Windows 7 - What are your thoughts on the operating system?

First off, I actually like Vista. There, the disclaimer portion is done.

I like Windows 7 a lot, mainly for its speed and, considering I was running a beta, reliability.

I've tried it on a netbook, an old Dell laptop, and a desktop. It ran reasonably well on all, (even better than the Ubuntu Netbook Remix on the netbook, and better than Kubuntu 9.04 on the old Dell).

That alone has me excited about the final product, which I pre-ordered to get the special pricing.

Compatibility issues will surely arise, especially in the workplace, but so far - so good!

I put it on my old Dell and it seems a lot quicker.

running Windows7 for about a month now, and so far, no major issues. The only problem I have had is a printer issue. It seems that my HP driver isn't W7 compatible. That's not a real problem since I use a dual boot system with Ubuntu and can print from that.

Much improved. Upgraded 3 pcs to 7 and now sharing files is a breeze! Strongly recommended!

And that's was where you made the wrong turn!

Lemme guess..
Pointsec right?

I just started running the RTM version..(Never bothered with the RC's as vista was a complete disaster)
I have a test box at work, and I'm running it at home in a VM..under vista of all places..hehehe

Running at home on my asus e8600 cranked up to 4.2Ghz(on air) 8GB of dominator memory.. Nvidia 280.
(Again..running in a VM..4GB of mem assigned to it)

Stability..OK.. Well..I managed to blue screen the RTM after installing one 32bit app.

Interface. Sucks. No classic menu. MS sorts apps THEN directories in their goofy menu. So its backwards.
You can lose all your menu items if you go over 17 app dirs in the root of the menu and if you manually sort.
Its a known bug. I got hit by it 30 mins after installing.

Copying problems from vista..A lil better, but still sucks. Turn off (can't remember the service name right now) a service that handles file metadata to speed it up.

Turn off superfetch and search services to give your machine a huge boost. Plus there are a ton of other services to whack that give you back some performance.

I could go on..but its typical MS bloat.
Its STILL slower than XP..in 90% of all benchmarks.
It screams LOOK AT ME!! I'M WINDOWS!!
Well..SHUT UP. I dont care about your eyecandy sucking resources, your half-azzed addon, IE(JUNK!)..etc..etc..etc.. I just want a stable kernel.
I'll run what I WANT TO RUN..not you ya stoopid OS.
I wont move to it completely until sp1 or MS has put out at least 200 patches(the patches will take about 3 months).

DRM has NOT been hacked out.. I'm waiting for that to happen.
NO you stoopid OS, you wont dictate what I can and cannot play on MY computer.

Its inevitable. MS has an OS that does not 'totally suck'(like vista), so they will be going full bore on forcing XP 'away'.
So get ready for another round on the MS gerbil wheel.
Just when they got XP 'right' after years in the field and 10 scabizzilion patches, they are gonna kill it.
And we CANT have that! What? A stable corp enviro? Nope.. win7 is prepared to screw that up with more resource hogging, higher requirements, new conventions(because 'program files' and 'docs and settings' is soooooo 90's right? So they decided to call shortcuts 'libraries', change the default paths, and call it 'new and improved'.

At the end of the day its an OS that started developement when xp was released..and the STILL managed to bork it with vista.
win7? Its just vista 2.0

If it wasnt for the forced limited address space in XP(3.xGB limit) I'd live there forever.
Win7 offers NOTHING of benefit to the end user, the home user but headaches and more upgrades.
(Remember XP64? Ya..didnt think so..It would have been THE next OS that would have amounted to a bigger address space, but that would have doomed any 'new' os..and we can't have that. support went by the wayside of course... Marketing killed it)

I could go on....
But suffice to say, there is more JUNK going on under the hood to make life a nightmare...

DEVELOPERS
DEVELOPERS
DEVELOPERS
(Sorry..couldnt help myself..duhhhh)

I have two laptops and a desktop, two using XP and the one laptop that was using Vista is now a seven machine. For you old dogs that can't learn new tricks, well it's your loss. And for you mac users, there seems to be a lack of the windows beat down lately do to price of the PC machines and add 7 to them and bingo no more Anti Microsoft adds by Apple.

Anyway, with the normal beta test shake down, this is probably going to be the finest OS that Microsoft has created yet. What we have is a Hybrid version of XP, with the look and features of Vista. Between now and October's release the company's that are having driver compatibility problems should have them worked out.
It moves along swiftly and with a few more tweaks and fixes will be the OS of the future and make cider out of Apple.

