I still use some DOS-based programs. Does 7 support old DOS programs?
I had to upgrade all my hardware (printer, scanner, etc.) when I went from W98 to XP because the former peripherals didn’t have XP drivers and the manufacturers were either out-of-business or refused to create XP drivers.
It gets expensive to have to buy new peripherals with a new MS-OS — unless that new OS actually adds something spectacular to the computing experience.
What does 7 add?
Being retired, I mainly do home computing and surf the Interent. Windows is primarily a fancified menuing system.
MS didn’t sell me on VISTA — because it required too much in new peripherals and system upgrades.
If 7 requires allot of upgrades, I doubt I will have much interest in it.
[Even the latest XP upgrades cause system conflicts. I had to return to a previous install. And, my system refused installing XP SP3 — which was good, because SP3 had allot of driver conflicts. I cringe every time I get a software notice of ‘upgrade’ or ‘update’. They can cause more problems than they cure.]
Windows 7’s driver model is virtually unchanged from Vista. Vista sucked at first because companies had to rewrite drivers, but now that it’s all been done, most modern peripherals now work with Vista, and hence Windows 7.
As several of the posters have been saying, Windows 7 beta was available in February and I’m on it - and it’s fantastic.
Look for a Windows 7 Release Candidate (the final prerelease version) next month for another testing period, if you’re interested.