Windows 7 is a threat to Linux & OS X

[Pikaflash]

Everywhere i go i see:

We did this before with Windows 7 at PDC and the Windows 7 Beta – I figured it’s time to do it for the Windows 7 RC. Here are a handful of quotes of what people are saying about the Windows 7 RC:

Ed Bott from ZDNet wrote:

Overall, I’m impressed with how reliable this Windows release has been. It also seems more than adequate in terms of performance.

Dwight Silverman from the Houston Chronicle wrote:

This latest test release is good. Really good. In fact, it’s good enough that, were Microsoft to call this the finished version and release it formally, it would be a much better product than Windows Vista was when it launched in early 2007.

Preston Gralla of Computerworld wrote:

Windows 7 RC1 includes a substantial number of productivity and performance tweaks that make an already solid, fast, entertaining and useful operating system even better.

Simon Bisson of ZDNet talks about his long history testing beta and RC bits of Windows and how the Windows 7 RC compares:

We've been using Beta and RC code since Windows 3, and this is by far the most solid and feature-complete RC we've seen.

Jeremy Kaplan of PC Magazine wrote:

Bottom line is that Windows 7 Release Candidate is more polished than the beta; seems to be better optimized for operating speed, responsiveness and improves user experience.

Matt Buchanan from Gizmodo digs the new backgrounds we added to the Windows 7 RC (I do too!):

Yes, these are just a handful of the ridiculously awesome backgrounds packed inside Windows 7.

Samara Lyn from CRN was impressed with the work we have done with Windows 7 and with our partners on driver compatibility:

Another blessing with Window 7 RC is that there were no issues with drivers. It looks as if Microsoft and vendors really got on board with ensuring driver compatibility.

This is what Mary Branscombe from the Financial Times had to say about the Windows 7 RC:

For end users, Windows 7 is a clear leap forward, and if the final version has the same high quality and attention to detail as this release it should appeal to customers and PC manufacturers alike.

And here is what Joshua Topolsky from Engadget said:

One thing we can say for sure is that it felt snappier and less buggy than the earlier versions (duh), and it's clear that Microsoft has taken a lot of the feedback it's gotten to heart. RC1 shows off definite attention to detail

Why does Windows 7 have such a positive image compared to Linux and OS X ?

Microsoft is purposely putting an XP compatablilty tool into Windows 7 to make sure all XP software runs, similar to the way Wine works for Mac and Linux, take a look:

Its going to be called 'XP mode'

http://blogs.zdnet.com/microsoft/?p=2598

I think a lot of people agreed that Vista was a debacle, so W7 looks great by comparison.

This review-- http://gizmodo.com/5069661/windows-7-walkthrough-boot-video-and-impressions --calls W7 "a fast, stable environment. There's a lot going on behind the scenes to make the OS more usable, one monumental improvement being how video memory is allocated for unseen windows. (Hint: It's not.) The result is a highly responsive machine that gets decent battery life. Though specs aren't out yet, Windows boss Steve Sinofsky confirmed that it could run on systems with just 1GB of RAM."

[cariboo907]

Moved to recurring discussions. This has been done to many times.

[monsterstack]

If it turns out to be a decent OS, which looks increasingly likely, Linux adoption might well slow down a bit. Vista gave Linux a lot of converts. We'll just have to wait and see if Windows 7 wins some of them back. Maybe yes, maybe no.

[k2t0f12d]

That's not the question that will turn the tide of the desktop. The question is whether or not Win7 is a threat to XP. If it beats XP (which Vista couldn't), then the monopolist stands a chance of retaining monopoly a bit longer.

[monsterstack]

That's not the question that will turn the tide of the desktop. The question is whether or not Win7 is a threat to XP. If it beats XP (which Vista couldn't), then the monopolist stands a chance of retaining monopoly a bit longer.

Sure, but most people weren't exactly given much of a choice when Vista rolled out. When you buy a new PC, you get the current version of Windows. That's how it works. Businesses got concessions to use XP, but maybe this time things will be different. Sooner or later, people are going to upgrade their ten-year-old computers. In Microsoft-time, Vista hasn't been out all that long. So when people's machines eventually start breaking down with the latest software, they will get Windows 7.

[Pikaflash]

Of course Microsoft will flood the market with Windows 7 PCs because they have "forced" all of the hardware vendors into installing it. They will claim people love Windows 7 when sales are high, but people will have no choice but to get it because if they buy a PC, it comes with Windows 7, which skews the statistics because people are not actually buying Windows 7, they are buying a PC which happens to come with Windows 7.

[The Toxic Mite]

It's unlikely that I will be returning to Windows for a long time, despite Win7 looking ever so good :(

EDIT: Just read the above post. I am NEVER going back to windows.

