Windows 7 users will have XP downgrade option

Beta News ^ | 6 Apr 09 | Scott M. Fulton, III

[big'ol_freeper]

After a flurry of blog activity over the weekend, leading into today, concerning the extended availability of Windows XP, a Microsoft spokesperson confirmed to Betanews early this evening that general Windows 7 users will be given the option of downgrading right over Vista to Windows XP.

[Carolina_Thor]

There are very few apps that use 64 bit processing. Other than the ability to address more than 3GB of RAM, there aren’t many reasons to go to 64 bit version. I know as soon as I write this some poster will come out of the woodwork and claim the seperate address space etc. but really unless you’re running a CAD system etc., you’re not really going to see much if any improvement in performance.

[mysterio]

I dunno -- overboard DRM possibly (just a rumor)?

I hear that it automatically degrades streaming audio if you try to capture it. Basically to prevent you from going to rhapsody or somewhere and just capturing the whole song with an audio capture program.

I don't buy operating systems that are designed to limit functionality.

[Quix]

Thanks.

[Cyber Liberty]

I have applications that do not run well on Vista if at all, and I use these applications to earn money. Vista’s out for me if I wish to continue use of some critical tools.

That's my situation. When my old laptop died last summer, I had to buy a Mac & Parallels to keep XP so I can continue to use my VPN software.

[Pearls Before Swine]

I don't buy operating systems that are designed to limit functionality.

The laptop I'm typing this on came with Vista, which I occasionally use. More often, as now, I run Fedora with an XP virtual machine (Sun VirtualBox). There's a shrinking number of things that I need Windows for... most prominently running games to amuse visiting progeny.

[MichiganMan]

I am mystified by the alleged fact that it is unsatisfactory and believe that to be an urban myth started and repeated by those who would complain about not being hung with a new rope.

So you're ok with being hung with an old rope?

[billorites]

Office 2007 works fine with my Windows 7 beta.

When the release candidate comes out next month make a small partition where you can install it in a dual-boot experiment.

As far as mixing 64-bit and 32-bit operating systems....good luck with that.

I tried to install the 32-bit version of Windows 7 on a separate drive on my old Gateway XP box and the installation failed. Maybe if I played more with it I could get it to work, but then again that computer dates from early 2002 and I might be pressing my luck.

[Still Thinking]

What’s funnier than the “downgrade” option at all, is their assumption that you wouldn’t even want Vista, and jump right over it to XP. This is also good news for those of us who already own XP, as it probably means end-of-life support will be extended.

[Carolina_Thor]

I think it will be quite a while before support shuts down for XP. NT 4.0 was eventually discontinued due to security holes that could not be patched without rewriting the kernal. This is as it was communicated to me when I went to a security conference held by MS. If they came up with such a claim for XP, I would be skepitical. I would see it more as a reason to “force” upgrading.

[Still Thinking]

2014 presently, but since this move officially sanctions new installs, maybe a little more.

[Carolina_Thor]

I apologize in my reply earlier if it was taken to mean MS Office or other 32 bit app wouldn’t work... They should run as 32 bit apps, but they are not coded for 64 bit processing. Anyone considering runing the 64 bit windows, should research any compatibility issues any of the apps they plan to also install. Don’t forget hardware as well, if you have some older components, the drivers may not work at all. If you’re a serious gamer 64 bit is definitely worth a look. Just my opinion, I could be wrong :)

[ShadowAce]

I’ve worked with clusters in the past. They can give new meaning to the term “cluster F***.”

LOL! I have yet to experience a stress-free install/configure.

Including this one.

[Golden Eagle]

I have yet to experience a stress-free install/configure. Including this one.

But you can be proud that free Linux has made supercomputers easy for many others now, right?

Microsoft Corp. debuted in the top 10 of the world's most powerful supercomputers with Shanghai Supercomputer Center

[Woodman]

I have 5 PC’s, two newish laptops, and desktops ranging from one year to eight years old. My three newest machines are all running Vista Home Premium without any hitches, and my two older machines XP. I wouldn’t even consider upgrading the two older desktops because I know better. Maybe it's because I know better that I have such a good experience with Vista, and I hope to with “7” as well. The worse thing about the Vista release was MS giving into the OEM’s and letting them dump old under-spec'ed hardware on the public at the launch.

[ShadowAce]

That's old news.

They have several entries in the Top 500. After taking the two-day class MS put on for their HPC 08 product, I have to say that it's a decent product.

For a product that's as new as it is, it's fairly functional. There are a few functions it doesn't have, but since it's built on top of Server 2008, it's pretty stable.

It's biggest hurdle it must overcome is the application base. Cluster apps tend to run in Linux/Unix. There aren't a lot of Windows-based parallel processing apps out there. They are really pushing for the smaller sized, department-level clusters. That market is growing the fastest at this point.

[Golden Eagle]

You missed the sarcasm. Since free Linux made supercomputers for the Chicoms possible, Microsoft is now making it point and click easy. This technology should have never been openly released in the first place, and should be export controlled now.

[ShadowAce]

You missed the sarcasm.

Nope. But I know how you use it.

Since free Linux made supercomputers for the Chicoms possible, Microsoft is now making it point and click easy.

Not quite. There's still a lot of knowledge required, and configuration. As I mentioned above, there are still a few features it's missing.

This technology should have never been openly released in the first place, and should be export controlled now.

Why? That's just locking the barn after the cows have escaped. Of course, if MS wanted that to happen, they could just refuse to sell outside of the US.

Think that'll happen?

Neither do I.

[Golden Eagle]

Why? That's just locking the barn after the cows have escaped.

No it's not. The Chicomms have nukes too, but we don't allow our companies to build nuclear bombs for them, do we? Should we? We are handing them the computers they need to help build them, something you seem perfectly content with, apparently in the name of "why not" which should be obvious.

[rzeznikj at stout]

Quite possibly.

(NB: I know I’m months late, I’m only popping in briefly)

I do think part of it though is that some applications didn’t run well on Vista and they wanted to increase volume of Windows 7—something that seems fairly logical.

Tried the beta—not bad, but still prefer Solaris 10 myself. Heck, if I could get Photoshop and iTunes 9 (for an iPod Touch) to run, I’d be running it solely...

[big'ol_freeper]

LOL...you got me..I saw you posted to me and thought “I don’t remember posting on that thread” only to find that it was a thread I posted months ago. My excuse for not remembering is that I’ve slept since then.