http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/news/095374D6292D155ACC2575B9007167DF
Microsoft, analysts tell companies to kill Vista plans go to Windows 7
The Microsoft executive in charge of Windows urged some companies this week to dump Vista
Microsoft said to dump Vista and get windows 7 now
(35 posts) (12 voices)-
Whiterabbit-uk
offlineGames GuruI did the same, but persevered until I had to get it verified. Even though I had the reg code I kept getting a failed verification. That plus the fact that a lot of the software and quite a few games wouldn't run on the platform was the decider for me. I wasn't going to spent hundreds of pounds replacing the software I'd been previously using just for a better looking OS. That was nearly 2 years ago. What a waste of money.
I have read lots of good reports of Win 7 - I even had the first beta installed until I formatted my computer; but will wait until the first service pack is released before I bother to buy it. XP has given me good service for several years now. If it's true what some reports are saying that there will be a virtual XP, then I think it will be a great success. I think they should also include a virtual DOSBox as well. That would please me a lot as I'm getting back into a lot of the older DOS games recently. :)
WR
Posted 4 months ago # -
GMMan
offlineMemberProbably a good idea, but it's not easy as it sounds. Companies probably already tested most of their apps with Vista. However, because Vista and 7 are quite different (though with similar kernels), some apps that works on Vista might not work properly on 7. Basically they have to start all over again just to verify everything.
Posted 4 months ago # -
Dragonlair
offlineMemberI've used Vista for over 2 years now with very little problem. I had a problem with my graphics driver not talking to Vista fast enough but NVIDIA finally fixed their driver. Sometimes it doesn't boot with the sound driver loaded properly or Avira not being recognized by the security but a quick reboot solves that.
Over 95% of my old software (including games) continued to work under Vista and I was able to replace 95% of what didn't with new (and usually free) software.
Posted 4 months ago # -
GMMan
offlineMemberHeh. My Vista laptop takes more than 5 minutes to boot (even though I've gotten rid of all the OEM crap). Once I had my sound driver eating up one of my cores, at almost 100% kernel time. There's also the time that I've got an invalid NTFS file entry and had to boot Puppy Linux to eradicate it. Seriously, where the heck did all these problems come from? Out of control audio driver?! Sheesh.
Posted 4 months ago # -
midori
offlineMemberI don't know about the techy innards of the thing, but I dumped Vista when it came out. Stuck with XP all the way with never a problem. So first they were saying "Dump XP and get Vista. Hurry-hurry!" Now they're saying, "Dump Vista and get Win 7!" So I'm leary. What are they gonna dump Win 7 for? But I have heard good reports about it. But then... you did at first about Vista. For me it's not all personal choice, but I have to stay compatible with clients that I send transcripts to, many of which are Mac users. I guess time will tell how compatible Win 7 is w/ other platforms, but XP has always worked well for me. Ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes... :)
Posted 4 months ago # -
ibwebb
offlineMemberFirst thanks midori.. I will have to go listen to that song now since it has been stuck in my head since I finished your post LOL.
Ok, I have read several articles/reports about Win 7, but it sounds like several of you have actually tried it. Any chance any of you can comment on if they have improved on the incredible resource/RAM hog that Winndows has become? When they came out with duel cores I thought that was a neat thing, but then quad cores, and then I just read that Intel has come out with a processor that (a single one) can keep up with and out perform in some areas of the quads... that makes me nervous thinking that Microsoft will want to use it all (again) and the computers we are using now will become the paperweights that our Pentium 4s have about become. *sigh* sorry about that little rant, just wondering if any of you have any input/info on what Win 7 will 'need' or 'want' to run.
Best Regards,
ibwebbPosted 4 months ago # -
Whiterabbit-uk
offlineGames GuruYeah, it's stuck in my head too, lol I've not listened to any Bowie for years. All my Bowie albums are vinyl and are stored in the loft because I don't have a record deck any more. I keep meaning to buy one with a USB connection, but as yet have not found one. All I want to do is transfer the best of what I've got onto the computer. I've had a lot of the albums since I was in my teens so have a lot of memories. Though I think the last vinyl record I bought was nearly 20 years ago. A lot is stuff I doubt I'd want to listen to again (e.g. Gentle Giant and Greenslade), but most albums have at least a few tracks that will be worth copying and cleaning up to get rid of any scratches and crackles. I wonder if I can capture the basiness of a vinyl recorded as compared to a CD album? I remember comparing a vinyl and CD version of one of Diamond Heads albums and always thought the vinyl version had more depth. :)
sorry for going off the point. couldn't help it after midori's comment.
