Posted on 05/06/2009 1:25:03 PM PDT by JoeProBono
If you're feeling adventuresome, you can get a jump on the rest of the world by being one of the first to try out Windows 7, the next version of Windows. I've tested out the beta version for the last few months and, so far, my experience has been quite positive.
Microsoft still hasn't announced the date of the final commercial version of the upcoming operating system, though it's widely expected to be out by the end of this year. But Microsoft is allowing anyone to download and install a free copy of the operating system so it can be tested on a wide range of machines. Windows 7 RC, as it's called, was made available for public testing May 4th and will be available for free "at least through July" to those willing to go through a few hurdles......
I’m willing to give it a try. I absolutley HATE Vista! I have a 3.3GHZ processor with 2 gigs of RAM and Vista runs like a 286!
I don't know whether this is compelling to you, but it runs faster and is more responsive than XP on the same hardware. I tested it side-by-side in two equally-configured virtual machines, one core each, 1 GB RAM each. I have heard the ability to leverage several processor cores is vastly increased in 7, but I can't test that on my dual-core Mac.
Yes you can load on a thumb drive. Make sure you BIOS settings will load from device.
I have a Mac Book Pro OS X, Linux Ubuntu and Windows XP and Vista.
Macs are way too expensive for me to populate my home with them, and Linux is too damned stupid to install apps and drivers without a 256 character command and supporting rpms.
Okay...thanks! Heading to work now, will try it later.
I’ve done some researching on the net. Your experiments are confirmed by 2 articles on ZDNet. Aparently XP does take a back-seat to Win7 performance wise.
And OpenCL is supposed to be included with Win7 too. Not OpenGL, OpenCL. That off-loads small mathematical algrythms from the processor to the Video GPU when you aren’t doing 3D application work. Supposedly this gives you a ‘free’ 10x performance bump.
Apple is allegedly using this in an upcoming Leopard release.
I absolutley HATE Vista! I
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Vista was anyone’s worst nightmare. That’s why they changed their mind and continued to allow businesses to still order XP first. Then they even allowed anyone to choose XP but if you didn’t have a business account, they made you pay extra. 2 PC’s with Vista on them, crashed within a month. We made Dell take them back and send us different computers with XP.
I have been using it for months now. Its well worth the upgrade. Lots of new usability features have been added that I just can’t live without now.
Vista is OK. It’s been a very stable platform for my laptop.
My complaint is that it requires a higher end computer to run and the added features are mostly cosmetic.
‘I heard that the current version going around has a Trojan virus inside.’
If you download it from Microsoft, that is not a problem.
If you go to Pirate Bay type sites, you get what you deserve.
ping to 23
Your complaint is the primary reason I’m pretty Vista hostile. The hardware requirements for Vista are excessive, and the performance of doing the most mundane tasks are slower than XP. The only thing that Vista brought to the table was a ‘prettier’ interface. Meanwhile, I have to scrap my Dell laserprinter, re-do my home network setup (XBox 360 and PS3 do not play well with Vista; but work seamlessly with XP).
I do not know about the seamless intergration with my game consoles - but numerous sites claim that Win7 gives superior performance on the same hardware as XP did. You machine not only runs faster - it apparently also runs more new and upcoming ‘toys’.
My only gripe is having to backup everything on my PC, have my drive get wiped to install Win7. I’ll likely hold off for the foreseeable future and let other people navigate the bugs.
I have never, ever had my XP Media Center, then Vista Ultimate, and now Windows 7 RC system refuse to record and/or play any of my content.
But in addition, I have quite a few CDR's burned direct from studio master tapes - Beatles, Beatles studio outtakes, Sinatra, Nat King Cole, Beach Boys, Ray Charles, Ella Fitz, Doors, McCartney, etc.
I would hate to think I could not burn CDRs from those! Amazing sonic quality from those 50's era recordings as well as many of the Beatles albums!!!!
I'm running Windows 7 on a similar box. It runs like a sparkly 486.
I hope to God you have offsite backups.
I don’t know where this DRM crap is coming from, but I have never seen an example, on any modern Microsoft computer, where an mp3 wouldn’t play.
If someone has had this happen, please send me the file so I can test what’s wrong with it! And I will send you, in return, a copy of the same file that works.
I never upgrade existing computer Operating Systems. It’s just not worth all the work. If I had all the connections you have I would be doubly sure to just wait until the current computer conks out. (I don’t understand why your laserprinter was a problem. I have a couple of old HP laserjets that have been switched back and forth between numerous computers without any difficulties).
When I need to replace my 2003 Dell (with XP, and slow despite added RAM), I’ll go with Windows 7. Hopefully, a lot of the usual bugs will be worked out by then. I may be a sucker (which is what MS counts on), but Windows 7 sounds pretty good so far.
OpenCL, along with extensive multiprocessing libraries to leverage high core-count systems, is a cornerstone of Snow Leopard. Apple already has this speed bump for any developer who uses the Core Image and Core Animation libraries, which accelerate filters, transitions and motion for image, animation and video on the GPU. OpenCL will just give developers more freedom to do what they want.
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