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Purchase Windows 7 |
With the release of Windows 7 happening soon, the advent of a new operating system is upon us. The big question is will this new OS be everything everyone hopes for, or just another release from Redmond.
Having installed and worked with Windows 7 Ultimate, the good news is that the operating system is much more efficient than its predecessor and brings with it some pleasant feature updates. However, if you are looking for a revision of Windows, or a killer application that makes purchasing a must, you may be a bit disappointed.
While Microsoft may frown on Windows 7 as being a fix for Vista, it is hard not to see the new OS as just that. With the fiasco that is Vista firmly in everyone’s mind, Microsoft is placing its hopes that Windows 7 will be just what the doctor ordered to cure the problems that Vista created.
From ridiculously slow start times and power downs to issues with compatibility with drivers, Vista was viewed as a resource pig that was not only weak, but less stealth than its predecessor XP. In all honesty, and I worked with Vista, it was not all problematic. However, it was still a resource pig, had problems with driver support and presented just a few enhancements. Overall it felt like a release rushed to market.
In sharp contrast, Windows 7 from install to daily use feels like a mature system. The incompatibilities are less an issue, although there are some surprises in terms of what works and what does not. 7 looks poised to be the best thing Microsoft has produced in a long while, aside from Office.
The only problem is that the innovations are largely under the hood, or in terms of ease of use features. The most noticeable being the Task bar, given a more Mac like feel, and the ability to burn to DVD along with an OS that is a bit faster and more efficient. You will also notice a more controllable UAC program.
Luckily for current CorelDRAW users, Corel Painter users and Corel WordPerfect users, if you are using the latest products, Windows 7 works well with them without issue. The only incompatibility problems you may run into are anti-virus, utilities and some DVD software players. Most new software works, but from time to time there are problems. Aside from minor issues, if it worked under Vista, the odds are it will work with Windows 7.
Superficially, this does seem like a fix. With plans for new releases of an OS every three years, Windows 7 comes about two years after Vista. Clearly, the push to get Windows 7 to market in October is a desire to see the damage done by Vista erased.
The big question is will the OS be that essential with cloud computing, the rise of netbooks and the release of an operating system from Google. With all of the changes coming up and an interest in mobile computing high, the future of OS as the centerpiece could potentially change. While that may not be earth shattering at this point, it could be down the road.
What does not count speculation is that Windows 7 is really a must upgrade for Vista users. Considering the frustration and the problems that it has brought with it, 7 will appear like a cure rather than an innovation.
Even with that said, 7 is solid and the refinements will be appreciated. In what has to be a first, this is the first time I can recall in recent memory that Microsoft has released an OS with system requirements similar to its predecessor. If you are running 2 GB of ram, a core duo processor and a discreet graphics card, any reasonably equipped PC can run 7 well. There is discussion that it can configure itself to work on even more modest systems, again something of a first.
For new users, Windows 7 will be standard. For existing Vista users, 7 is a cure all of sorts. The only camp that may have issues with upgrading are content XP users.
One of Microsoft's biggest competitors is Microsoft. With so many users perfectly content with XP, which until now was their most robust system, upgrading may be problematic. Unlike Vista, you cannot do an in place upgrade from Windows XP. You are required to do a clean install.
If you are happy with XP, and your system simply is too weak to take the upgrade, the answer is obvious. But if you are able to upgrade, the new look, functionality and elegance of 7 is hard to resist.
In terms of usability, stability and function; 7 is the best OS Redmond has produced in a few years. The big question is will it be enough to remove the bad taste that Vista left on everyone’s desktop.
With so many options, the future may not be clear, but the advantages to Vista users means relief from an operating system that was not well received by either the tech community or end users.
Talk to Kurt in Graphics Unleashed Forums
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