So if yu have blinders on, you just might want to take them off, and at very least listen to those that have beta tested this OS.

It may look sexy on the outside..but try looking under the hood.
(And your a developer aincha???)

(Well..it does have that butt-ugly, useless hood ornament called RIBBONS going on..got nailed on it when I fired up WRITE... )

Microsoft - A Marketing company that just happens to develop software....and has a bad habit of chasing Apple.

been using it since the first beta release. Never ran into a problem.

I am on XP and skipped Vista, and XP feels like such an antique next to what a modern OS should be. XP is functional, but boring. Windows 7 brings a lot of improvements to the user interface, looks much nicer, and does a better job with memory management, so it'll be faster. I'm not sure how much I'd pay for an upgrade, but I wouldn't buy a new PC without it.

Had been running Windows 7 RC on my desktop with 4GB RAM. Use 64-bit programs when possible and had no issue. If you have 4GB or more RAM, 64-bit Windows 7 can see all memory.

(And your a developer aincha???)

Why yes I am, thanks for asking. and have been since my very first elf!

Love Win 7 can see all my 8 Gig of RAM!

For those that want a Windows 7 tour.
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/features/tour.asp...

For those that don't, then don't.

Compare versions of windows 7
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/compare-editions/...
I pre-ordered my copy of Windows 7 Professional

When we bought my wife's computer, it had VISTA Installed, well after about 2 days of using it and saying WTF, we wiped the HD and put XP on it, VISTA is terrible.

I'm testing out Win 7 on my main machine, on a second partition, that way I still have my XP, installed and untouched, and I've noticed that Win 7 is noticeably slower. Mapsource for example, takes a ridiculous amount of time to zoom in and out, where on XP it's lightning fast. Win 7 looks great, and has some great features, but if it's going to bog down, I'm staying with XP. Since it's installed and working, I'm going to play some more before writing it off.

If you have MSDN subscription license, get as many license as you can for the Win7.

I didnt used it but it must be better and good

Fluxuated, how much ram are you running? I don't see mapsource running slower on this end, just the opposite as a matter of fact.
What is your machines base score for the Experience Index? maybe you can improve your score to help improve performance.

Windows 7 is just Vista with a bunch of internal service packs. Don't buy an OS just to get a new OS until you're sure all of your old drivers will work with it. My own rule of thumb is to wait until there is a quantum leap in hardware (802.11N, blue_tooth that runs fine thru a USB hub instead of requiring a direct bus connection so it won't stall, a faster USB speed, etc.), and then think about getting an OS that will take advantage of all that new hardware speed. I'll jump ship when they give me a life-preserver, not an anchor like Vista turned out to be ......

And me? I'm staying on XP cause it just does everything I want and doesn't Blue Screen on me. I stayed on Win98 way too long until the hardware came along that made me want to upgrade, then I did.

title says all...

Unless they completely stop support for XP.....XP will still dominate....

All the early reviews are that it's very well done. The one problem that stands out is that you can't update from Windows XP (home or pro), only Vista. I don't run Vista because it stinks.

That will be a problem for Microsoft sales of Win 7.

Fred

I tend to disagree. "Windows 7 is not better than XP". I do a lot of movie making from an HD Video camera. My old (4 year old Dell, dual processor, 2 GB mem, 1 Tera byte hard drive) using the new Adobe Premiere Elements 7 doesn't hardly work at all on my old PC with XP. It crashes all the time. Now, take my new PC (Dell, 4 GB mem, dual processor running Windows 7 64bit) and my 32bit Adobe Premiere Elements 7 runs perfectly - it never dies, even when converting HD movies and burning them to a DVD. All my other 32 bit programs run great on the new OS. I like it and won't be going back to XP.

the fact the new toy has twice the memory and a different processor, updated BIOS, new firmware, new video processor and other upgrades besides the OS could it?

My VISTA on my "new" 8 month old pc works fine, I'd never go back to XP. Sorry about your VISTA experience, which apparently you never had.

I believe Microsoft's policy is to only support the current version and the previous version. So XP support will be toast as soon as 7 is released.

My problem with almost all Windows (no, all) upgrades is that the improvements are usually esoteric, not always needed by the vast majority of users and always require hardware upgrades. Maybe I'm cynical but is there some sort of collusion between MS and the PC makers? Want the new, improved, better, greater OS buy a new PC.

Microsoft already announced last year that XPPro support was going to be continued way past the 2 version limit. It was evident even to them that a lot of Corporate seats remained, or returned to XP.

