few hours to play with the new OS and somewhat new interface from my previous Vista OS...

1. Boot time is faster in Win 7 (although could be due to a clean install, need more testing to verify)
2. UAC is not as annoying anymore - I actually left it enabled... for now
3. Time to perform a format drive and clean install of Windows 7 - super fast, although this may depend on your hardware.
4. Third party drivers (video, audio, chipset), seem to be rock solid stable.
5. Windows search is pretty darn fast!!!
6. My computer seems to be running alot cooler than it did when I had Vista installed. CPU idle temps dropped almost 10 degrees!!! I used three apps to confirm this. GPU idle didn't drop as much, however the fan speeds have slowed by 10% on my video cards at idle.
7. Shutdown/restart time is faster in Win 7
8. Home network sharing - easy
9. Aero shake is cool - useful? probably not
10. Windows 7 "snap" is cool - useful? more useful to me than Aero shake.

That's all I can think of right now... still have to play a little more with 7, and do some more tweaks here and there, but overall, a very good OS.

[Omar]

I think Microsoft rip Vista user's off . All Vista user's should be given a free upgrade or a huge discount to W7 or ( Vista sp3 ) . But rather giving the Vista user's a discount they give college and university kids a discount only .
Good for the kids but bad for everyone else . I will stay using XP .


http://www.microsoft.com/canada/windows/discoverytour/student.aspx?wt.mc_id=can_co-win7launch-en_vanity_student

Windows 7 Ultimate System Student Media Edition $7.99 CND :nku:

[Wingnut31]

Windows 7 Ultimate System Student Media Edition $7.99 CND :nku:Really what school?

[Mouse]

Really what school?

http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g158/MouseMeat/Smilies/No-no.gif Don't ask, don't tell!!

[Omar]

http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g158/MouseMeat/Smilies/No-no.gif Don't ask, don't tell!!

Won't. Never look a gift horse in the mouth.

And it actually worked right from the start. Who would figure. Maybe it's not really Microsoft?

[Mr. Apollo]

Won't. Never look a gift horse in the mouth.

And it actually worked right from the start. Who would figure. Maybe it's not really Microsoft?Does it actually say student edition on the box? I remember the $7.99 version of Vista Ultimate was for installation on computers owned by the university or staff only. However, that didn't stop the campus bookstore from selling to to students. I knew people at other schools that were able to get it as long as they were in a computer related program. I also knew one guy who just walked into a university book store and bought it, he wasn't even a student there. I think the licensing agreement varies from school to school.

[Wingnut31]

http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g158/MouseMeat/Smilies/No-no.gif Don't ask, don't tell!!$20 at Sheridan

[smirnoff]

It seems if you know where to shop its quite cheap.

You can also buy them oem which seriously drops the price.