Posted 4 months ago # -
ibwebb
offlineMember@WRabbit: I got one of those (turntable with usb) for Christmas for my parents and was VERY impressed. My parents set a limit on spending after I had decided that is what I wanted to get them; so, I had to get my daughters to let me have their names to add to the gift to make it pan out. The one I got them frequents on Geeks.com for about $90 (U.S.) plus shipping if you are interested. It came with a program to help you keep all the songs the way you want them. Past experience showed me the same as you. My (70s-80s) KISS albums just were not the same 'gritty rock' that they had been once they were on CD, but this let my have the best of both worlds. BTW DO NOT get rid of those other vinyls until you check around. Seems that a lot of those are becoming valuable and much wanted again. Anywho, NP I enjoyed reading, but if anyone has any info still would like to hear.
Posted 4 months ago # -
BentlyTCow
offlineMemberIf I remember correctly Windows 7 actually has lower requirements than Vista. I installed it on an older P4 laptop with 512mb of ram (requirements state 1gb) and it runs just fine. I haven't installed a bunch of stuff on it yet, but it starts up fast and runs IE well. Last week Windows 7 was on sale in the US for $49.99 so I bought two copies for future computer builds. It's supposed to be on sale at some point in the UK for £49.99 but I didn't see the point in spending extra just for the privilege of paying in pounds.
Posted 4 months ago # -
Whiterabbit-uk
offlineGames GuruI didn't realise that it had been released yet. Do you have a link for purcxhasing the US version? That's definitely a bargain. I wonder why the UK version is going to be 50% more expensive?
I've got some KISs as well, but not on CD, lol. Great band. Punchy music and very entertaining band.
WR
Posted 4 months ago # -
watcher13
offlineMemberI, too, have heard from more than one source that tested the beta that 7 cuts down on the bloat. I think they're finally realizing at M$ that complexity for complexity sake is not the answer. That's my biggest problem with Vista. Too big and unnecessarily complicated. Thousands and thousands of files and it generates what I consider superflous files (and temporary registry entries) all the time.
Posted 4 months ago # -
I bought a new Acer laptop about a year ago and played with Vista for about 10 minutes before I looked up how to put XP on it (driver look up was horrendous).
I did however install Windows 7 on my old Averatec (about 3 or 4 years old) successfully but still don't like the new security features/installation runarounds, so again went back to XP...
Posted 4 months ago # -
GMMan
offlineMember@ibwebb: First impression of Win7 (Beta)? Mediocre network support. Seriously, if Vista can connect automatically to my network on a virtual machine, then why can't Win7? Darn, even Win98SE can do that look how small it is (compared to Vista). And the first-time user setup took an hour (I think, it was so long that I lost track). I guess it'll perform at least 2x better on a real machine, and maybe MS Virtual PC is to blame (max 8MB graphic memory, my butt). Not very impressed.
Posted 4 months ago # -
BentlyTCow
offlineMemberSorry, I should have specified, it was a pre-release sale. It's not due out till October 22nd. I got it from Amazon.com but I think the deal ended on the 11th. However, it is now officially on pre-order in the UK now as I have just received an email from Play.com saying it was available for £49.99. Checking Amazon.co.uk they have it for £44.97. Links below if you're interested. I should also point out that the EU version does not have Internet Explorer! That's why it's called Windows 7 E. E for Europe! Clever, isn't it? So you'll have to get your own browser on there some how. And there is no upgrade version! After this the RRP is £149.99. The Pro version is £89.99 on Amazon and £99.99 on Play and will jump to £219.99 when the sale is over, according to Amazon. WR, I'm guessing that's why the UK version is so much more expensive. I bought the upgrade versions from the US because you can still do a full install with the upgrade.
http://www.play.com/PC/PCs/4-/11047872/-/Product.html £49.99
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Microsoft-Windows-Home-Premium-PC/dp/B002DUCMT2/ £44.97
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Microsoft-Windows-Professional-E-PC/dp/B002DUCMTC/ £89.97Chances are you won't use anything in the Pro version, with the possible exception of the Windows XP mode, which won't be available to all users anyway, due to a hardware limitation in some processors (CPUs). Check the Play link for a comparison of the two versions.
