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Here comes Windows 7.... are you prepared?

Posted by alexpc86 • 10/20/09 • Subscribe to this Discussion [RSS] • Report This Topic
Topics: alexpc, Microsoft, windows, windows 7

Personally I'll be sticking with Windows XP for the simple fact that I feel like Vista users are entitled to Windows 7's "features" for free.

Windows 7 is nothing but a mere upgrade and it should be a free one at that. Vista was a total fail and one of the biggest disappointments Microsoft has delivered since Windows ME.

As a computer repair guy though I'm obligated to stay up-to-date on all operating systems and have been playing around with 7's Release Candidate (beta). It's impressive, but anything more than $0.00 to Vista users is overpriced.

For those ready to do the switcheroo and step up to the next generation operating system, I have wrote a couple of useful articles to assist you with your journey into the world of Windows 7.

Windows 7 System Requirements (alex.hsgoodman.org/2009/10/windows-7-system-requirements/) What you'll need before you even consider upgrading

How to Upgrade to Windows 7 (alex.hsgoodman.org/2009/10/how-to-upgrade-to-windows-7/) A step-by-step guide to upgrading. It's not as easy as some would like, but hey, thank Microsoft.

More Windows 7 articles will be posted soon on my blog, AlexPC, including a full review after it's release on October 22nd.

User Comments

10/20/09

exit2013

I hope it's better than Vista! 8-]

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10/20/09

Friday13

I'm 100% prepared to ignore it.

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1. 10/20/09
  
  alexpc86
  
  Haha, my point exactly. The only downside to being a computer tech is I can't COMPLETELY pretend like it doesn't exist.
2. 10/20/09
  
  Friday13
  
  I'm just not interested in an operating system that has higher requirements than most applications I use combined. Whoops, there go the resources!
  
  Linux will be my home, some time in the future. But it's not quite there yet (for me).
3. 10/20/09
  
  alexpc86
  
  Have you tried different distributions? The first time I got a version of Linux I trashed it immediately. Several years later I came across a different distribution version (Ubuntu) and it was perfect for me.
4. 10/20/09
  
  Friday13
  
  I've looked at a few, including Ubuntu (in fact, using Linux allowed me to make some backups when one hard drive was dying), but there were some hardware compatibility issues and a few other things.
  
  That was years ago, so it's all probably much better, but it'll be a few more versions until I make the switch.
10/20/09

trailofpen

I'm considering reverting to XP, although I hate the security flaws.

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1. 10/20/09
  
  alexpc86
  
  I've been running XP since it came out and even use a program called Autopatcher (www.autopatcher.com/) to update it, instead of the default Windows Update, because I like being independent. I run my business off of my computers and have yet to have a security breach and only 2 serious virus infections, but that was mostly because I was running inferior virus protection. Since switching to ESET NOD32 my XP installations have been 100% secure without a hitch.
  
  I too used Vista for quite some time and tried HARD to ignore it's obvious flaws but eventually threw in the towel and reverted. Haven't looked back since.
2. 10/20/09
  
  trailofpen
  
  The only thing I hate about Vista is its incompatability with older video cards. It's so annoying, and I find no reason to buy a new video card when I have a perfectly working one in the box.
  
  Oh and the fact that they blocked all versions of Vista except for the most expensive version from remembering network keys. That really pissed me off.
3. 10/20/09
  
  alexpc86
  
  trailofpen,
  
  I agree 100%. DirectX 10 is what stops older video cards from working with Vista, and DX10 was NOT that great of an improvement over DX9. As a matter of fact, I've seen more than one study that shows DX10 increases visuals by about 5% and decreases performance by over 20%. A group called alkyproject came out that actually produced a working copy of DirectX10 that worked on XP, but Microsoft bought the project out fairly quickly.
  
  So basically DirectX10 was another way of Microsoft saying "Hey if you want to reap the super-great-awesome-monster power of DX10, you have to upgrade to Vista. Oh and while you're at it buy a new video card from one of our sponsored video card manufacturers."
  
  Corporate greed at it's finest.
10/20/09

shraqshaq77

Why not. I'll give it a try

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10/21/09

crazyTsu

If they give away a laptop with it for free I might think

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10/21/09

acousticguitarist

no no no no

let it get sorted and in a few months try it

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1. 10/22/09
  
  alexpc86
  
  Here's a bit of interesting information. According to a poll on CNET (link below), only a little over half of voters will be upgrading to Windows 7.
  
  "I currently have a Windows computer and will upgrade it to Windows 7 on the same computer." 59% (7,367 votes)
  
  "I will buy a new computer that comes with Windows 7." 14% (1,801 votes)
  
  "I currently have a Windows computer and have no plans to upgrade the operating system." 16% (2,029 votes)
  
  "I currently have a Windows computer and will switch to either Mac or Linux." 7% (838 votes)
  
  "I currently have a Mac or Linux computer and will switch to Windows 7." 1% (116 votes)
  
  "I currently have a Mac or Linux computer and will also use Windows 7." 4% (441 votes)
  
  Total Votes: 12,592
  
  Link: reviews.cnet.com/8301-31012_7-10377141-10355804.html?tag=contentMain;conten...
10/22/09

christibroer

I'm with you on keeping XP. With the problems I had with Millennium, I won't be trying anything else any time soon. For some reason XP works so well and I will use it probably until it's obsolete of my computer dies - the second will probably happen first because this computer is OLD!

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10/22/09

LesleyMo

Thanks for the links! I hate hate hate my Vista - and I agree, I should get Windows 7 for free. (Wah.) I'm debating whether I should upgrade and complain about the cost, or skip the upgrade and continue complaining about Vista.

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1. 10/22/09
  
  alexpc86
  
  LoL, anytime! I think no matter what you do, complaining is always the best bet when it comes to Microsoft. Not that they care but it's always good to let other potential victims know before they fall into the trap
10/22/09

npuhalsky

I think I would have to give it a year or so for the bugs to be worked out - such is my confidence in the quality of Microsoft

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10/22/09

weblogian

I don't see any good reason to switch to Windows 7 I am happy with XP SP3. An old house(vista) newly painted on the outside (Windows 7)just for sale.

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10/22/09

BBQGurus

Who needs it? No MS here,,,With Linux there are no viruses to really even speak of..no security suites needed since it's all there. better graphical interface then any windows platform and it's fast! Programs are free..need I go on and did I mention all free...LOL

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1. 10/22/09
  
  alexpc86
  
  Honestly the only reason I have not 100% switched to Linux (I do have a partition with Linux on it) is because of hardware incompatibility.
10/22/09

BBQGurus

Once you get in position to make the switch you will never look back.

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