Posted on 10/21/2009 2:40:21 PM PDT by Dr. Scarpetta
Windows 7 has been a long time coming. In some ways it’s what Windows Vista was supposed to be back in 2006.
It’s fast, super stable, but also clean and sleek. I love it and switch from OS X because of Windows 7.
It has restored my faith in Microsoft and it feels good to be back on a Windows system after a five year hiatus. I don’t think I’m alone either.
Reviews and previews of Windows 7 have been posted ever since the first public beta in January of 2009. Everyone seems to love it.
I haven’t seen or heard of any major bugs or flaws in the operating system. Microsoft nailed this one and should be proud.
Tomorrow, October 22, is the official launch date of Windows 7. Preorders are already shipping out from online retailers and I wouldn’t be surprised if the retail boxes are already on the shelves in some brick and mortar stores.
In fact, TG Daily is reporting that Windows 7 has dethroned Harry Potter as Amazon’s most successful preorder item of all time. It’s clear that people want Windows 7.
But do you? Seriously, I’m asking. Do you plan on purchasing Windows 7?
I’m not saying you should pay full retail for the system as there have already been a few deals for the OS including a student discount and the Signature edition found in the Windows 7 Launch Party packs landing on eBay for cheap.
Or you can snag an OEM version on the cheap too if you can manage without the retail box and documentation.
But if you do have to pay full retail, at least Windows 7 rings up at a lot lower price than previous editions of Windows 7 with the most expensive Ultimate edition costing only $319, which is slightly less painful than Vista’s $399 MSRP.
That’s still a good chunk of change though. I can tell you that Windows 7 does provide a significant usability boost over Windows Vista, but besides that, even I have a hard time justify the price.
I know Microsoft and Apple’s business model are totally different, but Apple wins people over when it prices new operating systems for $29 while Microsoft charges more than a cost of a netbook.
Apple also doesn’t have 17 different versions of the same operating system. Its K.I.S.S. strategy obviously means hardware and software.
You already know how I feel about the OS. I’m using it right now and have enjoyed the free beta versions the entire time.
I doubt anyone will actually line up at Best Buy for the chance to be the first tomorrow to purchase the OS. (Okay, maybe a few will)
There’s a good chance that savvy Windows users already have the OS either through one of the beta programs or from one of those “torrent” sites I hear about occasionally…
So what’s your plan? Is your computer getting a Windows 7 upgrade sometime soon or are you still going to live in the depths of hell that is Windows Vista.
Already bit! Love Windows 7; I’ve been running it for the last two weeks.
Though in thinking about it, MS probably should have brought it in at $30 for the first year. Really clear the decks of most Vista and XP machines. For the most part XP does what the average consumer needs it to do.
There are lots of good options, but we have bought two Toshiba A505-6965 laptops(Vista 64) in the last few months. The first was for my son as he went off to college, and I was so impressed that I got one for myself. Smoking fast. You can’t get this one anymore, as it was a Best Buy exclusive and they no longer have it, probably due to Win 7 coming out. But I imagine they either now or will soon have a similar model with Win 7 installed. This thing comes out of standby in 2 seconds flat.
Buy an IMac and sleep well at night.
Define officially dead? I’ve still got a Windows 2000 box in my lab, heck I’ve got some machines with NT4 images I just don’t use them anymore. You’re supposed to be able to run an XP VM inside 7 pretty well so converting doesn’t necessarily mean leaving it behind. But in the end that’s why I’m going to setup for dual-boot, that way my reliable tried and true XP install will still be available.
Been running Ultimate for over a month on my work laptop (thank you MSDN) - it is awesome. Not a single issue. boots amazingly fast, runs everything I need. Best MS OS ever.
Am waiting for my Code so I can begin my Home Premium download. This Vista POS will be W7 tomorrow night.
“Define officially dead?”
You know, like if someone suggested to you that you should be running Windows 98...NFL...
Currently on stable XP where everything just works. I can't see any reason to upgrade.
Ditto. And Powershell is running roughshod over the traditional *nix shell/scripting languages.
Have two PC’S and just bought a Mac, love it’s style, speed and operating system.
It depends on how much you want or need a fast/big computer.
For home use, I would check out Costco and Dell; get 4 gb memory at least and a quad-core if available. Dell's comprehensive service arrangement is appealing (to me), especially if the machine is used by kids.
My own machine is stronger, but that's a different story and if you need one, "get the best you can justify."
No.
I bit on Vista on launch day a few years ago, and the lag time to get it to work with my installed peripherals and some programs made me a bit crazy. This time I will wait to see lots of reviews from regular users before I make the jump.
I agree
I went through almost every Windows version and they got me to try a Mac Book
Awesome
I honestly do not know, because my encounters with it on friends' and neighbors' machines were so thoroughly disagreeable that I never allowed it in the door here.
I do not steal software or content..but I have issues with anything running on my machines that could get in my way or tell me what to do. Shrinkwrap contract be damned, if I pay for something, I own it, period.
DISCLAIMER: A lot of this was NOT Vista's fault!
Some sleazy discount chains were running promos with "Vista" machines..laptops, mostly, and they were woefully inequipped to run it. I cannot recall how little RAM they had...the experiences were so horrible I have spent years trying to forget them. In all cases, the people returned the machines. A few toughed it out to get the XP downgrade, but generally the discounters had to eat most of them.
I am not exaggerating to say these systems were bad. It got to the piont where people would show up with a laptop, and I'd take one look at it and start shouting, "Get that F**** thing out of here and never bring it back".
Again, it was not Vista's fault. These sleazy retailers did not do MS any favors by doing this..it just added salt to the wounds, and made everything much worse. One issue was the "Vista Ready" sticker on machines that barely, maybe, possibly, had the most minimal resources that could be imagined and stretched to run Vista. Factually, it was not precisely fraud, if one were willing to go into Talmudic depths of reasoning to parse the details.
So add the DRM "Spyware" to all the above, and a potently odious mixture was formed.
If we hear reports of trumpets and maidens scattering rose petals about this new OS, maybe I'd take a look at it. Right now, it's "Wait and See, and Prove It".
I tried upgrading from Windows ME to XP once upon a time. A disaster. My brother is an IT consultant and believes upgrading, as opposed to a clean install, is to be used only as a last resort.
Yes it does that very well indeed. I'm a happy XP customer since 2001.
Windows7 just gets it done faster, prettier, and without all those BSOD events.
I don't have to restart W7 but rarely. It plays well with all my other programs and drivers.
I think people will like it a lot.
No, I bought DOS 4.0. Fool me once.......
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