It is a bit early to know for sure, but I have heard many good things about it.

I'll wait until the first service pack is released.

MS will support XP until April 2014.
http://support.microsoft.com/lifecycle/?LN=en-gb&C2=1173

Will the new Windows 7 operating system have
driver problems like Windows Vista did.

I have no driver problems at all with Windows 7 and all of my bluetooth, scanners, printers and everything else I connect that worked in XP and Vista are already working in Windows 7. In fact the only driver problem I ever had with Vista was with a modem driver not ouputing voice responses and I solved that by rolling back and forcing the install of a XP driver for that modem.

I have 3 hard drives in my desktop, one with XP one with Vista Ultimate and one with Windows 7 64 bit ultimate and whichever system I boot into everything works. This is the best way to compare because no matter which one I boot to the hardware is always identical so it makes for a fair comparison. I will be updating all 3 of my computers to Windows 7 as soon as it has been released.

I pretty much never boot to the XP drive any longer other than to run updates once in a while and to do performance comparisons. My Vista drive is faster and nicer to work with than XP and the Windows 7 drive blows both Vista and XP away from all standpoints.

I believe Microsoft has already obligated themselves to the year 2014 for XP.

Those buying Vista PCs between July 1st, 2009 and January 31st, 2010 will get a free upgrade to Windows 7.

The offer, known as Microsoft's Technical Guarantee Program, seems OEM-specific, meaning that it's only valid if you buy a PC through somebody like Dell, or a Big-box store.

I'm Running a Dell P4 3.8GHz with 2.0GB Ram, not exactly state of the art, like it was when I bought it. But I'm running Win7 on the exact same setup as XP, so I do notice a difference. I tried to Defrag the HD, and that helped a Tad, but I still get a pause with MapSource. It's like going from a Ferrari to a Smart Car, between the 2. Not that noticeable yet, with every day use, but really noticeable with MapSource.

If anyone is having problems (and there are thousands) with Windows 7 here is a link to a forum with Microsoft Technical Support, Software Support and Engineering Support staff trying to help people:

http://social.answers.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/category/wi...

I put the beta version on my old Dell desktop and it seems to run faster. I haven't had any trouble with it. Planning to buy the full version.

You might want to keep that Microsoft Support Forum website handy - it appears there are MANY unexpected problems cropping-up with Windows 7 for the guinea pigs.

I am using Win 7 since the RC came out. Two home built PCs, one Sony Vaio laptop and an MSI netbook. All running Win 7 Professional, except my desktop which is running Ultimate. NO PROBLEMS at all!!!

Its awesome. Now I find myself not using my dual 2.5Ghz G5 as much as I used to... partly because Apple Snow Leopard will not run on it (yes, Apple is giving the middle finger to us loyal Apple fans).

So nack to Windows now that 7 is here.

ill wait until all of u finish ur bata testing lol

My one problem I've had with Windows 7 so far is on one desktop (HP 3.4GHz HT, 4GB Ram, 1TB HD) is that after it downloads the critical updates, it will no longer allow access to the internet.

First of all it feels nothing like Vista, and second, I don't remember XP ever being called Seven, Ever.

It's stable as heck, and a mighty fine operating system that will give apple a run for it over priced money!!

Dude, I feel sorry for you! your always looking for something for nothing in technology, Not going to happen. Wake Up! because your being passed over.

Dude, I feel sorry for you! your always looking for something for nothing in technology, Not going to happen. Wake Up!
Because your being passed over, I don't believe you even tried the RC of the product,if you had you sure wouldn't make the statement that your making you just started to slam. I seen the same thing with your posts when you didn't read the fine print on the msn traffic.

I like it a lot.

I'm loading mine on my laptop and desktop this weekend. My son loaded it on his netbook (from xp) and is really happy with it.

I have Vista on my laptop and am not expecting too big a change, except for less annoying alert messages.

If my 'annoying alert messages' you mean the constant User Account Control (UAC) messages that dim the screen an ask you to allow/not allow almost everything you do in Vista, then you may be initially disappointed.

The default setting for UAC will be the same in Win 7 as is was in Vista, albeit it pops up for less things. The good news is that it's easy to change the default (see User Accounts in the Control Panel) to one of 3 other settings that Vista didn't have.

Unless you want to switch from 32bit to 64bit is just waste of money eg. XP to Vista, Vista to Windows7. Only upgrade to Windows7 64bit, make sense because it suppose to run 32bit appl. as well.