GMMan, I didn't have any kinds of issues like that. It took maybe an hour at most from putting the disc in the drive to my first game of Solitaire. It didn't have the drivers for my mini PCI wireless card but it's from some obscure Chinese company, so I'm not surprised. It picked up my D-Link wireless USB adapter right away and I had no problem connecting to the network.
Posted 4 months ago # -
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8118749.stm
Windows 7 upgrade plans revealed (PS) not in New Zealand so far no prices !
Europeans will get a full version of Windows 7 at upgrade prices !
Microsoft will not be offering an upgrade version of Windows 7 in Europe.
http://www.microsoft.com/uk/windows/buy/offers/upgrade.aspxPre-Order Windows 7 Between July 15th and 9th August at a great price.
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/products/home?os=nonwin7
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/products/system-requirements
http://www.microsoft.com/uk/windows/buy/offers/upgrade-faq.aspx
Posted 4 months ago # -
ibwebb
offlineMemberARRRRRGH! I am in a real pickle here! Some of you might remember me posting a bit back about the motherboard in my Toshiba Laptop going bad. Well the warranty company came through with a ....piddly (for a cleaner word)... settlement that I figured I could somehow work with. Anyway, shortly after I had to move and ended up using part of it to help get a new washer/dryer that would fit in the apartment (part of that and savings.. not that it was enough alone to do so.). Anywho, I have managed to save up enough to look into the replacement again and have caught a LOT of influence from people around me to just go Apple. Yet, I haven't touched an Apple since 1993. Anyway, I have a lot of old games that I like and really hate to lose them, but hate thinking of finding and running 2 separate OS. I prefer as simple as possible. Yet, some of what has been said here and I have been told by some others about Win 7 makes me really wonder if I should hold out with Windows still. ARRRRGH (again)! Sorry, I know it isn't the right topic or much anyone can do since I have to decide, but still makes a decision tough... though the obvious answer to me seems to be "suck it up and go with the two OS". Oh well, thanks all for the info and help!
ibwebb
P.S. Sorry for any error in this. It takes forever to do much with this laptop. Seems the motherboard has a mind of it's own and jumps everywhere randomly, and sometimes just does stuff (open, close a program, clear something, freeze, etc)
Posted 4 months ago # -
BentlyTCow
offlineMemberOne thing I know about Apples is they're immediately nearly double the price of an equivalent Windows based laptop. For instance, say you wanted an average sized laptop, one with a 15" screen. From Apple the base 15" laptop is £1300. A similarly specified Dell laptop (a small step down in CPU and a big step up in video card) is £738. Now, for your extra £562 I understand you get a nice aluminum shell on the Apple, along with better battery life, though parts of the Dell casing are metal. You could run Windows inside OSX, though you'd still have to buy Windows. The Mac comes with a back-lit keyboard, which would cost you an extra £30 from Dell. I couldn't find anything on the Mac's screen resolution but for an extra £100 you can get true HD resolution (1920x1080) which I doubt that Macbook does. Dell is also offering a free upgrade to Windows 7 when it's released, so you wouldn't have to spring for the new OS in October.
Perhaps this is over-simplifying things a bit but that's quite a difference in price! Heck, with £562 you could probably buy a decent used Macbook and have both!
The cheapest Macbook Apple does has a 13" screen and is £749. The cheapest 15" Dell? £349. Unless there's something Mac-specific you want or need, I'd go with the Windows-based stuff, though I'm sure there'll be others who disagree.