[Fudgey05]

I must say, Vista has biased me against windows, and, although i sometimes feel like the abused spouse, running back to windows although i know i shouldn't, I am growing more and more fond of linux. Doubtful that I shall be adopting Windows 7.

[jelle_]

I don't think I'd moved to Linux completely if my laptop had windows 7 pre installed instead of vista. but since I use Linux, I don't move back to windows.

[Taila]

It does not matter how nice windows 7 is, for me the issue of cost of ownership as an individual is more important. I'm sure W7 is not going to be cheaper than Vista and Vista is extremely expensive in this country. When the operating system alone cost the same as a desktop, that says it all.

The other issue is that with windows you need a powerful system just to be able to enjoy the experience. Well look at my system specs and the fact that I enjoy desktop effects and running really fast at nearly no cost. Why would I decide to pay more when I am then going to have to pay for ms office as well which cost more than a quad core system in this country. For the price of owning windows I can buy a Core i7 with great graphics which would be a once off price compared to continously paying for virus checkers and all other software that I happen to need/want.

The other thing is is that I like to tinker around on my desktop and the idea of getting verified everytime I reinstall my system is not a good sounding one. In this country we have just come out of polical and social oppression, it does not sit well with me to be under any technology related oppression, if I can help it and this one I can.

People compare windows to linux - what? The two are not comparable, you can compare windows to OS X. Both microsoft and mac control the hardware sphere and therefore have an unfare advantage over linux. the hardware is built for them and linux programmers always have to play catchup. I'd rather wait for them to catch up than be current and oppressed again.

Off course linux is far superior techwise to windows, the only problem of few years back was the un-ease of use. Saying things work out of the box is linux thing as with windows things come with drivers.

[Screwdriver0815]

for all these "testreviews" in the newspapers and so on, its clear to me: Microsoft has done a good nursery to the journalists, maybe some goodies... maybe an OS for free... its the same like in each and every other branche. If the journo gets nursed in the way he expects it, the review will be "excellent".

For myself its also sure: I don't know Vista and I don't want to know it. And I also never will know Windows 7, no matter how many threads in the ubuntuforum (how ridiciulus is that??) claim what a superior OS Windows 7 is.

The most strange thing to many people is: nearly nobody of the important Linux-persons cares, if Windows 7 is a threat to whatever operating system.
Because many of the Linux-companies have their customers. And if there are 10 million desktop users or 100 million... who cares? Ah, yes, now everybody starts whining about the drivers because when there are not enough users, we all lose our beloved Nvidia driver... no, we don't, because its already there and Nvidia and all the other companies do not sit down, count the users and after that someone says: "okay, thats it... 9.9 million users... this is too less, please delete the driver files"
This never-ever will happen.

So all this "windows 7 is a threat", "windows 7 is the best OS, the world has ever seen", "windows 7 is awesome", "windows 7 has the best drivers", "windows 7 is the fastest OS ever", "windows 7 looks best" "windows 7 has the most advanced user interface"

is all promotion. For Microsoft. FUD.

[praveesh]

Windows 7 wont be a threat to linux . Actually it is not the increased functionality and quality of windows that is threat to linux . The low awareness of people about linux and the sale of pcs pre installed with windows ape the real threat to linux . Ofcourse win 7 will add some increased functionality to the linux . It is the win7 that made some difference in performance of processors having multy core and one core. Iam expecting that linux will acquire such improved performance . The visual effects in 7 doesnt seem awesome . Many are already included in kde Or compiz

[Giant Speck]

Will Windows 7 help Microsoft keep the majority market share? Absolutely. Even if it fails miserably, it's more likely that people will revert back to XP than switch to other operating systems. And if people do switch, they are probably more likely to switch to OS X before thinking of switching to Linux.

Now will Windows 7 be the best operating system? There's no possible way of answering that without the answer being an opinion. Many will say no; many will say yes. There is no correct answer.

[praveesh]

Will Windows 7 help Microsoft keep the majority market share? Absolutely. Even if it fails miserably, it's more likely that people will revert back to XP than switch to other operating systems. And if people do switch, they are probably more likely to switch to OS X before thinking of switching to Linux.
Now will Windows 7 be the best operating system? There's no possible way of answering that without the answer being an opinion. Many will say no; many will say yes. There is no correct answer.
mac osx is available only for mac . If people shift to other os People will more likely shift to Ubuntu.Still now many people in my college use Ubuntu (even though only for browsing because there is no virus attack)

[k2t0f12d]

Will Windows 7 help Microsoft keep the majority market share? Absolutely. Even if it fails miserably, it's more likely that people will revert back to XP than switch to other operating systems. And if people do switch, they are probably more likely to switch to OS X before thinking of switching to Linux.Did you mean more likely to give up on Windows, skip GNU+Linux, trash their old computer, and buy an Apple, or get an unlicensed copy of OS X and try to hackintosh it on their old PC hardware?