Windows 7

[Over The Hill]

I am running XP on two computers.

About 6 different adverts have been on TV showing me what is good about Windows 7 and each one is something that I (as someone not at all into computers) can do on XP.

What is the point of Windows 7? I can see that Microsoft want to keep re-inventing the wheel and to try to flog more stuff but I would assume that they will show the best new features in the ads and nothing is at all new or worth having from what I can see.

If it did lots of things better then great, but it just seems to be the same as XP.

 

[redddraggon]

XP 64-bit support was pants. Vista 64-bit support was loads better, but Vista had it's own issues. Win 7 has decent 64bit and driver support.

It's basically a case of the latest hardware runs best with the latest OS/Software.

 

[2Loose]

The point of windows 7 was that they improved on the previous vulnerabilities of XP to malwareviruses etc while modernising the interface to take advantage of increasing cpu/gpu power available with newer machines. Much like an old ford capri could carry people from a to b, but a newer vehicle would make it more comfyfaster(lol) etc.

I know when I install an Xp system nowadays it takes all day, an hour or two for the install, 6+hours for the drivers and apps etc. Windows 7 take 2 hours because all drivers are there already.

Saying that, Ubuntu Linux has all that I need straight off of the dvd, so two hours there also.

 

[slowmotion]

Windows 7 has serious problems with backwards compatible, faintly serious teckie software. Some of the stuff that doesn't work might not be that old. I'm still on XP, and I'm not moving right now. Stick with XP for now and see if it becomes a problem.

Don't listen to the salesmen at PC World !

 

[beanzontoast]

Windows 7 has serious problems with backwards compatible, faintly serious teckie software. Some of the stuff that doesn't work might not be that old.

I was hoping this 'backwards compatibility' lesson had been learned from the Vista experience.

Personally, I run one Windows 7, one Xp and one Ubuntu pc. The Win 7 user experience is very modern. I find it a bit 'nannying' by comparison with Xp, but this 'hand-holding' I imagine is very supportive to inexperienced users, and it hasn't fallen over anywhere near as often as Xp. I suppose the thing is, modern hardware and software - plus anything I buy from now on - I should be able to expect to run with Win 7. I like Xp mainly because I'm familiar with it and it came first. Were the situation reversed - had Win 7 pre-dated Xp - I'd probably feel a huge affinity towards Win 7 based on years of using it and be wondering what on earth they were thinking of when they released Xp!

 

[trustysteed]

there comes a point where you have to stop moaning about backwards compatibility and realise things have moved in the ten years or so since XP was released. Will you still be using XP in 2020 and complaining that nothing new works on it? or are you so addicted to your one XP gameapp that you refuse to upgrade, ever?

 

[beanzontoast]

there comes a point where you have to stop moaning about backwards compatibility and realise things have moved in the ten years or so since XP was released. Will you still be using XP in 2020 and complaining that nothing new works on it? or are you so addicted to your one XP gameapp that you refuse to upgrade, ever?

Good point. Win 7 is better than Xp in many ways. I've always been happy to try new OS software.

However, a good OS should be transparent: it's a tool, not an application. It's just there to act as a platform from which people can use their existing software, and as such, backwards compatibility is something that should always be high on the OS designers' lists.

 

[killiekosmos]

I had an XP desktop and laptop and my son has a Vista laptop. Santa gave me a new PC with 64bit Win7. It has a lot of useful (rather than essential) user features - the snap facility is great for comparing 'panes'. Navigation round directories much simpler. Altogether a better end-user OS. Windows Media Centre runs Sky player within it (and iPlayer if you download TunerFree MCE). I like it more than XP or Vista. Old XP machine now rund Ubuntu 10.04

 

[ufkacbln]

Good point. Win 7 is better than Xp in many ways. I've always been happy to try new OS software.

However, a good OS should be transparent: it's a tool, not an application. It's just there to act as a platform from which people can use their existing software, and as such, backwards compatibility is something that should always be high on the OS designers' lists.

Depends on the investment,

As a serious user may have an investment over a few years of several hundred quids worth of software. Is it unreasonable for that investment to have a reasonable life?

Memory Map is a classic, I bought the original version, and it was fine, but to buy a new map, I had to update to MM2004, and to increase any further I would need to buy V5. The maps are totally incompatible ( I know it is partially due to OS copyright)

I also have to run all three versions!

Its a great trick, have software and update it and make the punters buy it again and again.

 

[slowmotion]

there comes a point where you have to stop moaning about backwards compatibility and realise things have moved in the ten years or so since XP was released. Will you still be using XP in 2020 and complaining that nothing new works on it? or are you so addicted to your one XP gameapp that you refuse to upgrade, ever?

I guess I'm one of those losers who doesn't queue all night outside an Apple store in order to get the latest technology....

 

[trustysteed]

I guess I'm one of those losers who doesn't queue all night outside an Apple store in order to get the latest technology....

nor me...idiots.

i do agree that it is reasonable to expect your software to have a decent shelf life but there has to be a limit somewhere. xp was released in 2001 which has given a good 9 years of life for applications, that's not bad.

 

[beanzontoast]

nor me...idiots.

i do agree that it is reasonable to expect your software to have a decent shelf life but there has to be a limit somewhere. xp was released in 2001 which has given a good 9 years of life for applications, that's not bad.

True - 9 years is pretty good going given the pace of change in the sophistication of apps and their demands.

This reminds me of the thread from a while back where someone asked what the oldest piece of software was that people still had on their machines. A part of me likes the idea that if a piece of software does what you need it to, then why change - but another part of me really likes Windows 7s modern touches and the idea of software that utilizes its capabilities.

 

[2Loose]

I still use some very old software, niche wargames stuff, hex gaming at its (1992) finest.
For this, nothing can cope...

I will not stay in the early 90's just for this one game and so I palm it off to a virtual machine running windows 3.11. (gotta love Sun Virtual Box, Win 3.11, win 95 and Xp all running on windows 7).

Best of all worlds surely? (disk space permitting)

 

[threebikesmcginty]

Apologies if this shouldn't be here but it is a W7 question.
Is there a trick to printing multiple PDFs in Windows 7?
It used to be select all and drag to printer, don't work no more!


edit: ahh just found out - select, right click, print..duh!

 

[jpembroke]

I guess I'm one of those losers who doesn't queue all night outside an Apple store in order to get the latest technology....

Well, if you are a PC user, queuing outside an Apple store all night would be particularly daft.