Posted 4 months ago # -
watcher13
offlineMemberSomebody put a halt to a Vista/XP debate over in the comments section by linking to pretty good looking statistics that pointed out that about 65% of all Windows users still use XP. So you could go that route. There were, and probably still are, vendors who will sell you machines with XP on them. Or you could buy a used laptop or PC, or even (horrors) a used copy of XP.
Another option: Best Buy and others have been offering a free upgrade to 7 for Vista users because of the Vista debacle. Presumbably to keep people from going to Mac, among other things. You could get a new Vista machine - they might be getting discounted shortly as 7 approaches - along with a free upgrade to 7, and if you find you like Vista, problem solved. If not, at least you've got the free upgrade.
Posted 4 months ago # -
I ordered my two retail Windows 7 Professional full E versions from amazon.co.uk yesterday for £89.97 each.
I also noticed that anyone that orders Vista there between certain dates can get a free Windows 7 upgrade.
I ordered Windows 7 Professional as it has the ability to run XP applications.
I found a few applications stopped working on Vista, even using the compatibility mode.
I have tried Windows 7 Ultimate, I prefer XP, however things change and to get benefit
of the changes we also need to change our operating system.
I hope Windows 8 does not come out for 3 or so years, so not to sour the milk.
Posted 4 months ago # -
Robert
offlineMemberJust being curious Lee,does your CPU support that praised XP virtualization thing in Windows 7 or did you had a chance of working with it on another computer?
I doubt the average user will have the facility of running XP programs if he don't get the Professional version and has a compatible CPU.But yes,..Vista being another Windows Me in a way,Windows 7 is something to look forward to.
And it will probably mean a boost in sales for the computer and software manufacturers esp if larger companies will eventually switch to it.Posted 4 months ago # -
BentlyTCow
offlineMemberDell is offering the free upgrade from Vista to Windows 7; I imagine most of them are, now that it's available for pre-order.
I decided any virtualization I needed to do could be done in VirtualBox as easily as what Windows 7 Pro offers. Never mind the fact that I don't have the right processor for the Microsoft method anyway. Anyone can use VirtualBox on almost any operating system and with nearly any processor. It's also free for home users: http://www.virtualbox.org
For a simple break-down of which version is right for you see the Windows Secrets newsletter from July 16th, linked below.
http://windowssecrets.com/2009/07/16/01-Some-versions-of-Windows-7-worth-it-others-not/#story1
Posted 4 months ago # -
Robert
offlineMemberWell lucky you,Lee !
Completely off topic,I know.
Or maybe not.I am testing Windows 7 on an older Vista portable.Runs smoothly as promised...but it won't shut down.LOL.Can't figure out what's wrong with it,but a lot of people seem to have (had) that problem.
Did you test the RC?Posted 4 months ago # -
ibwebb
offlineMember@BentlyTCow: I can't remember the last time I bought a NEW computer (laptop or desktop). I can't help feeling the same way about them as cars. As soon as the key touches the ignition you lose at least a third of the value. I tend to buy either refurbished or such and then add the extra warranty. I know that I cannot link to it, because it seems to be a problem each time I do, but they have some very well priced Apple and ??? runnin windows on Geeks.com and NewEgg.com. I honestly prefer the first and as long as I make sure my warranty is through Square Trade I never have had a problem. Though, this laptop is honestly the first time I have had to use the warranty I believe. I do understand what you are saying about Apple.. and honestly I LOVE a lot of my older games. Yet, as I am trying to make this decision I have three Apple enthusiasts barking in my ear about how much easier everything is on Apple and how incredibly easy it is to set it up to use either my version of XP (or Vista..YUCK) and have the Apple OS as well.
@Robet: Doesn't that seem to be a staple with windows? I think every OS that they come out with there is a problem with shut down and even when they claim it is fixed there are still a lot of people saying they still have that problem.
To be completely honest.. when the money is there and I am ready I would be willing to bet very large on the fact I will stick with Windows and keep my eyes open for a Win 7 deal for later.
OK, sorry there is not more, but it is getting ridiculous and I seem to be retyping or having to scroll back here too much.
Best Regards to all and hope to be back soon with something healthy!
ibwebbP.S. Thank you to everyone for all the info! I feel really informed and what to look forward too.
Posted 4 months ago #
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